Lead Guide: Caryl
Opening song: Eyes Shut. Soul Alive (Watch video here)
Featured poems/excerpts/breathing exercises:
In today’s practice, I am going to lead you through a breathing exercise where we pay close attention to breathing on all sides of the body. Noticing the roundness that our body creates as we inhale. Breathing into the entire circumference of our bodies.
We will make this breathing visible through hand motions that you are welcome to do with me.
Bring your fingertips together like little claws and then kiss them together. As we breathe and will open our hands and mimic the roundness that our body makes as we breathe in. As we exhale, pull them together.

Caryl Church Jesseph (she/her) is a Curriculum and Education Developer and Mindful Educator with Mind Body Align. Along with 15 years of experience in public schools as a K-12 art educator, Caryl is also a certified yoga teacher, published writer, exhibited artist, and winner of the Northeast Ohio Outstanding Art Educator Award and The Carrie Nordlund Award.
Caryl earned her Master’s Degree in Art Education from Kent State University. She compliments her work with modalities rooted in storytelling, visual art, movement, play, and ecological connection. She is passionate about creating welcoming, safe, inclusive, equity-focused spaces that support people’s mindful awareness and connection to self, others and the natural world. Outside of the classroom, Caryl can often be found photographing wildflowers, writing stories, or enjoying live music.