This post features highlights of the week in Class Relax meditation lessons including a crash course in mindful listening, being given the chance to experience someone else’s attention and then offering it, and a little story about Judih’s beloved mom.
♥Morning Meditation Class Relax
My Class Relax weekly schedule includes short morning meditation sessions to focus the mind and body using the breath. For these sessions, I need to be very clear of my own presence and the task I wish to share. As teachers of mindfulness know, the teacher bears the message far more clearly than the words used.
Listening was the key this week – starting with the invitation to listen to the Singing Bowl and spreading to sense the body with that same sense of undivided attention. We then move on to attention to the body during breathing and we direct ourselves to clean out unwanted thoughts or debris with a huge out breath and then replenishing ourselves with energy with a full inhalation. This we do 3 times in order to realign the mind and body into a clean state, ready for what may come. We shake out the body, stretching and offering ourselves a warm hug “There’s nobody like me!” – and with the caveat to apply that warm loving embrace as needed (whether actual or imagined).
♥Full Class Relax Mindfulness Lessons
With Special Ed classes, I work in the homeroom with the homeroom teacher present. I offer the singing bowl introduction in order to bring the pupils to inner stillness, enough to allow them to check their current state of being – from the most obvious physical sensations such as heat or cold, or muscle aches or itches. Then we shift to any obvious thoughts or feelings. I ask for a show of hands to indicate who feels tired, energetic, interested or bored, and then I adapt my methods accordingly. Sometimes I use artwork on the board, sometimes drama, or interactive guessing games.
This week’s theme was Mindful Listening and I offered a personal story about my beloved mother and my discovery of what was stored inside her kitchen closet. I like to share and often pupils are eager to know hidden bits about my life. (But I activate their interest in order to see who’s with me while I’m relating my tale). This time, I took a few detours to make sure they knew what I was talking about. For example: “I went to visit my parents in Toronto, Canada and I couldn’t sleep. Do you know what jet lag is?” There’s always someone who can answer such a question, and if not, everyone gets to learn what it is.
I told a version of the story you can find in this post (August 3rd, 2014), and added some mime and sound effects (the sound of my parents’ creaking stairs). At the end, I asked:
1.Who was able to listen to the whole thing?
2. Who found themselves thinking thoughts while listening?
3. Who didn’t listen?
To my surprise almost 99% of pupils were able to hold attention till the end.
Why was that? I asked them. They responded: ‘It was interesting.’ It made me curious.’ ‘I was waiting for a twist at the end.’ ‘I wondered what the house looked like.’ ‘I wondered what was inside the kitchen cupboard.’
Ah,ha! I said – you were curious to know more. Very interesting. Maybe we can use that while we’re listening to something else.
The Task
Now, the task is this: in couples one will tell a story and the other will listen, without speaking. The topic will be either: something that happened this week that got you angry, or something that happened that surprised you.
I counted off the couples: 1,2 —- 1, 2—-
The ‘1s’ will begin and tell the 2s the story. 2s, remember not to speak, only to listen.
After a minute, I will give the signal for you to exchange roles.
This was the interesting part – the kids told their stories while their partners listened. Mostly there was silent listening and a few kids really got frustrated when they hadn’t finished their story when the gong rang out. But they switched.
Each class that underwent the exercise – first listening to me, then listening to a partner got a chance to experience listening and being listened to.
We shared a few observations. Only one pupil out of over 100 stated that being listened to was a regular experience. One only. The others commented how good it felt to be receiving that attention.
In most of the classes we went on to discuss how to use listening skills in class when a teacher or a subject wasn’t terribly interesting. This topic, we’ll pursue next week.
It’s been a few weeks after our intense 3-day “Black Belt” Operation.
The first week offered up a huge challenge to come back to mindfulness.
From being inundated with 90 rockets in our small immediate area, we were suddenly expected to be calm and ready to resume a more usual sense of constant alert. How might the 12 year olds react to being invited to lie still and scan their bodies in a state of rest? That first week I discovered that it was to be almost impossible.
The normally pleasant suggestion was acceptable intellectually. The kids agreed to get comfortable and agreed to having lights out, but allowing themselves to be still was a completely separate set of commands that they found beyond their abilities. Any bustle, rustle or hiccup set off nervous energy. The line between one person’s space and another’s was blurred into nonexistence.
