Mindful Seeing: A Practical Exercise to Increase Awareness Through Observation
This activity can help students develop attentional skills, improve memory, and increase overall cognitive functioning. Here is a practical exercise and activity with scripts that teachers can use with students to deepen students’ focus and awareness in the classroom.
Practical Exercise and Activity to deepen your student’s focus and awareness in the classroom
Scripts of Impactful Mindfulness Practices
Mindful seeing
Opening our eyes (for real)
This is a fun, quick exercise that allows your students to notice new things in their surroundings. Students are sometimes amazed at what they all of a sudden see when they decide to mindfully look at things. It’s a great way to show them that their world is as big as they allow their focus to be.
Say: Today we’re going to use one of our senses mindfully. We’re going to see things mindfully.
To begin, find a comfortable position on your chair with your back straight, the palms of your hands on your legs or your table, and your legs and arms uncrossed. If you are not too tired, close your eyes. Otherwise keep your eyes half open, and gaze at the floor. Take a few deep, mindful breaths, in and out, and allow yourself to feel relaxed, yet alert.
Keep breathing naturally focusing on your breath for the next minute. In a moment I’m going to ask you to open your eyes and mindfully see all the straight lines in the room. As soon as you find one straight line, move on to the next. You will do so for about 25 seconds. Try to come up with as many straight lines as you can when I tell you to do so.
Take a deep breath in, and with your exhale open your eyes and begin seeing straight lines. (Give them 25 seconds.) Now close your eyes and return to your breath, focusing on the ins and outs of the breath.
Now I’d like you to focus on the color green. Take a breath in and out, and when you are ready open your eyes and find all the green things in the classroom. (Give them 25 seconds.) Now close your eyes and return to your breath, focusing on the ins and outs of the breath.
In a moment, you’ll focus only on circles. Take a deep breath in and out. Good, now open your eyes and focus only on circles, counting as many as you can. (Give them 25 seconds.) Now close your eyes and return to your breath, focusing on the ins and outs of the breath for the next few moments.
Take three deep breaths, and when you are ready slowly open your eyes.
Reflection Questions:
Did you notice anything new in the classroom that you hadn’t noticed before?
Approximately how many straight lines, green things, and circles did you find? Which ones were the most surprising or interesting to you?
What does this exercise teach you about focus, or lack of focus in our day-to-day lives?
Get more of these exercises in my book.