Each week we will offer a few bite-sized mindful moments for you to bring to your life and the lives of your students.
MINDFUL MOMENT FOR YOU: Slow It Down
Photo by Kumoma Lab on Unsplash
When we are busy, we often start to move more quickly. We rush, and this rushing can exacerbate an already tense nervous system, leading us to feel more frazzled. Half the time when we end up in this state, we lose time by dropping our papers everywhere, spilling our coffee down the front, or forgetting some quintessential item that we have to head back for. See what happens when you intentionally slow down your walking, even the slightest bit. Bring your attention to the feeling of the body moving, the feet hitting the floor. See what happens.
MINDFUL MOMENT FOR YOUR STUDENTS: Spiral Drawing
This one came from Sarah Carlson at Cascade Brook School: On a blank sheet of paper, have your students draw a spiral from the center of the page outwards, tracing out slightly wider with each line. Invite them to notice what it feels like to press the pencil/pen again the page, the movement of the hand, and to bring all of the awareness to this activity.
Sarah also does this as a back-and-forth between free writing as a way of keeping movement and momentum going for her students.