3/3 Specific Mindfulness Practices that I love and recommend that you try!
Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged in the current moment without judgment. It can help students develop self-awareness, self-regulation, and resilience. Thus, students can learn to be more present, focused, and engaged in their learning, leading to better academic performance and overall well-being. Here are some specific mindfulness practices that can be helpful in a classroom setting:
Mindful Listening
Listening to sounds near and far (5 minutes to 20 minutes)
Mindful listening practices can be great to partake in especially when we have a hard time staying focused on our breath or our body as the sounds we hear around us immediately put us in the present moment. This practice can be done indoors or outdoors. Find yourself seated in a mindful body posture, close your eyes, and bring your awareness to sounds that are in the distance. The chirping of birds, the sounds of cars far away, people talking, etc. Keep your attention fully on the sounds and if you don’t hear any sound, see if you can tune in enough to hear even the slightest sounds - like the humming of a fridge. And if it’s completely silent, listen with the intention to the silence. Stay there for a few minutes and when you notice that you are no longer listening, gently drop your thoughts and come back to mindfully listening to sounds. After a couple of minutes, turn your attention to sounds that are nearby. The noise of the vent next to you, plants moving in the wind, the sounds of someone walking close by. And again, when you notice that thoughts arise and you are no longer listening, congratulate yourself and come back to listening gently, patiently, and compassionately.
Mindful Seeing
Intentional appreciation (2 minutes to 12 minutes)
This practice can be done indoors or outdoors. Decide to focus on one item. It could be a painting, a flower, a chair, or a tree. Then sit in a mindful body posture, with your eyes open, and bring your full attention to this object. The objective of this practice is not just to look at this object but to actively decide to appreciate the object for all the beauty that it holds in your eyes. Look at the layers and details and allow yourself to stay in awe. If you notice judgmental thoughts come to you either about the object or about the practice itself, that’s o.k. just let the thoughts go and go back to consciously choosing to appreciate it. The more we cultivate our muscles to choose appreciation, the more we pay attention to the cushion in a way that uplifts us and that strengthens our resilience.
P. S. Get more of these exercises in my book.