Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Prayer/Yoga Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activity

Children will hear the story of Jesus praying in the garden. Then they will follow along with 25 minutes and 30 seconds of a video which demonstrates praying with yoga. The focus of this workshop is on body/kinesthetic prayer in the form of yoga, as a different way of bringing prayers to God.


It is strongly recommended that you ask someone to lead this workshop who regularly practices yoga and knows the positions used in the video (they are listed below).

Scripture

Matthew 26:36-56 (also in: Mark 14:32-50, Luke 22:39-51, John 18:1-12)

Key/Memory Verse:
“My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering away from me. But let what you want be done, not what I want.” Matthew 26:39 c,d (NIrV)

Lesson Objectives

After completing this Rotation, participants will be able to:

• Name that the story is found in the New Testament. Identify the four Gospels. Identify the meaning of the word “Gospel.”
• For 3rd grade and up: Locate the story.
• Appraise Jesus as approachable because he was human just like us: everybody struggles. Jesus’ struggles to accept God’s plan, the disciples struggle to stay awake… it is okay to struggle with our questions; it is okay to struggle to follow Jesus!
• Discover that Jesus used prayer to share his concerns with God and to strengthen himself. We can do likewise especially during troubling times.
  
  

Leader Preparation

• Read the scripture for this lesson.
• Read and reflect on the overview material provided for this lesson.
• Gather the following materials.
• • The Prayer Yoga video located at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9zIz9RsUjI
    Also available as a free download at http://theyogaprayer.com/the-yoga-prayer-video/
  • Bible story book: My First Message by Eugene Peterson (p. 293-295)
  • Whiteboard easel and dry erase marker
  • Laptop computer, loaded with the Yoga Prayer Video
  • Video projector
  • External speaker
  • A surface (table, bench) to put the above 3 items on
  • Extension cord/power strip
  • White “video screen” (we used a white sheet with magnets to hang from the drop  ceiling)
  • Beach type towels (one per student)
    
    

Before Coming to Class:

• Watch the Prayer Yoga video. Be familiar with where you may wish to pause the video.
• Yoga poses from the video that you may wish to practice: Prayer, Mountain, Tall Mountain, Swan Dive, Forward Fold, Flat Back, Lunge, Modified Crescent, Plank, Downward Facing Dog, Cobra, Child's Pose, Table, Cat, Puppy, Neutral Position, Warrior 1, Warrior 2, Reverse Warrior, Extended Side Angle, Low Lunge, Reverse Swan Dive, Tree, Praise, and Chair. (If more of the video is watched there are other positions beyond those listed here.)

Before Start of Class:

• Hang the white “video screen” from the ceiling.
• Become familiar with how to operate the laptop/projector/speaker system. Cue the video to begin playing at 1:28.
• Write the following on the white board:
      ➢ Stay in your own personal space
      ➢ Listen closely. Stay quiet and calm.
• Read pages 293 – 295 in the story Bible — My First Message.
• Lay out the towels on the floor in the room so that the short end of each towel is facing the mounted video screen. (Refer to the photo above.)

Lesson Plan

Opening

Do: Greet your students warmly. Introduce yourself and have the Shepherds introduce themselves. Ask the Shepherd to take attendance and write name tags while you start the lesson.

Say: For this workshop today, everyone will need to remove their shoes and put them neatly under the low table at the end of the room so you can find them easily at the end of class. Then choose one of the towels that have been laid out and sit down on it.

Do: After everyone has found a spot [have the shepherd assist any kids who have not settled in], the leader should sit in “Namaste” position (legs crossed, palms together in front of chest with fingers pointing upward)

Ask: So… did anyone tell you about our workshop today? Does it seem like it is “Beach Day”?

Say: Though it certainly would be nice to be spending time on a beach right now, we will be doing something else that I think you will enjoy.

Ask: Does anyone know what I am doing? (accept answers)

Say: Raise your hand if you have ever seen anyone do yoga.
Raise your hand if YOU have ever done yoga yourself.
For those of you who have done yoga before, tell me about where or with whom you were doing yoga. (allow responses)

Ask: WHY do you suppose people do yoga? (it’s good exercise, it helps you stay healthy, it feels good, it helps make you stronger, it helps to improve your balance)

Do: Invite the kids to try this Namaste position. Help students as needed.

Say: Well, today we are going to spend quite a bit of time exploring what it is like to use yoga as a way to pray; as a way to help us relax our bodies and our minds. You can do this anytime you like, but it might be especially helpful if you are feeling afraid or lonely or confused. These are some of the feelings that Jesus had on the night before he died.

Dig into the Bible

Ask: Before we read the story, let me ask you - If we want look at the part of the Bible when Jesus was living and teaching, where would we look? (in the New Testament)
Tell me the names of the first four books of the New Testament. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
And when those four books are grouped together, what do we call them? (the Gospels)
And what about the word “gospel”? We have heard that before. Tell me what it means? (good news)

Say: We will be hearing the story from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 26. In this story, Jesus goes to a garden named “Gethsemane” [pronounced: geth-SEM-uh-nee ] because it was a place where he felt close to God, and he needed to talk to God. Let’s hear about what happened in that garden. We are going to read from a version of the Bible called, "The Message." The Message is a modern day version of the Bible written by a pastor named Eugene Peterson. This version uses words that are easier for many of us to understand, and can help us as we learn about Biblical events that were written so long ago. The version of The Message that I have here [hold up the book] was specifically written for kids.

