COURSE CONTENT: 

Journey to the seen and the   unseen through a multi-sensory, interdisciplinary, transformative study of   mindfulness utilizing a fun, creative variety of individual and group   mind/body practices applicable to everyday life and across academic   disciplines. Develop your own imagination, intuition, inspiration,   integration, and interpretation including 15 sensory perceptions to live   to your highest potential with resilience to navigate the challenges of   personal and professional endeavors.  You will unravel the mysteries of   why the 8,000-year-old science of Yoga is all encompassing, integrated with   Positive Psychology, Physics, Neuroscience, Human Biology, and grounded in   the eight-part awakening process. From STEM to Liberal Arts, from Education   to Sports, from Political Science to World Health, students from any   discipline will co-create a research-based platform from which to expand   self-awareness to support your particular contribution to the world.

This course is designed to introduce   students to the practice and understanding of interdisciplinary yoga with a   focus on mindfulness skills. The style   of yoga presented in this course originated in India thousands of years ago.   It is one of the oldest systems for personal development in the world,   encompassing body, mind and spirit. This course   is an integrated, experiential, multisensory study of mindfulness principles   through the experience of the basic level 1 Yoga postures, various forms of   meditation, breathing practices, reflection and sharing. Based on broad, all   welcoming, practice of Kripalu Yoga, Experience the smoothness of vinyasa   flows, the intensity of holding postures and the freedom of your own personal   style: Asana, Breath, and Meditation all happen simultaneously. 

Each   class will include: Coming into the present moment by centering the body,   mind, and breath. Warm-up exercises that synchronize   breath with movement, as means of inducing concentration and preparing the   body, Creative asana sequences designed to stretch, strengthen and balance   the body including standing and balancing, forward and back bending, spinal   twists, lateral bends and inversions. Classes   often include meditation-in-motion; Classes   close with integration through relaxation and meditation.

Module Overview

The progression of this course is fully integrated and experiential with the following outline of experiences as a framework from which to pull. In alignment with Honor College pedagogy, there will be opportunity for student choices and the curriculum will be flexible to accommodate student interests, suggestions and insights.

Mindfulness Definition: Thoughtful non-judgmental attention to the moment including mindful reflection, meditation, contemplation, drawing, writing, and holistic health. 

Week 1/2: Beginners Mind

Week 2/3 Creativity: Pathway to Joy

Week 3/4 Embracing Personal Power

Week 4/5: Open Heart Open Mind

Week 5/6 Authenticity: Living Your Truth

Week 6/7/8:Letting Everything Be Your Teacher

Week 9/10-10: Meeting Your  

Module   Overview

The progression of this course   is fully integrated and experiential with the following outline of   experiences as a framework from which to pull. In alignment with Honor College pedagogy,   there will be opportunity for student choices and the curriculum will be   flexible to accommodate student interests, suggestions and insights.

Mindfulness   Definition: Thoughtful non-judgmental   attention to the moment including mindful reflection, meditation,   contemplation, drawing, writing, and holistic health. 

Week   1/2: Beginners Mind

Week 2/3 Creativity: Pathway to Joy

Week 3/4 Embracing Personal   Power

Week 4/5:   Open Heart Open Mind

Week 5/6 Authenticity:   Living Your Truth

Week 6/7/8:Letting   Everything Be Your Teacher

Week 9/10-10: Meeting Your   Mindful Self

Week 1/2: Beginners Mind

· Affirmation: I am stable, strong, grounded, safe, and secure.

· Gratitude First: 

· Awakening Intuition: I follow my inner guidance. I witness myself with a non-judgmental attitude.

· Meditation: Mediation Basics/ Stillness vs. Movement

· Breath: Gentle Steady Breath, 3 Part Breath

· Spiritual Focus: Patience/ Acceptance /Compassion 

· Physical Focus: Personal Boundaries/Foundation Postures

· Intellectual Focus: Concentration

· Relational Focus: Building class community

· Emotional Focus: Kindness/Compassion for Self

· Mindfulness: Non-judgmental present moment awareness. 

· Chakra 1: Muladara “root”. Color: Red Element: Earth 

· Sensory: Seeing with childlike wonder not tainted by judging. 

· Awakening: Intuition

· Research: Relationship of yoga to mindfulness, Nueroplasticity 

· Reflection: Intro to Reflection Rubric 

Week 2/3 Creativity: Pathway to Joy

· Affirmation: I flow freely with the rhythm of life. 

· Gratitude First

· Awakening Imagination: My creativity flows easily.

· Meditation: Sensory Meditation/ Drawing Meditation 

· Breath: 3 Part Breath, Breath of Joy

· Spiritual Focus: Creativity

· Physical Focus: Hip Openers, Twists, Fluidity, Flexibility

· Intellectual Focus: Group Process

· Relational Focus: Mirroring/ Co-listening/ Group Trust 

· Emotional Focus: Freedom and Joy

· Mindfulness: resilience, compassion, empathy

· Chakra 2: Swadhisthana Element: Water Color Orange

· Sensory:Taste: Tasting as if for the first time

· Awakening: Imagination The power of imagination makes us infinite. – John Muir

· Research: Students choose an academic area on which to focus while engaging in the assignments for each week or they choose to do the assignments as written. They can also use assignments as a jumping off point for their own exploration.

· Reflection: Using metaphors and analogies.

Week 3/4 Embracing Personal Power

· Affirmation: I have abundant personal energy to live fully in the world. I am guided by my deepest purpose.

· Gratitude First

· Awakening Interpretation: I see the big picture and all the parts. I see all the parts and the big picture.

