Mindfulness in schools/home/daycare/ activity 1.

Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools.

What is Yoga?

•      Definition of Yoga. The word ‘yoga’ comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’.  As we practice yoga we make a ‘union’ between the mind, body and soul.

•      Yoga is not a religion, but a practical aid to live life more harmoniously and well with good virtues and health.

•      It began thousands of years ago in India as an ancient art/practice  involving controlling the breath ‘pranayama’ , prescribed body positions ‘asanas’ and meditation ‘dhyana’ to reach a state of liberation and union with self or higher state of being.

What is mindfulness in relation to yoga?

ž  Dharana is ‘holding steady’ the mind.  Thoughts often come into our minds as waves, which can flow slowly or rapidly. 

ž  In Dharana the mind develops the ability to focus on one object and avoids other thoughts.  Thoughts may come and go but that single mindedness to one thing remains.

ž  Eg. Candle meditation, ‘Drishti’ point in an ‘asana’. Focus on a body part in yoga or relaxation ‘yoga Nidra’.  Focus on your breath.

ž  Focus on a sound.  The object can be help in the mind or as a more ‘physical’ object.

ž  Dharana is the ‘initial’ step of deep concentration meditation.

ž  (see hand-book for further explanation under ‘Mindfulness’ pg 31.)

Helps with emotional regulation, stress management and interpersonal skills.

Mindfulness Activities

Activity 1

Sitting Still Like a Frog Mindfulness

 

Tell children about the story of the life of a frog.  He sits there quietly waiting for flies to come by and doesn’t move or use up his energy unless he has to.  Frogs no how to ‘chill’. Sit with the attention of a frog.  Can you observe how you’re feeling and observe what is around you.  Only moves when it wants to eat or is startled.  It doesn’t waste energy and just sits still.  It isn’t easily distracted and just sits still and doesn’t jump at every chance and doesn’t get carried away with all ideas.  Children to sit still in frog pose or in easy sitting pose, back straight, shoulders down and back.  Imagine sitting on edge of pond. Use your ability to sit still like a frog.  Just take time just to sit and relax your back, neck, hands, arms, legs mind all still. Close your eyes or half close them and now just like the frog, sit as still as you possibly can.  Can you notice if any part of you still keeps moving, is it your eyes, your bottom?  Just notice.  You can learn a lot from a frog and learn how to stay in a moment and just be.  Do you notice which part keeps moving even when you are still?  It’s your breath, just like a frog. Tell them when they’re doing great, but don’t worry if they move a bit, just tell them that’s ok but encourage them just to notice it.

(Adapted from ‘Sitting Still Like a Frog, Mindfulness Exercises for Kids, Eline Snel).

Emotional well-being for children and their parents/carers.

                                        

In the new millennium what do we want our children of the future to be like? What lessons do we want them to learn?

 You have a duty to yourself to care for yourself first and nourish yourself, so that you can care for and nourish others, including your children.

Emotional well-being:  What is emotional well-being?

Laevers’ (1994) ‘Sound well-being results from satisfaction of basic needs – the need for tenderness and affection; security and clarity; social recognition; to feel competent; physical needs and for meaning in life.  It includes happiness and satisfaction, effective social functioning and the dispositions of optimism, openness, curiosity and resilience.’

How do I feel as a parent, carer, teacher?  How you feel radiates out into the world.  Children are very sensitive to your emotions.  To reach higher consciousness and vibrations within the body is to feel love, joy and peace and be flowing in life.  As humans we rely too much on external factors for happiness.  If we do this then ultimately sadness is the opposite and we live in ‘duality’ of the two.  A conscious person uses ‘awareness and response’ and not ego and reaction.  Teaching ourselves and our children to think before they speak and act is vitally important.  In addition, we need to not blame others for our circumstances and choices we have made in our life and teach children ‘ownership’ of their behaviour.  

Yoga practice can help in developing these good virtues to live by.

Tracey (Yogamotorskills).

Happiness is an illusion.

Yes, happiness is an illusion.  Instead, strive for contentment.  Life will always have challenges and misery will come and go.  Always questioning, "why can't I be happy?" will only bring more misery.  It doesn't matter what religion you follow or non at all, life will always throw you 'curve balls' and when it does your choices of how to react will create the best and easiest outcome, not the god you pray too.  Some religions believe 'karma' has something to do with why misery comes to us and others believe 'its just gods way'.  Whatever you believe, it is how you react that is the key.
'Contentment' in life is what we should strive for.  Blaming others is another bad habit some fall into.
It doesn't matter if your begging on the street or driving a Ferrari to your next big money making job, misery can come and striving for happiness too much can again bring more misery.

Wake up with gratitude for what you have.  Smile at people and show compassion for them.  Strive to not take on their 'miseries'.  We will bring ourselves down if we try to cease all others' miseries and solve their 'perceived' problems.

It can be helpful to become a little detached from others' miseries.  This sounds like you don't care, however overly sensitive people need to do this sometimes for their own well-being.  Show them compassion as they sometimes know no better than to wallow in their misery, but protect yourself from being swallowed up by it as often another misery is just around the corner for them in their 'reality' and difficulty due to striving for happiness.
I will speak more on this in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, meditate or just quietly contemplate these ideas when you have a quiet moment.

Peace be with you,

Tracey.