Back to school, Class Relax 2021-22

Yes, we’re back.

I’m Judih (exhale on the final ‘h’) and have resumed face-to-face mindfulness lessons in the 7th grade. I get to meet with all eight classes, and with a group of 8th graders who have chosen to continue learning mindfulness for a 90-minute session.

Covid-19 and all the variants might also be amongst the pupils, so mask wearing is a mandatory condition inside our room.
It’s not easy. I need to remind kids constantly to adjust their masks, but mask-wearing also helps us gain awareness of our breathing.

In fact every year with the seventh graders, I crave to know about them.
I peruse the data available to me: their places of residence, their parents’ names, and perhaps a connection to an older brother or sister, previously in my classes.

Our opening activity is to draw an outline of our hand, write our names, our expectations of the lessons and if they have a phone and are willing to share, their phone number. Once I have numbers, I can send them digital questionnaires to find out more about their past experience with mindfulness, and if they have questions. I want a way to encourage questions outside of the 40-minute group lesson. Of course, we do a listening meditation and a breathing meditation, just to give a taste of what we’ll be doing.

Tibetan Singing Bowl

Some classes are heaven, others are a challenge. We’ve been able to meet in the Relaxation Room, equipped with cushions and large bean-bag chairs. Cushions serve as comfy resting places or portable weapons, depending on the whim of the pupils. Some classes gravitate to relaxation while others prefer the more aggressive option. Soon we’ll be in a more standard classroom, which usually proves to encourage more standardized behaviour. To be seen.

Cushion fort, time investment of 10 minutes during the break

The eighth graders are from one of my favourite classes from last year. There are only a few of them and I hope to find a way to offer them ways to detach from tensions, and get comfortable with themselves. Two of them built a marvelous fort out of the cushions, surrounding themselves with a kind of padded, dark cell. (Not the first time, students have done such things, and it’s fascinating to see which of them only want to build such an environment.)
Others flow with me, responding, cooperating. An interesting group.

I’ll keep you all informed.

De-stressing!

the pause

There are days in a student’s life when all that is wanted is a chance to disconnect from stress.

Life on Zoom

Our students are studying hour after hour via zoom. The internet connection works or doesn’t work. The teacher freezes mid-sentence. The student loses connection mid-explanation. Then comes a test. You get the idea. Stress!

Class Relax to the Rescue

So, yesterday, a much needed guided imagery session was offered. After our initial check-up of how they were feeling at that very moment and doing a breathing/movement exercise, I invited them to get comfortable lying down or sitting, Making sure that my voice was audible, I began to lead them into another sphere.

We began with a gentle body scan and then accepting an invitation to imagine a place that they loved, with its sights, smells, sensations. I led them down an imaginary path, over a bridge to their special place and offered them opportunities to look around, see what they could see and get comfortable.

To make a lovely story short, after leading them back home and counting to 10 to bring them back to more energetic functioning, we gave ourselves a dry shower, patting our faces and bodies into a condition enabling us to resume our lives.

It was like watching flowers bloom.

In the follow-up feedback form, they asked for more such sessions, so simple to provide, within the mindfulness lesson framework arranged by our school, Nofei Habsor. Our weekly sessions, one per class, offer a safe environment, and many of these teens are showing their trust in the process. I hear them as they speak up, asking for they need.

May we all find nourishment by entering within, allowing our own imaginations to feed us emotionally.

(pic from my M.Ed end of course self-dance, Lesley College, circa 2003)
It still brings me to a state of relaxation remembering the use of the arts and movement to express my innermost calm.
Thnx to the sweet photographer who sent me the image.

Class Relax explores the Senses

The lovely students of Grade 9 arrived at the appointed hour in our cozy Relaxation room. They removed shoes, silenced their phones and selected a place to sit.

What are we doing today?

“I” asked: Did you bring the kalimba?
“A” asked: Will we be drawing?

I answered: Today we will be working with our senses.

“Y” said: taste?

I answered: Also taste.

The kids were into it.

We sat, worked with simple breathing exercises such as the finger train – going up and down the five fingers with the in breath and out breath.

We did some simple qigong breathing exercises. And then we surveyed the room to share our state of being and how our week had been.

The room took on a feeling of listening and mutual interest.

We began with taste.

I offered each one a date and we experienced the sensation in the hand, the texture, the temperature, the colour, the weight. We held it up to our nose to smell the date. We touched it to our lips for a more sensitive feel. Then we put it in our mouth, licked it, took one bite and felt the texture, the sensation on our teeth, the taste and how it travelled down our throat. Those who wanted to, finished it. I collected the seeds and unfinished dates and we washed our hands and sat down.