Do: Read p. 293 – 295 in My First Message.

Say: Near the beginning of this story we heard that Jesus fell on his face praying. He said, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this.”

Ask: Have you ever prayed with your face to the ground? (allow a few replies)
Do: Demonstrate and invite the kids to try it.

Ask: Have you ever prayed with your hands in this position?
Do: Demonstrate by holding your arms above your head with palms facing up toward the sky. Invite the kids to try it

Ask: What about praying in this position?
Do: Demonstrate by placing your palms together with your fingers pointing upward, holding your hands in front of your chest. Invite the kids to try it.

Say: In the video we are about to watch, this is referred to as “prayer position.”

Introduce Prayer Yoga

Ask: There are a lot of different ways to pray!  Tell me about some of the ways to pray that you know about.  (accept answers from the kids – add to their answers if needed – walking in nature, speaking out loud or silently, singing, dancing, popcorn prayer with balloons – used in a workshop in the past!)

Say: We are going to have a chance here today to practice what it feels like to pray in a physical sort of way.  We are going to do some Prayer Yoga.  Some people really find that they get a lot out of praying this way.  It is certainly good to know that there is not just one way to pray! First, in order for everyone to be able to enjoy what we are doing today, we will go over the expectations of how everyone in here will participate.  What a great opportunity we have to learn some things about our story and about prayer by doing something physical!

Do: While pointing to the items on the whiteboard easel ask a couple of different kids to read the expectations.  Add discussion about these expectations as needed. Select a student & have them read:  "Stay in your own personal space."
Ask: What does this mean?  (accept answers - no contact with anyone else in the room.)

Do: Select a different student & have them read:  "Listen closely.  Stay quiet and calm."
Ask:  What does this mean?  (accept answers – Add if necessary - everyone should be able to easily hear the music on the video, and the yoga instructor giving guidance.)
Does anyone have anything else we should add to this list?

Say: Prayer yoga can help your body and mind feel better in many ways. Listen carefully to the music playing and to each of the prayers as they are said.  Think about when Jesus was praying during the story that we just read. Think about how you can talk with God, just like Jesus did, in times of difficulty. Jesus is just like us - we too have times when we worry about things. Prayer yoga is one way to bring your concerns and your joys to God.

Watch (and follow along with) the Prayer Yoga Video

Note:  If you begin the video 28 minutes before class ends, you will have enough time to get through the segment of the video that have been selected (25 minutes and 30 seconds). There is the potential to continue watching the video for a longer class session.

Begin playing the video at 1:28. Have the students follow along with the yoga positions as directed in the video. You may wish to pause the video at a more difficult pose to help instruct the students.
Below are some time points in the video along with some of the words from prayers in the video, that may help you follow along:

• 3:48  "Thank you Lord for the ability to come to you in prayer."
• 5:34  "Lord today I pray to have my prayers heard by you and I pray to hear you."
• 6:56  "Lord thank you for caring for me. You my savior and friend, are an awesome God."
• 8:00   "For I can do everything though Christ who gives me strength...  Jesus will carry me and uphold me through difficulties today and every day."
• 9:35  "God, I know that you created me in your image...I look to you today and ask you to help me grow in your image."
• 10:44  "Thank you Lord for the trials that teach me to persevere."
• 11:36  "Your promise assures my heart so that I can calmly meet each trial as it comes."
• 12:10   "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you... I praise you because you love me and watch over every step of my journey in this life."
• 13:34  "If anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things."
• 14:13  "The Lord's loving kindnesses never cease... Every morning when I see the sunrise may it remind me of your great faithfulness."

Note: From 15:17 - 15:40 -- the yoga positions in this portion of the video could be pretty tricky to follow for kids!

• 16:45  "The Lord is my strength…"
• 18:13  "Lord may I rest in the shadow of the almighty... I am safe with you."

Note: From 19:13-19:32 -- another tricky portion - same positions as above with reverse legs.

• 20:32  "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary They will walk and not be faint. Please renew my strength today."
• 22:10  "May I humbly serve you by listening, helping, uplifting others....shining your light wherever I go…"
• 23:19  "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good... Today may I feel the joy of your love and may I rest securely in your goodness."

Note:  Potential stopping point at 23:40. OR keep playing until 26:55.

• 24:36  "The Fruits of the Spirit are... Lord, may I embrace the Fruits of the Spirit in my heart and may they grow in me…"
• 25:42  "Love is patient. Love is kind...Lord help me to exemplify this type of love today."
• 26:35  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself…"
  
  

Stop the video at 26:55.

Closing

Do: Gently announce the need for class to end.

Say: Let's close our time together in prayer: Dear God, thank you for the opportunity to spend time with you in prayer. Learning about different ways to pray and how to bring our joys and our sadness to you, is helpful and gives us a chance to feel closer to you.  Amen.

Resources:

McLendon, André. “The Yoga Prayer - Christian Yoga.” YouTube, 17 Nov. 2015. Web.
Peterson, Eugene. My First Message. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2007. Print.

Other resources: Visit Carol's blog – where we encourage parents to continue the learning at home.

(Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None. Carol does not make any money from her blog! Any ads you may see are placed by Wordpress.)

Images in this post copyright 2016 by Carol Hulbert.
Book cover from books.google.com.
Line-drawing of Namaste postion by ClkerFreeVectorImages, offered in the Public Domain at Pixabay.com

A lesson written by Beth Pascoe from
First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI