BODY-CENTERED MINDFULNESS

A Way to Awareness of the Present Moment…

Isabel Solano, RSWFamily Support Coordinator

Regina Catholic School Board

WHAT IS BODY-CENTERED MINDFULNESS?

•Paying attention to our body

•Awareness of actions, thoughts, and words

•Capacity to be in the present moment

MINDFULNESS HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND

OURSELVES BY LOOKING AT OUR INNER BEING

•How do experiences affect us?

•How do we react to difficulties?

•What are the emotions we fear?

•What happens when we face silence and stillness?

IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MINDFULNESS IS, WE MUST PRACTICE STAYING IN

THE MOMENT

•Being present to those who talk to us…. see, hear, try to understand

•Being patient….. we have to practice being in the present and that way we can ask others to be present for us

WHAT PREVENTS US FROM BEING IN THE MOMENT?

Our lives and experiences set us in motion and we react according to the past that follows us. Often times we live in the past…..

PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIZED ARE OFTEN VERY

EASILY HYPER-AROUSED BY EXPERIENCES THAT MAY SEEM

ORDINARY TO YOU AND I

Traumatized people are often not in the present moment

What can we do to help them come back to the moment?

WHEN HELPING STUDENTS TO BECOME MINDFUL, WE INVITE THEM

TO BECOME AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON…

Body Emotions Mind Environment

How can I help students if I am uncomfortable with my own emotions and my own life?

IN MINDFULNESS WE BECOME AWARE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO OURSELVES AND

OTHERS

Awareness of our breath

Awareness of thoughts and body sensations

Awareness of difficulties we face

Awareness of our stillness and silence

THE CONCEPT OF MINDFULNESS WHEN APPLIED IS VERY PRACTICAL AS IT CAN BE

PRACTICED IN OUR ORDINARY TIMES

Eating Cooking Walking Cleaning Showering Driving Brushing our teeth

MINDFULNESS IS ONE OF THE MOST SELF-REGULATORY PRACTICES THAT CAN HELP US DEAL WITH DIFFICULT EMOTIONS AND

OVERWHELMING EXPERIENCES

We center ourselves through the breath and we ground ourselves through the feet

WE LEARN TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE INPUT OF OUR FIVE SENSES

What do we see? What do we hear? What do we feel? What do we taste? What do we smell?

…in the present moment

AN ORANGE……

Be as much present as you can…..

IT IS THROUGH THE AWARENESS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PRESENT

MOMENT THAT WE CAN CHANGE…

Behaviors

Actions

Responses

Thoughts

Words

OUR BODIES HAVE AN IMMENSE CAPACITY TO HEAL AS WE BECOME

AWARE/MINDFUL OF OUR INNER SELF

We become resourceful

We uncover strengths

We become comfortable with weaknesses

EMOTIONAL SELF-REGULATION

Awareness Attention Acceptance Understanding Respect Compassion

…to the self ….for the self

THERE IS NO WRONG EMOTION, NO WRONG FEELING, NO WRONG BODY

SENSATION

We learn to be in harmony with all that is uncomfortable

We find serenity in the midst of despair

COMPOSURE

When we develop the ability to face difficulties by staying in our bodies without reacting

MINDFULNESS BRINGS US…

Calmness Joy Peacefulness Self-acceptance Balance Creativity Stress reduction Self-control Appreciation Thankfulness connectedness

MINDFUL GAMES CAN HELP STUDENTS TO BECOME AWARE OF ….

Frustration Impatience Self-doubt Self-consciousness

These are walls that prevent learning

HAVE A MINDFUL DAY…..

May you be blessed with the best that life can bring and may you find what you are seeking…

Isabel Solano