Over the week, each class had reacted a little differently, depending on the children present in the room, the time of day and the degree of dissonance or frustration experienced till that point. I found sessions welcomed as a break from normal school, but that the “welcome” manifested either as a wish to nap or as a giggling roller coaster ride.
I used bean bags to offer outlets for energy – whether as tactile aids for breathing meditation or as tools for creating exercises for mimicking.
In general, my task was to hold some form of structure to offer a safe framework for energies that needed to be expressed.
The second week after the war was a little different. The first classes were quite hyperactive – engaging in jokes that placed me in a position of needing to step aside. I suddenly experienced my own PTSD in the form of a stone within my chest. I felt a contraction and needed to step aside mentally in order to observe myself.
I sat there silently for 10 minutes, while the pupils slowly noticed and tried to hush themselves into readiness to learn.
Eventually I asked in teacher-like fashion if they valued the lessons. They said yes, so I asked why.
One girl spoke of how they helped her learn how to relax, how to calm herself. Another said they helped her be quiet inside when things were hard in her environment.
More of the same and I knew that they knew the right answers. Therefore, with a little lighter feeling, I guided them through the qigong exercise called “Shake the tree” in which limbs are shook, chest and back shake, head shakes and then slowly we come back to standing still to notice our sensations. We took 3 breaths, ending with a serious self-hug and a verbal reassurance “There’s nobody like me”. Slow disengagement from the hug and then we bid ourselves goodbye.
To end with self-love is to end well. I felt better. They felt better as life, whatever that may be, invited them to collect their backpacks, put on their shoes and exit from our room.
Tuesday morning for morning preparation. Wednesday morning for first aid therapy after 22.5 hours of bomb alerts, rocket fall and uncertainty. Thursday morning for end of week therapy.
Our biggest challenge was our Grade 9 Mindfulness workshop during which our attention to what makes us angry discovered that all of the participants were seriously in need of having to talk about their anger. They had suffered being targets of rockets and mortars, and knowing that their friends and family members in neighbouring communities were also having to run for their lives into shelters, if they had them. Then, they had to hear world opinion in the news accusing us of causing the current state of affairs in the Gaza Strip. (As if it was all our fault and that we had no right to protest being attacked all night with bombs)
hat boy, photographer, Ariel, NY
Gaza leaders, the Hamas, those ordering the bombing of civilians, were not being held to blame by world media. And on Thursday, when invited to speak about anger, the kids in the workshop, one after another, were all truly angry at it all, first the attacks of war and then stinging world opinion.
And I, a Canadian, who remembered other times when those living in Gaza came to work on our kibbutz, and how I’d given my baby pram to a Gazan mother after my child had outgrown it, what about me? How did all of their anger strike me?
I felt their anger and though I asked them to leave political arguments aside and concentrate on their personal feelings, although I took the talking piece to reflect what each said and ask for correction if I’d misunderstood, I was still overwhelmed by the unanimous emotion that filled the room.
After our circle, there was no time for our body scan, no time for relaxation. The overtime I’d always relied upon was cut short as the kids were being sent home earlier than usual.
One by one, they exited the room and there I was, feeling an immense sense of sadness. So much anger at an impossible situation and no opportunity to come together to find relief, I felt sad and in need of release.
Next session: taking stock of current mood. Has time amplified or modified the anger. If other life events have interacted to create a new emotion. And hopefully, remedies for self-centering, how to help ourselves and be available for others.
My question: Have other facilitators had to deal with such intense post-war feelings? Forty minutes is only a beginning. Please respond if you have dealt with such a session.
I happened to be in the Grade 9 building, leaving a classroom and there she was! A homeroom teacher came up to me before the first session of Semester Two.
“There are a few boys who registered, and I’m not sure they’re choosing to participate for the right reasons. Just keep in mind that if any discipline problems arise, let us know and we’ll handle it”.
I nodded, commenting that it was fortunate that I had run into her. She assured me that she would have found a way to relate the info. (Serious, I thought)
And there it was. I arrived at the Nofei Habsor Library a little before the lesson and a bunch of boys were there to greet me.
“Hi Judih!”
“Hi boys. Are you waiting for me?”
“Yes” As they popped off the concrete bench at the entrance of the library to come towards me.
“We’re going to begin at the sound of the bell at 13:15. I’ll get the room ready and then come to call you.”
