Celebrate your strength and courage every day with this fun and empowering series. Sing. Make a wish. Blow out the candles.

Pose Instructions

Step 1 (Rock ‘n Roll)

1. Sit cross-legged.
2. Take hold of your toes from the outer side of your knees.
3. Breathe in and lift up your chest.Breathe out and tuck in your chin.
4. Breathe in and out as you round your back and roll backward. Extend your crossed legs over your head.
5. Roll forward, tuck your legs, and sit up again. Do this 2 or 3 times to loosen up your spine, back, and legs.
6. Re-cross your legs the other way, then roll another 2 or 3 times. (Note: If crossing your legs is too challenging, I suggest you just tuck like a ball with your knees into your chest and roll back and forth.)

Step 2 (Plough)

1. Roll backward. Let go of your toes, bend your elbows, and use your hands to support and lift your back.
2. Straighten your legs and lift them past your head until your bent toes touch the floor. Squeeze your shoulders and elbows together. Breathe in and out for 30 to 60 seconds. (To relax in this pose, bend your knees and rest them on the floor on either side of the head.)
3. Continue to let your breath flow in and out.

Step 3 (Birthday Candle)

1. Lift the legs straight up towards the ceiling. Rest your weight on your shoulder blades. (Your weight should be on your shoulders, not on your neck.) Lift your chest.
2. Your feet are the candle flames. Wiggle your toes to make the flames flicker.
3. Tuck your chin to keep your neck relaxed.
4. Sing “Happy Birthday.”
5. Take a breath in and blow out your candles.
6. Rest your hands at the back of your knees.

Note to Parents and Teachers

This might be a difficult pose series for younger children. Encourage them to do their personal best without any sense of perfection or “getting it exactly” right. Remember, they are just beginning. Encouragement, praise and patience is their best teacher.

Activity Ideas for Home or Classroom

Body Benefits/Awesome Anatomy
This child friendly version of the shoulder stand brings many gifts:

• blood flow and energy to the brain
• flexibility to the spine
• relief for the valves of the legs; energizing the glands of the body.

Musical Musings
Sing the Happy Birthday song in this pose. Learn it in Spanish, “Cumpleanos Feliz.” Find other Birthday song versions and share them with your children.

Nutrition Tip
Create a sugar free Birthday Party. Refined white sugar is highly addictive. Over-consumption may lead to hypoglycemia and type 2 Diabetes, as well as drastic mood and activity swings. Try using these naturally occurring sweeteners* instead:

• barley malt
• brown rice sugar
• date sugar, or even better, whole skinned and blended dates (tastes like brown sugar!
• honey
• maple sugar
• molasses
• stevia

Try this ice cream alternative!

Ingredients

• 2 cups organic plain yogurt
• 1 bag frozen organic strawberries
• dash of vanilla
  1 tablespoon honey or 1 pack of powdered Stevia

For a dairy-free alternative, try using full-fat coconut cream. 

Directions

1. Place in the food processor and puree.
2. Put puree in the freezer for at least an hour and serve like ice cream, or just drink this combination right away as a smoothie.