1
00:00:00,333 --> 00:00:02,300
♪♪♪

2
00:00:02,333 --> 00:00:06,733
Erin Reed: Exhale, hands to 
heart'’s center.

3
00:00:06,766 --> 00:00:12,700
Stay here, just for a moment, to 
set your intention for class.

4
00:00:12,733 --> 00:00:15,166
Christina: Erin Reed began 
teaching yoga at an Elk Grove

5
00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:16,866
high school a few years ago.

6
00:00:16,900 --> 00:00:20,800
When the pandemic hit, she knew 
it was more important than ever

7
00:00:20,833 --> 00:00:23,733
to figure out a way to continue 
the classes.

8
00:00:23,766 --> 00:00:26,566
Erin: You are stronger than you 
think you are, stay in it and

9
00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:32,466
breathe use your breath to 
keep you settled and focused.

10
00:00:32,500 --> 00:00:35,900
Christina: Adapting her classes 
to Zoom was a new challenge that

11
00:00:35,933 --> 00:00:38,333
she says made her feel like a 
first-year teacher

12
00:00:38,366 --> 00:00:40,566
all over again.

13
00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,433
But both Erin and her students 
have risen to the challenge...

14
00:00:44,466 --> 00:00:48,000
and say they'’re grateful for 
the physical - and mental - 
outlet.

15
00:00:48,033 --> 00:00:50,466
Erin: There's two goals in this 
class.

16
00:00:50,500 --> 00:00:53,400
One is to leave feeling better 
than you came in.

17
00:00:53,433 --> 00:00:55,000
And two is to be successful.

18
00:00:55,033 --> 00:01:00,566
So I really try to make it about 
like them having a space to

19
00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,200
really just feel good about 
themselves.

20
00:01:03,233 --> 00:01:06,200
And to work through any problems 
that they have.

21
00:01:06,233 --> 00:01:10,466
Christina: The classes are a mix 
of power yoga, stretching, sleep

22
00:01:10,500 --> 00:01:13,700
techniques, mindfulness and 
meditation.

23
00:01:13,733 --> 00:01:16,300
Erin: Just coming into a slight 
smile.

24
00:01:18,866 --> 00:01:23,666
Just again as a signal to your 
body that everything is okay.

25
00:01:23,700 --> 00:01:27,200
Christina: It'’s during this 
meditation part of the class

26
00:01:27,233 --> 00:01:31,200
that Erin Reed encourages her 
students to take time for their

27
00:01:31,233 --> 00:01:32,433
mental health.

28
00:01:32,466 --> 00:01:34,433
Erin: And that's something I 
talk about a lot in class, which

29
00:01:34,466 --> 00:01:37,700
is just like, we're all going 
through different things.

30
00:01:37,733 --> 00:01:41,066
Everybody's having a different 
experience, and maybe a

31
00:01:41,100 --> 00:01:42,966
hardship.

32
00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,233
And so also letting them know, 
like you're not alone.

33
00:01:47,266 --> 00:01:49,566
Christina: Shivnel says he 
learned a motto in yoga class

34
00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:54,666
that hit home...everything is 
temporary, even this pandemic.

35
00:01:54,700 --> 00:01:58,333
Shivnel: I've just been feeling 
a lot of anxiety with like

36
00:01:58,366 --> 00:02:04,266
Coronavirus and like the 
situation we are in right now,

37
00:02:04,300 --> 00:02:08,533
So I think that being able to, 
um, attend something like yoga,

38
00:02:08,566 --> 00:02:12,866
where you see people, maybe not 
in real life, but on Zoom, it

39
00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:15,366
really helps you have that 
social interaction that you

40
00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,833
would not have because of the 
pandemic.

41
00:02:18,866 --> 00:02:22,866
And also I really like her, um, 
the meditation aspects of her

42
00:02:22,900 --> 00:02:27,600
class, it really helps me stay 
grounded and just keep myself

43
00:02:27,633 --> 00:02:29,766
free from anxiety as much 
as I can.

44
00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,500
Christina: Other students say 
they'’re relieved to have an

45
00:02:32,533 --> 00:02:36,366
opportunity to step away from 
their screens for 55 minutes

46
00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:37,766
every day.

47
00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,500
They'’re allowed to keep their 
cameras off during the exercise,

48
00:02:40,533 --> 00:02:43,600
but reassure their teacher... 
.they are reaping the benefits.

49
00:02:43,633 --> 00:02:46,800
Hailey: The poses that I learned 
how to do, I was actually

50
00:02:46,833 --> 00:02:48,600
surprised at how flexible I 
really am.

51
00:02:48,633 --> 00:02:50,500
Cause I honestly never knew.

52
00:02:50,533 --> 00:02:54,166
like when we're doing our sun 
salutations or like our warrior

53
00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,000
poses, I'm like, whoa, 
I can do that.

54
00:02:57,033 --> 00:02:59,500
And it just surprises me 
what I can do.

55
00:02:59,533 --> 00:03:02,666
Diamond: In class, like being 
able to move my body and like

56
00:03:02,700 --> 00:03:05,133
breathe and meditate 
like helps a lot.

57
00:03:05,166 --> 00:03:08,966
And like, I'm always thinking 
about like all this stress and

58
00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:10,233
like things that I have to do.

59
00:03:10,266 --> 00:03:13,566
Miss Reed teaches us how to like 
sit with our thoughts, not like,

60
00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,800
um, just focus on running away 
from our problems.

61
00:03:17,833 --> 00:03:19,966
Like it's better to face them 
and sit with them.

62
00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,366
Christina: Yoga and meditation 
are just a few of the ways

63
00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,333
schools in California are 
addressing the mental health

64
00:03:26,366 --> 00:03:30,766
challenges faced by students -- 
and teachers alike.