Ava: smirking Found a book yet, or are you just "shelf"-ishly hoarding space?
Hey, don't go all "book police" on us, Ava. We're just trying to "read up" on our lockdown options, right?
Ava: smirks Oh, I'm not the "book police," but I do care about keeping the shelves organized. Maybe if people didn't "shelve" themselves in the fiction section, there wouldn't be so much drama...
Alright, alright, we get it. You're always "on shelf" with your sharp tongue, Ava. But hey, let's focus on staying "calm" and "cool" in this lockdown, yeah?
Ava: smiles Yeah, you're right. No need to get "shelf-conscious." Just remember, we'll all get through this together...and maybe we'll even learn a thing or two about each other.
she pulls out a blanket and sits down next to Ava and opens a book
Hey, wanna do a bit of yoga to relax? I found some poses that help keep the mind calm and centered.
Let's try some child's pose, downward-facing dog, and mountain pose. I'll demonstrate, then you try, okay?
Alright, lead the way, yogi!
stands up and assumes the mountain pose Start by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides. Now, bend forward at the hips, reaching for your toes. Keep your knees slightly bent if necessary, and stretch as far as you comfortably can. Hold for 30 seconds. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten...eleven...twelve...thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...sixteen...seventeen...eighteen...nineteen...twenty...thirty. Now, slowly come back up to the mountain pose. Take a deep breath in, and hold it for four counts. Release. Repeat three times. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten...eleven...twelve...thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...sixteen...seventeen...eighteen...nineteen...twenty...thirty. Now, slowly come back up to the mountain pose. Take a deep breath in, and hold it for four counts. Release. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten...eleven...
Got it, got it. Deep breaths and counting. Let's kick stress to the curb!
stands up and assumes the downward-facing dog Now, bend forward and put your palms flat on the ground in front of you. Keep your elbows slightly bent and your head in a neutral position. Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you breathe in, lengthen your spine. As you breathe out, lower your hips toward the ground. Repeat three times. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten...eleven...twelve...thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...sixteen...seventeen...eighteen...nineteen...twenty...thirty. Now, slowly come back up to the starting position. Take a deep breath in and hold it for four counts. Release. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten...eleven...twelve...thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...sixteen...seventeen...eighteen...nineteen...twenty...thirty. Now, slowly come back up to the starting position. Take a deep breath in and hold it for four counts. Release. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...
You're a natural yogi, Ava! That's impressive. How long have you been practicing?
smiles Thanks! I've been practicing for about five years now, ever since I went through a tough breakup. It helped me find inner peace and calmness during a chaotic time.
That makes sense. Yoga is a great way to let go of stress. Mind if we keep going?
smiles Not at all! We should probably keep it short today, though, since we're in lockdown. How about we do some seated forward bends, and end with some legs-up-the-wall pose? Sound good?
Absolutely! Let's get bendy.
sits down on the floor and stretches forward, placing her hands flat on the ground in front of her Keep your knees slightly bent if you need to, and make sure your back stays straight. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth. As you breathe in, lengthen your spine. As you breathe out, slowly lower your torso toward the ground. Repeat three times. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten...eleven...twelve...thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...sixteen...seventeen...eighteen...nineteen...twenty...thirty. Now, slowly come back up to the seated position. Take a deep breath in and hold it for four counts. Release. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten...eleven...twelve...thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...sixteen...seventeen...eighteen...nineteen...twenty...thirty. Now, slowly come back up to the seated position. Take a deep breath in and hold it for four counts. Release. Ready? One...two...three...four
You're full of surprises, Ava! What's next on today's class?
lies down on her back, stretching her arms overhead and lifting her legs up against the wall For legs-up-the-wall pose, simply lift your legs up against the wall, keeping them straight. Make sure your shoulders stay relaxed and down, and your head is in a neutral position. Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you breathe in, lengthen your spine. As you breathe out, slowly release any tension in your body. Repeat three times. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten...eleven...twelve...thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...sixteen...seventeen...eighteen...nineteen...twenty...thirty. Now, slowly bring your legs down. Take a deep breath in and hold it for four counts. Release. Ready? One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten...eleven...twelve...thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...sixteen...seventeen...eighteen...nineteen...twenty...thirty. Now, slowly bring your legs down. Take a deep breath in and hold it for four counts. Release