And there I was back in the sunny round room, arranging cushions in a circle and setting up my personal space. The boys had seemed sincere and eager. I wondered which of them were the ones in question. I sprayed some lavender aromatherapy mist around the space and decided to adjust the temperature of the room. I opened the door and there they were, ready for meditation. I guided them to remove their shoes, put away their schoolbags, their phones and to sit quietly.
As the bell rang, two of my favourite participants from the first semester arrived to join in. Hugs and we were in.
I introduced myself and we went over the rules of our sessions – speaking and listening from the heart, keeping what is said within our walls, the one with the talking piece is the one with the right to speak.
I asked them what they thought of when I told them we were going to learn the language of attention, mindfulness. They shared: listening to the environment, listening to others, to themselves. Being a better person.
And we began with Take Five, the easiest way to pay deliberate attention to the breath. “How was that for you?” I asked.
“Relaxing” was the consensus. Only one boy refrained from speaking.
I asked them to document their expectations or wishes for our workshop – through words or illustration. Those who wanted to, shared with the rest. I saw illustrations of sitting in lotus, the circular room, the idea of a sweet, peaceful break in a life of waves of activity. I heard things like: being relaxed, being quiet.
I invited them to find a space, lie down, to avoid touching someone else, and we embarked on a body scan.
That same boy kept looking up, checking out others. Apparently, this was the homeroom teacher’s suspect.
We returned to the circle, did a ‘Dry Shower’ of body tapping to wake ourselves up.
Those who wished, shared their experience. They were respectful and positive.
They agreed to form a What’s App group so that I could offer reminders during the week. Same boy didn’t offer his phone number. I quietly spoke to him: I noticed that you’re not sharing. Are you interested in participating? He shrugged and left quietly.
At the sound of the bell, our session slowly melted away like a magic curtain.
A few boys began to play with a doll, a comfortable wrap-around doll, removing it from the room and immediately incurring the wrath of the librarian in charge of the space. She rushed over to reprimand the boy caught with the contraband doll.
She and I looked at one another – and how at the sound of a bell, presto! magic! return to 3 years old!
Class Relax has gently entered morning sessions in two classes so far this year.
Both classes are veterans and know what’s in store when I knock on their door at 8:30 in the morning. We speak briefly of why it’s good to practice breathing meditation and then we practice together.
For those few moments, the class is silent, the kids are attentive, their teachers are with me. The general ambience is positive and I exit the classroom with a smile.
The Meditation workshop was offered this year to 8th grade students. The response was unusual – only one pupil asked to participate. This is a first. Usually I get an eclectic group, each time a different conglomeration of personalities. This time, I was granted the opportunity to work one-on-one!
My pupil is someone who detests noise and suffers when surrounded by classmates who look to disrupt lessons rather than study. He gravitated to the Meditation workshop because he knew he could find his beloved oasis in a sea of rowdiness. (Our school is fairly typical amongst jr. high schools and this pupil is exceptional in his desire to learn in a quiet environment).
I’ve been taking him through the Mindfulness Ambassador Council curriculum produced by Mindfulness Without Borders. The i-version offers short video clips to reinforce themes of discussion: What is mindfulness? and Paying Attention.
These lessons offer jumping off points both for meditation and discussion. We cover SEL (social emotional learning) as well as observation of the thoughts that appear during focused sitting. We discuss application in real life, and then we take off with a creative brain-storm concerning issues that arise with him.
Example!
How to get quiet during lessons?
Pupil’s solution: Surprise 15 second calls to attention. Audio utterances commanding attention. No advanced warning – simply a surprise call to order!
I’m in favour! What do you think?
Good luck to all working with the population of 7th to 9th graders. We are one!
Tuesday morning. I had landed back in Israel from Albany/Toronto the day before. Two of my students had landed back home from Mexico a few days before that. We were in a unique physical and mental state of readjustment. Perfect for new insights!
Jill Badonsky’s “The Inner Sanctuary”
The nature of ‘Discovering Inside’ is to observe what is going on within, without judgment. This exercise addresses such an unusual state of being – something slightly off-kilter, something that invites a new approach, and the mind of an investigator.
Our mission: To check out which thoughts cropped up, what feelings, what sensations.
We explored our initial state of being as we gave ourselves a chance to notice 10 breaths.
