“If every 8 year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” – Dalai Lama
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is being present and paying attention to our senses–without judgment. It can be practiced anywhere throughout our normal daily activities.
Benefits of Mindfulness include: decreased anxiety levels and lower heart rate and blood pressure; and increased self-control, focus, productivity, problem-solving, clarity, and immune function.
Attitudes of Mindfulness
The “Attitudes of Mindfulness” are continually referenced in Mindfulness practices. Often at the beginning of Mindfulness classes, students are invited to choose an “Attitude of Mindfulness” as an intention for the practice, or day, or week, etc. I often choose two, most commonly: “Non-Judgment” and “Compassion” because I think they go hand-in-hand. I view compassion as a method for healing judgment. Self-compassion has been especially supportive in my journey of releasing perfectionism and adopting positive self-talk. Learn more from my blog post, 11 Attitudes of Mindfulness.
Mindful Minutes, Created for Classroom Use
Mindful Minutes are short, 1-5 minute videos made by myself and other teachers for students of all ages (and ourselves) to take a break to be present. Each video shares a Mindfulness strategy we can use to evoke calm and focus. Check out my blogpost Mindfulness Exercises for Children: Short, Simple Mindful Minutes. I share how I started (and became hooked) using Mindfulness in the classroom in my blog post How Mindfulness Benefits Both Teachers and Students.
Guided Mindfulness & Adaptive Yoga Breaks
What if you could increase your alertness, calm, and productivity in less than 10 minutes? My Guided Mindfulness Adaptive Yoga Breaks are 7-10 minute mindful exercises of breathing techniques, simple seated yoga poses, and guided mindful meditation for beginners. (These videos were also known as “Yogi Smoke Breaks”, being my start as a wellness facilitator for the Yogi Smoke Breaks Facebook Live video movement.) These short videos consist of gentle, seated yoga moves, adapted for people of all abilities to reconnect and recalibrate. Simple mindfulness breaks cause empowerment, greater focus, happiness, calm, and productivity! I use affirmations as themes and positive mindset guides.
My video affirmation titles include:
— “The Love I Seek is the Love in Me”
–“I’m Exactly Where I’m Supposed to Be”
— “My Breath is Always with me for Support”
— “I Live in a Spirit of Gratitude”
— “People are Planted in my Life for a Reason”
— “I Seek Interactions with People who Inspire and Empower Me”
— “Clarity Comes in Unexpected Ways”
How to Meditate
Wondering how to meditate? Would you like to start with short, guided meditations in less than 5 minutes? We share simple mindfulness meditation practices with affirmations and breathing techniques that can be practiced anywhere! Join us with affirmations such as:
–“I Am Enough”
–“Just Like Water, I Adapt to Any Situation”
–“People are Planted in my Life for a Reason”