Introduction to Mindfulness For you and your classroom

Introduction to Mindfulness For you and your classroom

Introductory Sit ■ "Do you have the patience to wait ‘til your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving 'til the right action arises by itself? The master doesn't seek fulfillment. Not seeking, not expecting, she is present and can welcome all things. ” Tao Te Ching

What Is Mindfulness? ■ My experience ■ Introduce us to spectrum of life experience and to be with it ■ “A particular way of paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally. ” – Jon Kabat Zinn ■ Shinzen Young’s 3 skills working together ■ Power of concentration ■ Sensory clarity ■ Equanimity

What Mindfulness is Not ■ Not a tool to make kids calm, behave, shut up ■ Not religious ■ Not about discipline or over regulation ■ Not a silver bullet for ADD, ADHD, EBD, ODD etc.

Mindfulness Vs. Meditation ■ Associations with meditation ■ Mindfulness can be meditation ■ Mindfulness- whole being participating in any moment… in the mundane, general, pleasant, uncomfortable etc. ■ Different intentions with meditation

Mindful Penny

Your Personal Practice ■ 5 -minute sit (Enso App) ■ Aromatherapy ■ Gratitude Journal ■ Mindful Body Check-In ■ Mindful eating, walking, driving ■ Yoga practice (2 -3 times a week or more!) ■ Greatest factor to inform your teaching

Practices In The Classroom ■ Gratitude Journal ■ Bell Exercise- Hello, Goodbye ■ Mindful Body Check-In ■ 30 -60 -90 Mindful Challenge ■ Mind Jar ■ Daily Meditation ■ Weekend Challenges ■ Origami

Music Scribble

Mindful Teaching Vs. Teaching Mindfulness ■ Your presence matters ■ 8 qualities ■ 1. Sensitivity (self and environ) ■ 2. Stability in environ ■ 3. Voice ■ 4. Authenticity ■ 5. Non-Identification ■ 6. Disclosure ■ 7. Curiosity ■ 8. Success

What Does It Look Like? ■ Mindful Schools In Action

Resources ■ UCLA Mindfulness Research center archive of guided meditations and dharma talks http: //marc. ucla. edu/body. cfm? id=107 ■ Mindfulness workbook with mindful walking, eating, and loving kindness exercises http: //tulane. edu/health/wellness/upload/MBSR-Workbook. pdf ■ Bell Exercise http: //www. onbeing. org/blog/bell-soundmeditation/4317 ■ What is Mindfulness? A Comprehensive Overview http: //www. shinzen. org/Articles/What. Is. Mindfulness_SY_Public. pdf

Resources Cont’d ■ Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. by Jon Kabat-Zinn ■ 32 Unusual Ways to Practice Pratyhara http: //earthyogi. blogspot. com/2011/03/32 -unusual-ways-to-practicepratyahara. html ■ In St. Louis: ■ St. Louis Insight Meditation Center, Vipassana http: //www. dharmastl. org/ ■ Kirtan (singing meditation) with Brad Smith http: //www. bradfordsmithmusic. com/Kirtan. htm ■ Shambala Meditation Group http: //stlouis. shambhala. org/what-weoffer/meditation_new/