We spoke of how we were. “Tired”, “tired”, “fine”, “nervous”, “frustrated”,….etc.
We embarked on a few more pointed opportunities to look further: Choose an animal to describe how you feel.
Sloths, cats, giraffes were some of their answers.
“giraffe,sloth and cat”- sticker by RedBubble
As the session continued, I found the students melting into tiredness, while making the effort to observe.
We got tactical and filled out a questionnaire about ourselves
our favourite sounds
our least favourites
our most recent achievement
an incident in which we wished we could have acted differently
our real-life heroes
what makes us unique.
We proceeded to let those questions and answers filter through us as I eased them into their most desired stage: Body Scan.
I requested that if they began to nod off, they were to open their eyes, or I’d be offering them assistance by ringing the Tibetan Bowl close by. Even so, one sweet girl dissolved into rest.
Upon a gentle revival, back to reality, we re-examined our answers to the questionnaire, one by one, and either changed or added details to our answers.
I’ve found myself totally revising a set of initial answers after a meditation session. Getting in touch with one’s inner essence makes it impossible to give stock answers. One comes clean!
Answers were, indeed, changed. And those who wished to share with the group, offered what they’d said.
Only one question stumped many of the students: “What makes you unique?”
“How wonderful,” I said! “You have a glorious mission ahead of you! Find out!”
They kept on talking past the school bell to end the session. And with sincere thanks, we parted ways.
Again, I’m grateful. This group of kids is truly a gift.
No matter what’s happened beforehand, or what might happen afterwards.
This is what drives us. Morning class relax sessions have been conducted as usual.
No matter what happened before
I was invited into a seventh grade class by Ricky, the homeroom teacher. She wanted a few minutes of focused breathing. It was to precede a discussion and support session concerning a 9th grade pupil who had committed suicide the evening before.
Earlier that morning, teachers had been told to share with the students that the exact details were still unreported and that there was an ongoing investigation. So, when I walked into the class, turned on the computer to upload Class Relax and then faced the kids, the first question to me was: “Is it true that he hanged himself?” I latched onto the catch-phrase we were told to say: “We don’t know all the details yet” but inwardly I was reeling. I breathed a few good sized breaths. I hadn’t heard how he’d done it. Often the pupils know way before we do.
I introduced the idea of meditation as a way to pause, to disconnect from the past or the future, to focus on our breath as an anchor. To practice when we can and then if we need to pause for whatever reason during the day, we will be more skilled at remembering the technique. Especially together. We support one another.
And we did our 10 breath breathing exercise. I was grateful to be able to breathe together with them and their teacher, Ricky. She was in for a heavy homeroom period and she needed all the grounding possible.
In other morning classes, I preferred the short listening meditation as a way to focus on a sound outside of the body- for re-focus, for finding silence and for re-directing attention. When we need to clear our head, if we focus on a sound, whether it’s a Tibetan Singing Bowl or the sound of the Air Conditioner, we can clean our mind from extra thoughts and re-charge.
No matter what comes after
Listening works for me. I used that same meditation before the 7th grade exam. I noticed that my heart was beating quickly and that I needed a grounding session. For me it was first aid and for them it was an open invitation to participate. For such situations, I use ‘Listen to the Sound‘ because it’s short, accessible and requires no guidance.
At the end of the school day, we had a meeting of the 8th grade kids vying to be chosen to represent our school in Albany in the Spring. They were in need of a re-set. They asked me for a Class Relax session.
They turned on the computer and they knew what they wanted: specifically The Wonderful Waiter. I understood. Whenever I do it, I feel such a sense of well-being. It works on body, mind and breathing all at the same time. This one is the one they chose.
General Observations
Slowly, each day with repeated Class Relax experiences, the new classes in 7th grade are looking with smiles when I enter the room. For me, it’s a chance to share a few moments of something other than the usual school tone. It’s a chance to remind myself of how accessible is the habit of a few mindful breaths during school time.
May Class Relax re-birth into its new form soon, and may it reach out to brothers and sisters with similar ideas for classroom energizers, or energizers of all forms!
It was the last week of school before a break of a few weeks. I knew that a few of my pupils would be missing from the group because of an early sense of freedom from school.
It was a beautiful day. I planned to take us out into nature to create a unique mandala. I planned a chai session beforehand. And I planned to be calm.
I set up the room, boiled the water and discovered that my supply of cups had been depleted by unknown sources. No chai.
