Before the Sydney Symphony

Orchestra play, they take time to

tune their instrument

In classroom

Wouldnt it be calm and sensible to tune the
sense of learning before you engage in the
learning?
Teachers shouting at the kids to

Pay Attention!

But attention is a skill, without training at paying
attention, most of the kids wouldnt know
what you mean.

Or maybe they were paying attention, just not
on what you want them to pay attention to.





Presence

If we are stressed, worried, burnt out, Whats
the first thing to go?

Are we participating in our own health and well-
being?
Lets stand for a minute.
Lets bring awareness to the fact that we are standing

Simply standing
Feeling through your shoes the connection with the floor

Sensation of the body
Pelvis
Torso
arms
The breath moving through the body
Sense of yourself completely here, awake and in touch with
the sensory feel of the body moment to moment.
What is here to be felt
Standing Breathing and resting in the knowing of standing and
breathing Awareness in the only moment we are alive.

Stay in the experience of standing and let the
experience wash over you.

What do I do when I am lost in the forest?
Elders response : Stand still
The tree ahead and the bushes besides you
are not lost; wherever you are, wherever you
go, you must stay here. Stand still, the forest
knows where you are, you must let it find you.
Life would know where you are, you must let
it find you.
Bring awareness to the air around the body as
we stand here.
In front, around, beside us.

Become aware of the movement in the body
There are tiny movements to allow us to
maintain our balance.
Bring some awareness to the micro movement
associated with standing and the gravitational
feel
Take one hand and move it through air, as if
you were under water.
Play with the air, feeling of the fluidity of the
body with the fluid air.
Bring awareness to the body and motion and
how it works with the breath.
Be aware of when the breath moves in and
when it moves out
Thoughts that generate through this. Stay in
the experience of the moving.feeling it on
the inside.
come back to stillness

Just standing, stand still.
Wherever you are, its called Here.
Body as a whole, standing and breathing
When you are ready, with full awareness, take
a seat, in a posture that invites dignity.
Sitting Meditation
Bring awareness to the body, sitting and
breathing

The breath is moving in and out of the body.
Sensation
Rest in the awareness of sitting here, being
fully attentive and awake to this moment, as it
is.
Thoughts
Emotional tone,
Feelings
Simply be aware, doesn't matter what they
are
The knowing holds it like clouds moving
through the sky. We can be the sky, rather
than being caught in the clouds
Spaciousness and Silence.
Present

If the mind wonders, noticing whats on your
mind, gently and lovingly escort the attention
back to the breath, or the body seating,
whatever is most vivid in the field of the body.

We just noticing whats happening and
working the muscle of grounding ourselves in
the present, with full awareness

Slow, deep intentional breath,
Holding it, then wash it out.
Maintain a continuity in the awareness.

The whole body sitting and breathing and the
space we are in.
Feel the people in front, beside, and behind you.
Sense we are all here right not together
Calm and purpose. We are here for non random
reason. Intentionality.
Not isolated, the togetherness. Sharing the space
Mindfulness
The Awareness that arises by paying attention
on purpose, in the present moment, non-
judgementally.



No one can do that, as we have ideas and
opinions about everything.
So what it means is be aware of how much
judging we are doing- that awareness gives us
an opening and space so we dont get caught
up in it.
Very powerful to teach to kids you are not just
your thoughts. Gives them resilience to pain,
sufferings, anxiety, etc.

Applications in Classroom
Start, middle or /and end of the lesson
Before we are about to teach Writing, Reading
or Listening.
You can be just with this child, in your own
spaciousness, by suspending all judgements
first. Relate to the child right there, find
something that can be validated and
acknowledged.
Heartful-ness
Affectionate attention
Curiosity
Connectivity
Spaciousness
Even amongst a classroom that is not going the
way you want it to go, instead of forcing it to be
some other way.
A way of being or Outlook in classroom.
We need to cultivate it to create the environment
that kids feel comfortable in.
Cultivation of Mindfulness
Mindfulness of the body

1. Breathing
2. Bodily postures
3. Bodily activities
4. Parts of the body




Mindfulness of breathing
COUNTING exercise

The most widely used method of meditation

Mindfulness of bodily postures
Walking
Standing
Sitting
Lying down

Establish continuity of mindfulness during all movements and
activities.

Simon says
Hiragana Tai Chi


Mindfulness of bodily activities
Going forward and returning directions)
Looking ahead and looking away (prepositions)
Flexing and extending limbs (simon says)
Eating, drinking, consuming food, tasting
Falling asleep, waking up
Talking, keeping silent

Observe the interrelationships between mental
states and the body (both ways)
Who does the activity?
Mindfulness of feelings
Pleasant feelings
Unpleasant feelings
Neutral feelings





Other strategies
Count the number of
1. Chairs
2. Students
3. Windows

Colours
Hiragana activities
Notice whats missing


Loving Kindness
or
Good Job! Way to go!

You did a great job!

or Super! Cool! Wow!

I am impressed!

Its amazing! I am amazed. Awesome!
I liked your presentation!
! It was the best one!



Thank you for your attention