Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1302808
BREATHE, JUST BREATHE. at phrase, that ideology, is so instinctual. How many times have you heard it spoken, or silently repeated it to yourself on loop? You've probably uttered it to a co-worker at one point or another, or calmed a friend with those simple yet reassuring words. Taking in air is essential to our survival and fuel for our vital organs, but have we ever considered that honing in on this unconscious repetition could harness an incredible power? Fear, worry, excitement and anticipation — they all require a person to recognize the importance of slowing down, mentally and emotionally, to gain control of thoughts or feelings that have the potential to manifest in a very physical way. Adults have varied means of processing life and the world around them based on life experience. Children, however, are inherently at a deficit and Maria Andrade is working earnestly to address this. "Last year, when I was teaching Spanish St. Joseph's, I lead a yoga cluster and saw first-hand how these children were benefitting from this practice, specifically by focusing on their breathing," Andrade said. "It really struck me, I became so interested in breath work, specifically directed toward students in the classroom setting — mainly because it calls you to think about all the emotions children have these days, all the problems they experience. Essentially, they come to school with all of these emotions that need to be unpacked at some point because it will manifest in a myriad of ways." Andrade's passion for children is effortlessly evident and that same passion led her to deep dive into this idea of an alternative method to classroom management — mindful breathing. rough conversations with a friend, Andrade discovered Cheryl Crawford with On e Same Breath. "ere are many breathing programs that exist, but I like the concept of her program versus other ones due to its simplicity and because of the connection piece," Andrade said. "e fact that the breath is what can connect us to ourselves, and then connect to each other; it's so powerful." While exploring breathing practices, Andrade couldn't help but recognize the symbiotic relationship that existed between what she was learning and the practice of yoga. "It really happened very organically and felt incredibly natural to marry these breathing techniques, this mindful breathing that I was diving into with the practice of yoga. Both are focused on connecting with and to yourself," said Andrade. Andrade founded All Bodies Can Breathe (ABCBreathe) after completing the 90-hour curriculum and coursework with On e Same Breath, and fulfilling 95 hours of study for a Registered Children's Yoga Teacher designation through the Yoga Alliance, the largest nonprofit association representing the yoga community to foster high-quality, safe, accessible and equitable teaching. "We expect these students or children to just calm down, asking ourselves 'Why can't you just focus?' or 'Why can't you just sit still?' We're asking all these things from them without actually giving them the resources to do it," she said. "e same way we wouldn't expect a first grader to do complicated trigonometry without having taken them through the steps to how to learn how to B 50 maconmagazine.com | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020