The lesson bell rang. The girls entered and ran into the room to compete for the cushion of their choice. I stopped them and sent them back out.
I reminded them that this was a lesson, a different atmosphere than recess. They re-entered, took off their shoes, except for a select few, and sat down quietly.
I joined them in the circle, sensing the dissonance between my idyllic vision and reality.
sitting circle
I did a homework check: Had they tried to listen with an open heart to someone else when they spoke? A few raised their hands. That was good! As I began to introduce the idea that again today, we would work on listening to others, R interrupted me. I asked her to hold her question for a second and to listen to what I said. After my intro I invited questions. R was concerned about the mark she’d been given in her mid-term report card. Why had she received 90-something when others received 100. I explained that I graded them on 3 components: Participation, Seriousness and Listening to Instructions.
She was clearly upset. I had criticized her when I’d said we weren’t supposed to criticize. (I’d spoken of noticing without judging). She then decided to berate another student’s seriousness, someone who’d received 100.
I told them all that I wasn’t judging their consciousness but only how I saw them in lessons.
Two girls changed their body language. They were not pleased.
I explained that this lesson was a laboratory for studying what went on inside our minds during such situations. How does it feel? What’s going on in our bodies when we feel angry.
Comment: During real-time discussions, when someone like R misinterprets what I’m saying, deciding that I’m criticizing when I’m merely reflecting, it would be ideal to take her aside and give her a chance to say what she’s thinking and hopefully help her listen to something new.
In a group situation, when she accuses me (or anyone) of thinking a certain thing or intending another thing, there are members of the group who respond. Some defend her and change what she’s saying. Others attempt to explain to her what I said.
In short, the clarity of simply noticing becomes all entangled with discolorations, illusions and emotional thorns.
For this teacher, I can’t but help thinking of Thich Nhat Hanh’s smile and grace, or H.H. the Dalai Lama’s joyful presence and sense of interest.
Thich Nhat Hanh
I feel dismayed that the misunderstanding may detour the pupils’ thinking.
To clear the air, we do a listening meditation. I remind them that for two minutes we will notice our breaths. If someone finds it impossible to stay quiet, they may write down their comment, but to remember to respect those who wish to concentrate.
During our two minutes, R wrote down something and felt the need to pass me the note. Someone whispered to her to keep it.
Comment: The idea of written communication is good. But time and place are also important. Can R have patience to hand it to me after the meditation? When to deal with these important elements, without the noise of the additional voices? Or is there a way to have the others help her understand
Back to the lesson
I bring to the discussion the reminder that the study of mindfulness is a journey we are taking together. I am no expert and can only guide them to notice what’s happening inside.
A jumped in: ‘I never said you know everything!’
Again the distance between us increases. I know that I’m being watched carefully for facial hints or vocal changes and my reaction is what will do the talking. Patience or lack of it, sincerely wanting the best for each of them: this is what is being taught. This is the study of mindfulness, dealing with what is, not what I imagine.
In such talks, kindness needs to be paramount. Less ego on my part in order to cope with their desperate attempt to save face or to promote their own interpretations.
What would the Dalai Lama do?
H.H. the Dalai Lama
The lesson continues:
Deep Body Scan
(minus 3 girls who skipped the session)
The Creation of a unique Mandala
(3 girls worked together)
and then Back to the circle.
We sum up. Each takes a turn to throw a comment into the circle: something they’ve learned, perhaps a wish for the holiday, a word or a phrase.
And the pupils were generous in their words and in their attention to themselves and one another.
Hopefully, during the vacation, there will be a chance to use mindfulness, to perhaps notice something about how their mind works, or even remember to notice breathing from time to time.
Reminder why I teach mindfulness
It’s a privilege to meet with these girls. Am I up to the challenge to help them appreciate mindfulness as a lifelong tool?
Meanwhile, I meditate and study how my own biases work, how my ego steps in, how I can allow my sense of humour to step in to alleviate deadlocks.
Good spring break. Happy Passover from the Western Negev
The order is released: from the teacher’s mouth to the students’ ears. Sometimes, the voice is calming, sometimes it comes across as a screech tossed into an abstract sea of noise.
What do we expect will occur?
The best case scenario: each pupil takes the command to heart and implements it however best suits her or him at that moment. This student would have studied all situations and all physical, mental and emotional reactions and would know at that instant, what adjustments are required in order to fulfill the teacher’s demand.