Some comments: “I don’t like eating this way.” “I like eating this way, it’s cool.”

“I’d never eat anything if I had to eat like this.”

The variation of personalities, again in the spotlight.

Next, we divided into pairs, each receiving a small collection of tactile items. One partner was to experience, with closed eyes, the sensation of each item and give it a rating: 10 for extremely pleasant and 1 for intolerable, or anywhere in between. The other partner was to select each item and touch their partner on their inner arm or cheek, whatever worked.

And they began the experiment. I visited each group. “A” called almost everything a “9”, another “A” called out much lower numbers. The partners switched roles and afterwards made a comparison to see how their ratings compared.

I asked: Why did we do this exercise? Answer: To get to know what we like.

Q: When can we use this in our lives? Answer: When we want to feel nice.

And we stopped for a tea break.

We then moved on to back massages, using small styrofoam balls to exert a kind of acupressure to points on the back. I directed them to gently approach their partner and wait for a kind of “Yes” as to the intensity of touch. The act of massage is a privilege – and an opportunity to really listen to someone else.

We then set aside the balls and wiped clean the back. We used our fingertips to tap on the back – first like raindrops, then drumming. Small fists slow and then faster. And then wrote letters on the back for the partner to guess.

We wiped our backs clean and switched roles.

The atmosphere was relaxed and focused. The students were delighted and felt the nourishment of attention to the body.

A session exploring the sensation of touch, taste and smell is a perfect remedy for hot weather. Also, now into June, school is closing down, the tension of exams is over for these kids, and they need a way to transition into other pursuits.

I invite all teachers to participate in such a session. Returning to the body is a return to the notion of simplicity and inner quiet.

 

Class Relax with Parents and small children

sitting circle (mindful kids)

Class Relax has been offering workshops and morning mindfulness sessions in Nofei Habsor Junior High for many years. This continues to be a heaven-sent opportunity as students from special ed classes and regular classes, from the seventh grade to the ninth grade have been able to enjoy a few moments of mindfulness. Teachers have been able to close their eyes, pay attention to their own body breathing, and smile afterwards.

Now, Class Relax has diversified. We are now offering our second workshop for parents and their children in the first and second grades to experience mindfulness together.

What could be better than to foster a family mindfulness practice?

We work with warm-ups using qigong (like the Wonderful Waiter) and warming up the body’s qi. Then we learn simple breathing exercises like the Flower and the Candle. We experience mindful listening, mindful sensations, and mindful walking.

Then we mindfully create a puppet that will help us consider our experiences and how we feel.

Mindfulness and Puppetry – or as is called “Mindfulness is the Name of the Game!”. Together with my partner Dr. Inbal Cohen, we are offering approachable techniques to a young population which sorely requires the tools of mindfulness.

We’ve been through another round of rocketfire, and uncertainty as to when the next one will arrive. Tools of how to take a mindful pause, how to nourish our inner selves, are the very thing!

Look for us in the Eshkol Local Council.

Return to quiet

Nofei Habsor school had just resumed after the Army called for a day of school closures in our area. We’d been told that this was a precaution, but of course, that had fed into a feeling of dread.

This session, this new opportunity to sit mindfully, was going to be interesting. Would pupils stay for the lesson? How would they arrive?

I, of course, had overplanned the lesson: listening meditation,  touch-contact meditation, mindful tasting meditation, qigong and delving inside.

All directions were readily available. I only had to see how my pupils arrived. I needed to see if they were jumpy, tired, agitated.  According to the general feeling and sway, I’d work with what I had in my bag of tricks.

Lucky for me, the most eager and open of students arrived first. We began with a sitting meditation based on listening to the sounds around us. When a thought popped in, we covered our ears, and began listening again.  If a feeling, sensation, interrupted our listening, we’d cover our ears and start again.

This meditation I lovingly learned from Thay Doji, the marvellous teacher who had come to offer a Retreat to the Mindfulness-in-Israel community.

The meditation to begin, was wonderful and just what I needed to ground myself. The pupils also responded well.

Then, along came first a few and then a few more pupils. Each brought their own vibe, their own element of readiness for being quiet.

One announced a headache and so, I put away the Tibetan singing bowl, and the idea of having them create an orchestra. I went to the meditation involving touch, sensation. I offered each of them a coin. They were to hold it in their right hand and pay attention to the sensation of the coin – weight, temperature, texture in the palm of their hand. When a thought, emotion or sensation interrupted their attentiveness, they were to switch hands. (Again this was adapted from Thay Doji who had offered us pine cones to hold).

