WEEK 37- Mindfulness Strategies

Equipment Required
Pen and Paper


PERMAH Element
Engagement and Positive emotions


Teachers to read and facilitate the following:

 

Rationale

Mindfulness is “to pay attention, on purpose, to the present moment” (Grossman, 2016).

The positive benefits of mindfulness have been proven across a number of studies. Being mindful can reduce stress and anxiety, increase concentration and engagement, lead to better sleep, improve social skills, and help develop problem-solving and decision-making skills (Jones, Greenberg & Crowley, 2015). Mindfulness is an active practice that requires us to focus our mind’s eye in that moment. We can do this by giving our full attention to what we are doing at that moment. The reason mindfulness is so effective is because it goes beyond our conceptual mind and helps calm our nervous system- which is subject to overstimulation and negative stress. Regular mindfulness training gives us an opportunity to respond to, instead of react to, our environment. “Under duress we don’t rise to our expectations, we fall to our level of training.” Bruce Lee.


Description of Personal Wellbeing Practice: Mindful Strategies

For mindfulness activities we use the 5 S’s. Sitting Straight, Still, Silently, Soft breathing and Shut eyes.

Star Hand Trace

  1. Spread one hand out like a star.

  2. Use the index finger on your other hand to trace the outline of your star hand.

  3. Take a deep breath in as you move to the top of your thumb.

  4. Breathe out as you move down between your thumb and first finger.

  5. Take another breath in as you move to the top of your first finger.

  6. Breathe out as you move down between your first and second finger.

  7. Repeat until you have taken five slow, deep breaths.

  8. When finished, go back to the start and repeat the whole process.


Senses Countdown- open your eyes, but remain seated in your place...

Think of:

  • 5 things you can see;

  • 4 things you can touch;

  • 3 things you can hear;

  • 2 things you can smell;

  • 1 thing you can taste.



Main message:

 

“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” – Unknown


 

UPP’s Personal Wellbeing Practices

A Personal Wellbeing Practice (PWP) is an evidenced-based positive psychology intervention, applied in school communities or other educational settings. At UPP, we have tried to make these PWP’s simple, concise and relevant for students and their teachers. The six elements for the Personal Wellbeing Practices are: Positive emotion (P); Engagement (E); Relationships (R); Meaning (M); Accomplishment (A); and, Health (H).


We hope that these evidence-based tools of positive psychology will enhance help people to thrive and live their best life, both within and beyond the school gates.  

For more activities like this (and much more), check out THRIVE Online Lesson Modules for Pastoral Care and Wellbeing.

Unleashing Personal Potential