“Relax” says the teacher, and the student responds with relaxation.
How many adults could do it? How many know how to respond with relaxation when asked?
Have you practiced and experimented with your body in order to know just what you need to do in order to implement relaxation on cue?
Why do we expect it from our students?
Simi Levy in her course “Safat HaKeshev” The Language of Attentivenessreminds us that telling someone to relax is no guarantee that they have a clue how to do it.
Therefore, it must be a skill taught, just like how to hold a pencil or how to raise your hand instead of shouting out a question or answer.
And this is a skill that needs to be practiced, constantly. A few times during a classroom lesson and often throughout the day.
Often we demand that they “‘Listen!”
Is this a simple thing? What about those pupils who occupy a chair at a desk but whose minds are a million miles away, chasing the past, investigating dreams, or rehearsing potential futures.
Listening and relaxing are both teachable skills.
Safat haKeshev can instill the skill of listening, without judgement. We can teach the art of focusing on something whether it is a voice, a text or another’s presence, and when we happen to notice that we’ve lost concentration, how to be kind to ourselves and come back to try again. All this is what we must teach our pupils in order to help them develop into fully flowering adults.
This Week’s Class in the Language of Attentiveness – 8th graders
Listening to a Partner
This week’s theme was listening to the sounds around us, to my instructions, to a partner.
The Exercise
Materials: Pupils counting off into ‘1’s and ‘2’s
Thin wooden skewers
A timer
Method:
Pupils were partnered – a 1 with a 2
Each 1 was given a skewer
The exercise was to hold the skewer between them using their forefingers. The object was to keep it between them, not to allow it to fall. They needed to keep in mind that one end of the skewer was pointed and to be conscious of maintaining painless pressure.
The 1s began as the leader, moving their fingers in the space while the 2s were to be attentive followers.
After 2 minutes, they changed. 2s led while 1s followed.
After 2 minutes, they were to take turns and whoever felt like taking the lead would do so.
No talking was allowed.
……
After 2 minutes, the couples stopped. Shared their experiences and came back to the circle to share with the group if they chose to.
Comments:
It was fun
It was interesting
It was annoying. She didn’t do what I did. The skewer fell all the time.
I didn’t like it. The skewer hurt. We had to change halfway so that she’d get the pointy end.
I wanted to be really adventurous, not jut stay in the little space, but she didn’t follow.
Me: Isn’t this interesting! Here we had 2 people who agreed to listen to one another. Some of you did so and others didn’t. How did it feel when your partner didn’t listen? Annoying, Frustrating. Did some of you get angry?
Isn’t this just how it is in our lives?
How many times do we want to say something to someone and they can’t hear us, or they don’t understand us?
It happens, doesn’t it?
How does it make you feel?
This exercise is designed to help us see what happens inside of us, when we’re listening to a partner. How much do we have to give up. How much do we have to try harder?
And how do we feel when we are able to listen, or to be heard?
Fascinating! A mini-sample of our everyday lives.
Back to individual Focus
We came back to simple focus using the Singing Bowl. And then I took a scan of the room. How many of you are energetic? Many hands. How many of you are tired? A few hands.
I decided to regulate the energy via Movements. I invited them into the floorspace. We went into a brief T’ai Chi warm-up concentrating on loosening up and then balance. Then we did some of the Chi Cong cutta: 8 pieces of Brocade to recenter their energies.
Most of them were with me, then slowly one by one went back to sit down, to watch, to rest. Half stayed on and they smiled at the end of the session.
Drawing mandalas.
The girls were happy to move onto quiet colouring in of mandalas. They chose the one they wanted and selected coloured pencils.
Dynamics were changing in the group. Many girls were chatty. One in particular who in general suffers from exclusion from social happenings, was extra bubbly.
I asked them to try to lower their volume. At one point I rang the Tibetan Singing Bowl to bring them to a ‘freeze’ to notice their bodies on the chair or on the cushion. Then they resumed their work.
We were invited to drink chai, prepared by A and N and Y, complete with beautiful signs and a thoughtful arrangement of the cups.
End of Session
We went back to the circle to discuss the morning.
Conclusions: The girls shared what they’d learned.
We need to work on listening to one another.
We promise to be less boisterous during our next session.