Each pupil offered to the circle their comment on how they felt after the meditation.

Then, hell broke loose as one pupil decided to zip open the stuffed cushions and upon discovering little styrofoam balls within, felt the need to bless us with showerings of the stuffing.

He and his friend cleaned up the mess, while I choreographed the use of a shovel to remove it all from floor, from clothes to the garbage bin.

Comic relief? Movement meditation?

I showed them the clip “The Unwelcome Party Guest“. My intention was to have them start to deal with unwanted emotions, uninvited interruptions. The message of the clip is more or less to let go of resistance and accept. (I had hoped that they saw that in me so far)

It was time for tea! R, the cushion “unzipperer” had brought us a new teapot and we enjoyed some delicious spearmint green tea. A had brought cookies and we took our nourishment.

I took the chance to ask them 3 questions from the Discovering Inside questionnaire, from ‘Mindfulness Without Borders.’

• What sound do you love? 

Drums, my own voice, laughter

• What sound do you hate?

Woman’s shrill scream,  when ‘x’ speaks,

• What are your strengths? (This was a hard question)

My ability to think, my compassion, the strength of my legs, I don’t know

Teatime over, I invited them to stand up and realign our energies with some qigong warm-ups.  Though gentle, two of the kids, preferred to fall back into the beanbag chairs!

I brought them back down and invited them to get comfortable for a relaxation meditation.  I decided to have them pay full attention to their bodies and breath. They had managed somehow to quieten down, which surprised me, and I touched the foot of one boy who simply couldn’t stop talking, to remind him that we were to just be, without speaking.

This is a group of mixed energies – the majority showing signs of living life along with a constant chatter. Having just been through intense days of uncertainty and possible escalation of war, these teens were even more remote from inner peace. Each session feels like I’m starting from the beginning.

We ended this session with sitting and applying our Dry Shower – this is a technique of patting our energies into place and ending with 3 breaths. We then wished ourselves a “Wonderful Day”, and left with a feeling of it’ll be okay.

I hope! Our next session will be in one month, after the Passover vacation. May we all have peace and find inner relaxation.

When Kids Get the Giggles

In my class in the Language of Attentiveness, I’ve got a core of interested, curious teens. Most of them are fascinated by techniques of how to relax, how to disconnect from outside events and how to listen to their bodies.

Some, however, can not refrain from the impulsive curiousity that prevents them from working with attention. They have urgent questions, the need to pummel the one beside them, fascination at watching everyone else, endless opportunities to escape the self-study that comprises our core work.

What to do with those who cannot self-pause, but who giggle, babble or even jump up to tickle another student who’s lying down to participate in guided imagery?

the pause

Well, there’s one school of thought. This I call the Doron Lavy school of thought. Doron is my esteemed T’ai Chi / Qi Cong teacher. No matter who is chatting, he is focused on the cutta, on the movements we are doing. Not even a blink of the eye. He is in the movement we are doing.

If someone asks a question after the cutta or in the break, he’ll answer. He’ll offer information given by a sensei, or Master teacher who teaches in Japan or another location. He is patient and thoughtful. The Doron Lavie method.

I’ve tried this. I don’t consider tossing out pupils who giggle or interrupt. I choose to remind the group of the task and of the instructions: whether to refrain from talking or to sit quietly. I offer the option of writing down whatever is on their mind if a question pops up and they need to express it.

I do not want negativity in the room. This is the Doron ambience that works so well in the T’ai Chi sessions, Tuesday nights on Kibbutz Nir Oz. (If you’re in the area, contact me!)

This school of thought is clearly best exemplified by Doron, himself, or with students who seriously want to study. In my lessons, it finds particular success amongst pupils possessing the self-discipline to honor another’s personal space, or who can delay a question about where I was born or what I like to do in my spare time.

Those who jump onto another’s mat or who simply must ask their question at that very second,  do not respond well to the Doron Lavie method. As a result, the group suffers.

The other school of thought is to stop all work and physically remove those who are disturbing their classmates. This past Monday, this method was implemented.  After offering 3 chances, all of which found the offenders promising to control themselves, but did not, they were sent out and instructed to return after 10 minutes.

guided imagery

We continued,  happily engaged in relaxation when, after 5 minutes, the door opened and the 3 re-entered. I looked at them and held out 5 fingers and whispered that there remained 5 more minutes to wait. They responded loudly that they wanted to come back in and how they wouldn’t bother us! All exuberant and mood-busting, and totally unaware that there actually was a pre-existing mood in the room..

