Desk Yoga and Breathwork

For students, teachers, and anyone who works at a desk

On Friday I taught Desk Yoga and Breathwork at the Cabot Learning Federation’s Summer Conference for the 3,000 teachers and staff of the school network. It was such a wonderful experience and really rewarding to share seated yoga and breathwork practices for wellbeing that teachers could then take back to the classroom to use with their students.

I taught in Chicago Public Schools for nearly a decade and used mindfulness techniques with students in elementary and high school to help them focus and relax.

The Summer Conference was also a really good reminder of the power of in-person events. I work from home, I usually teach yoga virtually and while the power of technology undoubtedly makes things more accessible, there is a special energy that exists exclusively when sharing physical space with others. I hope I’m invited back next year!

Making Eye Contact

I started the sessions by asking participants to find a partner and make uninterrupted eye contact for five breaths. This is much harder than it seems and turned into fits of giggles, diverted eyes, or conversations instead of quiet observation. It was a way to invite vulnerability and humility into the session from the get-go and to prime participants to try the breathing patterns to come.

Lion’s Breath

Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth with the tongue out for this energizing, and fun, breathing pattern.

Cooling Breath

Inhale through a rolled tongue and exhale through the nose. If you are physically unable to roll your tongue, inhale through your teeth for a similar effect.

Box breathing

This is a very calming breath that’s great before bed. All parts of this pattern are the same length, like the sides of a box: inhale, hold the breath in at the top, exhale, hold the breath out at the bottom.

Extended Exhales

Making the exhale longer than the inhale helps signal to the parasympathetic nervous system that the body is safe and can get out of “fight or flight” mode and turn on “rest and digest.”

4-7-8 Breath

In this breathing pattern the inhale is for 4 seconds through the nose. Hold the breath at the top for 7 seconds and then exhale slowly for 8 seconds.

Three Part Breath

This breathing pattern includes a triple inhale and a long slow exhale. Breath a third into the belly, inhale a third into the ribs, and then all the way full into the chest. Let the breath out a long, slow exhale.

Breath of Joy

The Breath of Joy takes the three part breath and adds movement. Done seated or standing, inhale the arms up overhead, then inhale the arms out to the side, inhale with the arms overhead again, then exhale while folding over the legs and letting the arms swing on either side of the body.

Body Scan

After our seated yoga and breathwork practice, I lead the group in a body scan meditation, lightly resting the attention on each part of the body and observing any sensations while letting go of tension.