I told them that yes, the energy had been high, but how that was fine. This is how we are and this is how we practice. Right now, no matter what our mood. There’s no need to wait till we’re calm or ‘shanti’. This is how we practice. Mindfulness is exactly for how we are at this moment.And it’s good! This is our laboratory for studying the workings of our mind and body. This is how we develop our muscle for attentiveness.
We parted with smiles.
…………
As a teacher, my job is to reflect all that is, is! And this particular lesson had been fascinating in its potential for learning.
Many times this week, I brought Class Relax to regular lessons. I also know that at least one other teacher is using the clips before beginning Math.
I’m invited every Thursday to join a 7th grade class during their ‘Good Morning’ session. I choose one of the 10 Reasons to Bring Meditation into the Classroom, describe it and explain how meditation helps. This week was ‘To recharge the students’ minds‘. They all know how to ‘charge’ something and the concept of recharging their minds was easily accessible. Why does meditation help? It offers a chance to focus on body and breath; to disconnect from what happened before or thoughts of what might happen in the future. It allows us to be present in the moment. This gives us a break and energizes us.
And so, we began. I used Guided Imagery in nature with music from the Grand Canyon collection. In this meditation, my instructions are to notice feet on the floor, body on the chair and then to close one’s eyes and follow my voice, listen to the music and to breathe.
Guided Imagery in Nature
The sound of the river flowing, birds and soft piano chords all offer a vacation for the mind. After a few minutes of indulging in this treat, we come back to our chair, our environment. We stretch, shake out our hands and feet and wish ourselves a wonderful day.
The fact that Shlomit, the homeroom teacher, enjoys these morning sessions reinforces the enjoyment in her pupils and, as a result, I reap multiple benefits. The calm in the room allows us all to move onto the rest of our day with a feeling of enrichment. Five stars! Highly recommended.
In my own 7th Grade English class, we decided as a group that doing Class Relax at the beginning of our double lesson serves to help us focus. If by chance I forget and begin the lesson, they remind me of this decision.
This week, I made a point of checking with them to appraise their moods. How many were tired? Many hands went up. Okay. How many were energetic? Three hands went up. How many were happy? A few. How many sad? A few. This was a sociological question since I knew that one boy had been at a funeral the day before. I was doing a quick empathy check as well as exploratory, since there might be other pupils with issues of sadness.
Taking inventory, I figured that re-energizing would be the best way to combat tiredness or despondency. I chose the Wonderful Waiter with the hang drum music.
The act of getting up, forcing blood to flow, and then standing consciously with legs shoulder-width apart already causes a re-focus of attention. Also, the need to focus on coordination in a very physical way exercises the brain. If successful, doing this t’ai chi exercise creates a wonderful sense of flow. We do it with each hand and then both together. The brain and body are re-aligned! The hang drum music is wonderful and offers an other-worldly element in our classroom. After we complete the movement, we shake out our hands and feet and begin our lesson. I feel good – they feel good and they’ve each experienced in their own way a different way of beginning an English lesson.
Note: My clips are all in English and although I don’t speak a lot, the instructions are in authentic language.
What else is new?
My weekly meeting with Grade 8 students was cancelled this week due to a Seminar on Respect. I wonder if my students will bring back interesting stories. My plan for our Monday meeting is to integrate the tea ceremony, to make tea with leaves collected from our school gardens and to hold the cup, breathe in the fragrance and enjoy the warm liquid.
Depending on their energy levels, I’ll decide on the ratio of movement to static meditation.
Thanks for reading.
May you find an opportunity to try Class Relax in your own practice. If you teach, give it a try in your classroom. Tune into the ‘Why Implement Meditation’ slide. Give your pupils a reason to try. Then choose a meditation from the assortment of clips.
Requests: If you wish there was something else on the site, some added clips, explanations, other exercises, please feel free to comment and ask. This week alone, I found myself undergoing 3 new projects because someone stopped to ask what they wanted of me!
This site is about life and bringing up babies 3 kilometers from the Gazan/Israeli border. There will be Kabbalah lessons and voices from the other side of the border. Hear and share
Both classes are veterans and know what’s in store when I knock on their door at 8:30 in the morning. We speak briefly of why it’s good to practice breathing meditation and then we practice together.
Good luck to all working with the population of 7th to 9th graders. We are one!
Class Relax 