To re-establish the quiet vibe, I re-signalled that they needed to leave and to wait 5 minutes. Believe it or not, the girls lying down on their mattresses were quite still, their eyes closed. Holding on to the positive mood of the body scan in progress, I insisted that the three leave, which eventually they did.

We continued, then shared what had been experienced during our relaxation. To deepen the relaxed state, I offered them the experience of  feeling the resonating Singing Bowl as placed on backs or bellies.

This was very cool.  The bowl was in place on N’s back when, lo and behold, the 3 girls noisily re-entered, demanding to be heard as they enthusiastically promised to be quiet.

This time I asked them if they wanted to join in the relaxation. They said they didn’t, they’d sit at the side, just sit. I, however, was not interested in further opportunities  to interfere with the calm feeling in the room.

There were clearly two sides: the girls who wanted a safe environment for getting into relaxation and the others who were making them nervous.

The bottom line was clear. This was no time for such dichotomy of behaviour. Only at the discussion stage would such a polarity be positive. We could then discuss our differences towards the work at hand. We could discuss intention and what happens as we begin an exercise. We could discuss differences in attitude.

But during relaxation, the atmosphere needs to be quiet, safe, offering every chance for securely entering the zone of meditation.

So, what to do with gigglers who aren’t sensitive to the needs of the group. Gigglers who don’t quietly dismiss themselves till they can rejoin the group quietly?

Any ideas?

Feel free to add your comments!

by Jill Badonsky

Spoiler alert – two years afterwards,  two of the girls approached me to indicate that they were interested in learning how to relax, how to get in touch with inner quiet.  This was a very welcome interaction and a chance to offer a permanent invitation, that mindfulness knows no deadlines, that the techniques are learnable at any time.

Reminders why I Teach Mindfulness

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

Happy Creative Passover Break to all

The Sock Meditation

Pre-amble: I teach “Safat Hakeshev” (The Language of Attentiveness) to grade 8 students. This I’ve mentioned. I might also have mentioned that these workshops last one whole semester and then the pupils switch. This semester ends on January 28th. I thought, ‘cool’, a whole new bunch of kids to meet and work with!

However, I’ve been informed by my pupils that they’d like to continue on with me for the next semester.  And due to the fact that they’re concerned that there won’t be room for them, they’ve taken steps to discourage others from registering. They’re manipulating registration to encourage only a few select others to sign on, while the rest are being sent packing.

This is very interesting for many reasons. First, they’re totally uninterested in the official stance of whether or not they’re allowed to carry on with the same workshop.  Second, there’s the undeniable fact that they want to carry on! Thirdly, here we see a use of the forces of mindfulness to arrange reality. (Isn’t this similar to commercial pitches of “Become mindful! Be more productive! Earn more money!…etc)

Are there any sociologists reading this?f If so, please feel free to comment!

Now, to the matter at hand! The sock meditation.

It goes like this: A bag of odd socks is emptied into the middle of the sitting circle. The instructions are to choose 2 socks and create an exercise of one minute in length.

I demonstrated one such exercise – choosing two socks and tying them together as slowly as possible, mundane perhaps,  but enough to give them an idea.

Time was given for them to think and experiment.

When they were ready, one chose to go first. I told them that our task was to watch in silence for that minute.

J set a timer and I gave the Go signal!

Pupil 1 : M kept her own socks on her feet and did a foot dance to a steady beat for one full minute, till the timer went off.

We each gave our responses

• ‘Relaxing’

• ‘Okay’

• ‘Nice’

Pupil 2: J took the two socks and wound them around each other and then unwound. He played with the rhythm and speed and we simply watched. When the timer went off, we each gave our responses.

• ‘Could put me to sleep’

• ‘Boring’

• ‘Hypnotizing’

Pupil 3: R took his two socks, started folding them in an origami kind of way. He inserted one pink one into the green one and continued to manipulate till by the time the buzzer sounded, he had a Turtle!

• ‘Wow’

• ‘Made me curious to watch’

• ‘Very cool!’

Pupil 4: He decided to use his own 2 socks and took them off, played with them, then put them back on. It looked like there was potential for more, but he kept it simple

• ‘Hypnotizing’

• ‘Okay’

Pupil 5: He dressed his arms in the stretchy black tights, tied them together and did a circular dance with the white wall as his backdrop. Then he switched to 3 other variations of sock-use.

