I have practiced mindfulness via meditation at various times, but my goal related to this class is to have an embedded practice. I want to (and need to) do a little bit every day. I haven't been going to yoga classes for almost a month now. Part of that is related to my overloaded schedule, but I also found that my yoga classes just were not getting deep enough for me anymore. When I first started practicing yoga, I remember having this beautiful zoned out but still present feeling as I moved through the postures. I don't know if it is just me, but the classes at my studio started to seem just like a work-out instead of a moving meditation - which is really what I crave. So, as I budgeted for the year, I decided to drop my membership at the yoga studio and take this class.
We had our first class last week and I have been working on several daily activities: some at home and some at school. I have done meditations with my students lots of times, but again, not in a daily practice kind of way. This past week, I started every class with a short breathing activity and you wouldn't believe the difference it makes. My nuttiest group of kids were more calm and focused than they had ever been. Several students expressed how much they liked the activities. I think of how little I knew of myself as a teenager and how out of touch I was with how I was feeling - I can imagine it feels great for them. Or at least, they are going along with it. This is something I am committing to continuing in my classes in some form on a daily basis.
For me, I have practiced a breath and balance meditation with the aid of a CD recording at home. In addition to the CDs, the class provided us with a key ring loaded with weekly mantras.
This week the meditation is on loving and kindness. While at school I find time to pause (crazy hard to do - but necessary), "drop in" to my body, and focus on the mantra. If you can't see it in the picture it is as follows: May I be safe; May the children be safe; May all be safe; May I help create safety through the qualities of my presence.
I am really enjoying the practices so far, but everything gets better when you can share it with someone. This week one of my students was feeling really stressed out - she is truly an academic rockstar, but has been absent due to illnesses and struggled to stay on top of her work. She told me she had been looking for guided meditation online without much success. I told her about my class and gave her my CDs after I had loaded them into itunes. In our closing circle at the end of the week, students say their best and hardest part of the week; she said that the best part was getting and using the CDs. Paying it forward always pays off.
So, if you feel so inclined... find a comfortable place where you can remain still for an extended period of time... close your eyes or focus on a non-moving spot and allow your vision to fade... now, find your breath.
