Facilitation Technique Category: Therapeutic Use of Exercise

Activity Title: Basic Yoga Skills: Breathing/Meditation, Childs Pose, Heros Pose
Source: Ross, A., & Thomas, S. (2010). The health benefits of yoga and exercise: a
review of comparison studies. The journal of Alternative and complementary
medicine, 16(1), 3-12.
Equipment: Yoga Mat, and Yoga Blocks and preferably calm/quiet environment
Activity Description: Exercise is a broad term, that encompasses many different
activities, one of them being Yoga. Exercise has many different advantages, including
physical, psychological, and emotional. When we exercise, we are obviously physically
exerting our body, and once we pass a certain threshold of exertion/heartbeat level, our
bodies release endorphins that help make us to feel better. Lack of exercise can lead to
health risks such as depression, cardiovascular disease, and stress anxiety. So having a
physically fit lifestyle is always beneficial. And Yoga is no exception. Yoga helps
immensely in physically and psychologically providing beneficial reactions in our bodies.
The purpose of this activity is to teach the basic Yoga skills of breathing/mediation,
Childs Pose, and Heros Pose. Breathing and Meditation are great skills to practice
because they can be done anywhere, and are great ways to help clear your mind and
provide tranquility. One simple Yoga meditation technique includes a simple 3 step
process: 1) you must breath. 2) You may choose a mantra (a word or sound to be repeated
to aid in concentration during meditation) such as ohm. 3) Focus on clearing your head,
being present, and taking deep breaths. Although this process seems simple, if done
properly it proves to be more difficult than originally planed, and can strongly aid in your
entire body feeling more relaxed afterwards. The second activity we will learn is Childs
Pose. Childs Pose is an exercise that helps with elasticity and also helps o bring about
peace and serenity to the yoga practice. In order to get to child pose you must, 1) bring
toes to touch, while the front of your knees should be facing down, as you are sitting up.
2) Knees should be mat width apart. 3) Your hands are reaching forward. And the last
activity we will be practicing is Heros Pose. IN order to get to Heros Pose, you should
1) sit up on a block (or two), and 2) have toes turned in while having your knees
touching. Heros pose assists in stretching thighs and ankles, while also improving
posture.
Leadership Considerations: A CTRS will function as an instructor for this activity, and
he/she will assist if any help is needed by the participant. Obviously beforehand, the
CTRS will instruct and find out if anyone is limited to certain movements, so that they
may plan ahead of time accordingly and make adjustments. But for the most part,
leadership skills include being able to have a set plan of action, in regards to what the list
of activities will be for the session (in addition to any adaptations necessary), being able
to lead the clients and help them focus on the task at hand, as well as have the ability to
properly make the clients understand the importance and significance all these activities
can have on their well-being.

Adaptations: Participants with Multiple Sclerosis: (MS) is an unpredictable, often

disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information
within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms vary in range, with some
people having mild to severe cases of MS. However in terms of Yoga participation, Yoga
has proven to be a quite beneficial form of therapy in this field. With meditation, which
can be done anywhere and by anyone (including patients with any level of MS), studies
have shown that with young children has been associated with improved plasticity and
motor control per se, and yoga practice is experimentally found to alter signaling
molecules having to do with pain relief. And in relation to Yoga poses, there is one
adaptation, Tadasana, that requires one to stand completely still (with no shoes on), try to
make no other movements, while also trying to calm the mind. Practicing this pose will
help you maintain a quieter posture for longer, but no amount of practice will eliminate
the need for genuine effort to accomplish it. And for clients with more limited movement,
the pose Dandasana requires one to only sit straight up, with legs extended completely
straight out, and clients will practice breathing for 30 sec to 1 minute. The benefits of this
pose are similar to that of the ones explained in the Tadasana, exercise (Fisherman &
Small, 2007).
Participants with Hearing Impairments: Hearing impairments can include total or
significant loss of hearing. A hearing loss above 90 decibels is generally considered
deafness, which means that a hearing loss below 90 decibels is classified as a hearing
impairment. Adaptations for individuals, who fall under this category, would be assisted
by having a plethora of visual aids and videos, demonstrating the correct proper way to
conduct each exercise. In addition, having a CTRS or someone who is certified in fluent
sign language could also be helpful in helping the client further understand all of the
techniques. But for the most part, client with hearing impairments can still do most of the
exercises, when combined with the help of visual aids (Manjunath & Telles, 2005).
Adaptations Reverences
Fishman, L. M., & Small, E. L. (2007). Yoga and multiple sclerosis: A journey to
health and healing. Demos Medical Publishing.
Manjunath, N. K., & Telles, S. (2005). Influence of Yoga & Ayurveda on self-rated sleep
in a geriatric population. Indian Journal of Medical Research,121(5), 683.