· Meditation: Empowerment Visualization

· Breath: HA Breath/Fire Breath

· Spiritual Focus:  Meaning and Purpose

· Physical Focus: Core Strength /Authentic Movement

· Intellectual Focus: Confidence/Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligence

· Relational Focus: Leadership

· Emotional Focus: Empowerment

· Mindfulness: Patience, Art of Allowing

· Chakra3: Manipura:  Element: Fire Color:Yellow

· Sensory:  Inner and Outer Sight (Blindfold Project)

· Awakening: Integration

· Research: Human Ecology/Basics of Chaos Theory/Systems Theory OR Student initiated research

· Reflection: Personal Power and Mindfulness

Week 4/5: Open Heart Open Mind

· Affirmation:I am loving and lovable. I am a source of healing for myself and in the world

· Gratitude First 

· Awakening Inspiration

· Meditation: Smiling Heart / Heart Chant

· Breath: Ocean Breath

· Spiritual Focus: Intention

· Physical Focus: Arms/Hands (Cross-Cultural) 

· Intellectual Focus: Taking Action

· Relational Focus: Wisdom Council/Whole Group

· Emotional Focus :Community/Love

· Chakra 4 : Anahata Element:Air Color: Green

· Sensory:  Touch: Do you touch the earth or does it touch you? How do you touch with the heart?

· Research: Physics of Empty Space/ Heart Coherence

· Reflection: What does it mean to open the heart?

Week 5/6 Authenticity: Living Your Truth

· Affirmation I am learning and I am growing in everything I do.

· Gratitude First 

· Awakening Integration

· Meditation: Authentic Movement/Insight Meditation

· Spiritual Focus: Truth

· Physical Focus: Wholeness

· Intellectual Focus: Self Expression/Life Purpose/Speaking

· Relational Focus: Co-Listening, Reflective listening

· Emotional Focus: Self expression / Speaking truth

· Chakra 5: Vishudha Color: Light Blue Element: Sound

· Sensory: Hearing/sound and brain waves. 

· Mindfulness Skill: Stream of consciousness writing.

· Research: Physics-Sound /Light, Electro Magnetic Energy Field

· Reflection: Stream of consciousness writing.

Week 6/7/8:Letting Everything Be Your Teacher

· Affirmation I am wise. I know my truth and share it.

· Gratitude First 

· Awakening: Inspiration

· Meditation: Insight Meditation

· Spiritual Focus: Inward Control Centers/ Body/mind brain

· Physical Focus: Fluid connectivity between parts of the body

· Intellectual Focus: Perspective/Democracy

· Emotional Focus: Public Speaking, Leadership,

· Relational Focus: If my body could speak what would it say? 

· Chakra 6 :Ajna or to perceive, Color Indigo Element: Light

· Sensory: Survivalist Ego vs. Essential Self

· Research:  Pituitary, Pineal, Hippocampus, Hypothalamus

· Reflection: What inspires you? 

Week 9/10-10: Meeting Your Mindful Self

· Affirmation I am wise. I know my truth and share it.

· Gratitude First 

· Awakening Wholeness

· Meditation: Consciousness Evolution Meditation

· Spiritual Focus: Energy Field

· Physical Focus: Wholeness

· Intellectual Focus: Democracy/ Co-creating

· Emotional Focus: Full Presence

· Relational Focus: Perspective/ non-judgmental awareness 

· Chakra 7:S ahasrara, Color Purple or White Element: Light

· Sensory: Aliveness/ Life Sense

· Research: Control centers of the brain: Pituitary, Pineal, Hippocampus, Hypothalamus

· Reflection: Bringing it all together.

1. Creates   purification resulting in increased physical awareness.

2. This   produces strength, flexibility and stamina.

3. Attention   (focused) on physical sensations.

4. Witness   consciousness begins through physical inquiries.

5. You   do yoga.

6. Alignment   principles are based on anatomical architecture and experiential anatomy.

Stage 2: Purpose: Increased awareness of thoughts, feelings and emotions

1. Strengthens   the will, resulting in increased mental and emotional awareness. This creates   personal clarity and honesty.

2. Attention   (relaxed) on thoughts, feelings, emotions, and breath.

3. Witness   consciousness develops through posture inquiry.

4. You   do yoga and yoga does you.

5. Alignment   principles are based on prana/energy.

1. Results   in increased ability to experience life without judgment and to be present in   body, mind and spirit simultaneously. This produces joy, power and wisdom.

2. Attention   (passive) on instinctual, intuitive movement.

3. Witness   consciousness surrenders to experiences of meditation-in-motion.

4. Yoga   does you. Alignment principles come   from natural intuition

Poses   (Asanas)

Standing Poses:

Mountain (Tadasana)

Downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Side angle (Parsvakonasana)

Triangle (Trikonasana)

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Forward bend (Uttanasana)

Chair (Utkatasana)

Lunge

Sun   Salutations

Arm   Balance

Dolphin plank

Plank

Crane (Bakasana)

Standing Balance:

Tree   Pose (Vrkasana)

Dancer (Natarajasana)

Standing   ½ Moon ) (Arda Chandrasana)

Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)

Knee to chest balance

Standing toe balance

Seated   Poses:

Staff pose (Dandasana)

Seated full forward bend (Paschimottanasana)

Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

Cobbler’s pose/Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana)

Seated Twist (“Half Lord of the Fish”) (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Full boat (Paripurna Navasana)

Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend (Upavistha Konasana)

Prone Poses (hands and knees):

Child’s pose (Balasana)

Plank (Kumbhakasana)

Cobra (Bhujangasana)

Camel pose (Ustrasana)

Upward facing dog (Urdhva Mukha   Svanasana)

Thread the Needle 

Locust (Salabhasana)

Bow (Dhanurasana)

Supine   Poses:

Bridge (Setu Bandhasana)

Lying Spinal twist

Reclining big toe stretch (Supta Padangusthasana)

Lying chest opener 

Corpse pose (Savasana)