• ‘Beautiful black circle dance’

• ‘Interesting’

Me: (disclaimer: I’m a puppeteer) I put the socks on my hands, squished in the area between upper hand and thumb to create a mouth and performed a simple, silent puppet show including conversation, conflict and resolution.

• ‘Made me curious’

• ‘cool!’

And we began the period for sharing. How was that for you? I asked.

“Interesting.”

How could you use this exercise? I questioned.

“to work our imaginations“

“to relax“

“to concentrate“

My conclusions: I liked this exercise. I liked that they watched in silence in support of the one sharing their exercise. I liked that they were all so different in their approaches. I liked that it allowed for all kinds of interpretations and that there were minimal rules.

Next time, I would like to deepen the exercise. For step two, I’d ask the kids to do a second round in order to further deepen their creativity. Perhaps change speed, rhythm, position or even try someone else’s exercise.

I believe that doing an exercise once is great – Beginner’s Mind allows for the feeling of getting one’s toes wet in new waters. Some kids jump in, others are hesitant. Doing it again allows for greater bravery. They know that they survived and that they can be more fearless in experimenting. 

Next: We’re also going further into a Sound exercise. This class loves to experiment with auditory attention. The Tibetan Singing Bowl is a beloved tool.  I would like to deepen their study of listening. Next week I’ll try a variation. Stay tuned.

sitting circle (mindful kids)

Thanks for reading.

Please feel free to comment!

Class Relax takes on some ‘oomph’

I am always looking for ways to implement Class Relax in various situations, adapting its techniques according to circumstance.

I love it when students ask for Class Relax to help them calm down and focus.

Case in point:

This past week in Nofei Habsor, we had our Annual Art Days Seminar. This year we worked with 9th-graders. My workshop was a form of Puppet Theatre using big 2-faced masks – built of opposites.  The students who signed up were those who have been doing Class Relax with me for 2 1/2 years.

*(We worked on group bonding using some movement exercises, watching our occupation of space and keeping an eye on one another. Puppetry is a very dynamic group activity. Each puppeteer must work with the others in a confined space.)

Ori’s mask, both sides of a personality – cheerful and sad, but a hero willing to save another.

 When the time came to set up our fantastic stage and turn on our intro music, the kids asked me for a brief meditation session. They sat down with straight backs behind the Puppet Stage and I asked them if they wanted a private session or if I should offer it to everyone in the audience as well. They opted for a full-house session.

And we all noticed our feet on the floor, our bodies on the chair. We sat up straight as if a magnet was pulling us toward the ceiling, shoulders relaxed.

We began to breathe and with our out-breaths we sent good wishes to all those who were performing.

We breathed, we shared, we felt good.

The play was fun and went well. I got to play the victim of a kidnapping and while the masks fought battles for my freedom, they all toppled one by one before the enemy who’d taken me hostage. Tied up, I exerted a graceful turn, clopped him over the head and was free.

Foam rubber battles make for safe expressions of the basic video battle games. I liked being honoured with the story-line of activating my own release.

But I believe what is most important is the overall use of mindfulness both in creating the feeling of a group and in how they worked together.

Class Relax is flexible.

Want to try?

Contact me!

Have a wonderful day,

judih, Class Relax

Observations from the field – February, January

February 21, 2015

Unusual Week

This past week hosted Simulated Matriculation exams (‘Matkonnot’ in Hebrew) and I was unable to appear in 2 of the 4 classes in which I regularly conduct Class Relax sessions.

(Note to self: Schedule Class Relax before the real Matriculation exam in May)

I was, however, able to show up in two Grade 9 classes to screen the latest Guided Imagery meditation. It offers a chance to clear the mind while listening to the sounds of a running brook accompanied by piano chords. The instructions are simply to notice one’s breaths. The inhale and exhale count as “1”, the next set is “2”.  When thoughts appear and attention wanders, one is to notice and then come back to the count.

Guided Imagery in Nature

Observations: It’s very important that such a meditation be conducted in an atmosphere of community cooperation, in order to feel safe and truly free to let the imagination flow. I don’t count breaths for the students, I don’t impose my own rhythm of breathing. Therefore, they are on their own for a period of a few minutes.  If there’s quiet in the room, when the mind wanders off, a word from Class Relax can lead focus back to the here and now. Everyone in the room supports everyone else. When it works, it’s wonderful!

As a facilitator, I’m still experimenting with this particular Guided Imagery. But I received good reports from other teachers using it.

In one class, the teacher placed the meditation mid-way between her double lesson, at the end of the school day.

