A Mindfulness Take-Away: Focus

11/12/15

With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s a busy time of year (especially last week). So by the time 3:20 arrived on Thursday, I was more than ready to join my cohort for 50 minutes of mindfulness training.

My first take away from the seminar is that I don’t have to know much about meditation in order to participate in mindfulness work. We did not spend our time together “talking” about meditation. Instead we used our time putting mindfulness into practice. During our meeting, I learned how important it is to take time throughout each day to slow down and refocus so that I can take care of me. Like so many educators, I spend most days taking care of others. I hope to learn how to use mindfulness to help me recognize those moments when I simply need to take a deep breath. Check out two resources from this month’s seminar. tlb

The practice below is a simply procedure based on the amount of time you are able to invest.

Mindfulness Practice (2-5 minutes): While sitting, place both feet on the ground and take 2 minutes to stop and breathe. Allow the full breath to move through your body. If focusing on your breath is not a fit, then try concentrating on the space where your feet meet the floor. End this practice by setting a healthy goal for your day.

Mindfulness Resource: Jennings, Patricia A. (2015). Mindfulness for teachers: Simple skills for peace and productivity in the Classroom. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.