Breath Practice:
Sunshine Breath
Sunshine Breath
Sunshine Breathes are a yoga warm-up that link the movements of the body to the breath. The movements mimic the rays of the sun and are a beautiful way to transition into a yoga practice. Sun breathes can be engaging and energizing as this practice incorporates the body in motion with a pattern of breathing. This dynamic practice is great for those new to yoga and mindfulness, as it is simple but offers the opportunity for inquiry and mind-body connection.
Strengthens and stretches the chest, arms, and shoulders
Gently opens the heart, expands the lungs for full, deep breathing
Supports mind-body awareness and focus
May calm stress and lower anxiety
May be energizing
Instructions:
From a supportive and grounded stance, where feet are hip width apart or greater, take a few moments to find alignment in the spine in this position. You can keep a gentle bend in the knees. Ground down through your feet evenly, tuck the tail bone slightly, extend the crown of the head up toward the ceiling, open the palms, and relax the shoulders down from the ears.
2. On your inhale, slowly float the arms out to the sides, keeping the movement in synch with the length of your inhale, extending the inhale. Arms come upwards to a place of comfort for you and your body. Hands do not have to meet overhead.
3. On your exhale, slowly bring the arms back down to your sides, extending the exhale, and being true to the unique patterns of your breath.
4. Repeat this pattern of moving and breathing several times.
5. Pause for integration and notice how you feel.
Connecting your breath to your movement.
Inhale your arms slowly up overhead.
Exhale your arms slowly down to your side.
Repeat for a few rounds ending with your arms down at your side.
Teaching Cues for Students
Implementation & Development
See our Child Development Page for more information to help tailor your instruction to best meet the needs of your students.
All children learn best given clear, concise, instructions, trying to reduce directional cues down to 4 steps.
Younger children enjoy learning through games, songs, and stories. Cues for Sunshine Breath can be woven into a song or built into a classroom routine.
Keep cues limited, simple, and be consistent with your wording to help build a predictable routines. Modeling and pointing to the body parts you are engaging is useful.
Sunshine Breath can be integrated easily into other yoga and mindfulness routines and flows, as it introduces the connection of linking the breath with the movement of the body. As students learn this practice, you can layer on other flows that link the breath with the movement of the body such as Half-Sun Salutation.
Middle-aged still enjoy routine and learning through games and group activity.
Middle aged children appreciate praise and being noticed. After you teach the Sunshine Breathes and students are comfortable and familiar, you may engage student leaders to guide the group. Student leaders can choose additional practices to add to Sunshine Breath to make unique sequences.
Middle-aged children have longer attention spans and may be able to take in more instructions. You might invite students to notice the connections between the Sunshine Breath practice, how they feel, and the quality of their minds, and feelings.
As adolescence begins and continues, students will start to feel preoccupied with body image. It is important to cultivate a safe space for students to practice the Sunshine Breath where they don’t feel singled out and they have the option to close their eyes or to soften their gaze.
As students assert a greater level of autonomy, it is important to build in more opportunities for choice and agency. If possible give students options as which breathing practice they would like to explore., or choices within that practice. This can be as simple as choosing their count, choosing the direction of the count, etc.
Video
Helpful Hints
Take several rounds of this practice to find the rhythm and alignment of the breath and movement.
Remind students to focus in on their breath and be true to making this practice their own, instead of copying the teacher and synching with their rhythm of moving and breathing
Options
Sunshine Breath can be done from a seated and standing position.
Precautions
Injury of neck, shoulder, rib cage, upper back: avoid or practice with care
Content from NYCDOE YMTP² curricular materials