She said that her students look forward to Class Relax and are happy to participate. They enjoy the opportunity to put their head down on their desks and allow themselves to be led to a beautiful place. Afterwards, they are back in stride, ready to learn,able to comprehend new material, and more attentive to the tasks assigned.

I brought this meditation to my 10th grade class English class. They had arrived late to school after a class trip the night before to Tel Aviv and were still somewhat sleepy. The Guided Imagery in nature gave them a chance to exercise focus, without undo demands. One girl asked me if it was okay that she had counted 39 breaths!  Of course it was okay! How wonderful that she had maintained count for that long!

Along with Class Relax came the questions. How long have I been doing it? Does it get easier?

How long? I’ve been doing forms of meditation for over 40 years. I’ve been bringing meditation into classrooms for about 4 years. Does it get easier? Yes, it does! And what’s more, the practice shows up in different forms, and at various times.

As a teacher, I am grateful for all chances to do Class Relax and can see the benefits.  If, for example, a student manages to say something annoying, as I walk towards the student, I only have to bring my attention to my feet on the floor, notice my breathing, and by the end of that brief walk, I’ll be more likely to say something more mindful, rather than just blast off a response!

This is what I’m hoping for: that they, too, will take that short break to breathe and re-set their focus before responding mindlessly!

Observations from the field, this February.

Have a good week

Judih

January 7, 2015 – Health Week

Nofei Habsor school in the Western Negev engaged in its annual Health Week. I was invited to bring Class Relax to the attention of six Grade 7 classes and their adult companions for the day.

From one session to the next, I experimented with the elements I wanted them to consider: How they felt at the moment, what made a difference in their present experience and how it was possible to change their attention and even their perception of themselves.

The ideals are lofty, but the techniques were simple.

We began with what they knew. I wanted to find out if they knew anything about meditation. Some did, and many were curious. I asked them to extend their arms with closed fists. How did that feel? Some said ‘Tight!’ , ‘closed’ ‘fine’! Some said it hurt! I then asked them to release their palms, open to the ceiling. How did that feel? Some said: ‘Open!’, ‘free!’. Then I asked them to open their arms to the sides, palms upward. How did that feel? ‘Good!’ ‘Relaxed’ ‘ Ready’.

A very important phase is the shake-out element – to get the blood flowing in arms and feet. And it’s fun to stop and shake!

Tibetan Singing Bowl

I brought out my Tibetan Singing Bowl. Did they know what it was? Some did! I struck it and then told them to just listen to the sound and to raise their finger when they couldn’t hear it any longer.

When some kids spoke, there were those who told them to be quiet to let them listen till the end.

Everyone was still as they listened to the vibrations and at which moment they could no longer hear them.

I then took a survey of the room. Who felt tired? (show of hands) Who felt hungry? Who felt energetic?

I assessed the situation and chose a meditation from Class Relax. Sometimes, the breathing meditations were best, sometimes the Wonderful Waiter and sometimes the listening meditation.

The Wonderful Waiter was used to direct excess energies or to wake up the sleepy.

After six sessions of careful listening to the tones, of counting breaths, of engaging in the Wonderful Waiter, I felt great. They also liked it! I had lots of good feedback, coming up to me, asking to come back even if their class was busy at another workshop.

The Wonderful Waiter
hang drum/harp

January 22

I was invited by teacher Dana to bring Class Relax to her English class.  She teaches 9th grade from 12:15 – 13:45. This is a difficult time for most kids. It’s just before lunch break and by then, they are tired of sitting.

I arrived at 13:00. I introduced myself and asked  if they had heard anything about meditation. Some people said it is ‘quiet’! (I liked that). One said ‘Vipassana’ and others knew that it was a 10-day experience.

I took a survey of the room. How did they feel? They were tired and felt a little hungry. We did the Wonderful Waiter. Then I brought them back to a state of learning and was ready to leave, when they asked their teacher for more. Dana gave the nod and I decided that The White Horse, a short guided imagery session would probably do the trick. We did it. They came out of the session, I wished them a wonderful day and I left the room.

Later, Dana told me that one girl who never participates at that time of day was fully on task as they studied adjectives! Other kids were also ready and focused.

As she shared that with me, another teacher told me that her grade 7 class had asked her to do Class Relax for them.

Okay, I say! Onward.

Usability Study

I’m looking for teachers to do a usability study for a month. Would you like to participate? Do you know others who would?

Please, add comments. Come be part of the effort to  help our teachers and students to become more focused!

– Judih

Class Relax