100 • PART II: MINDFULNESS IN EDUCATING FOR SELF-REGULATION AND ENGAGEMENT
they will gain valuable insights and the ability to be more intentional and effective in their
behavioral choices (see Figure 6.1; Cook-Cottone, 2015; Waters, Barsky, Ridd, & Allen, 2015).
This chapter details structured practices that can be used with your students as well as
support the development of your own mindful path. Thereafter, the practices are presented in
terms of developmental accessibility. The first set can be used with all ages. The later practices
are best used with adolescents and adults. Each of the practices is linked to the associated
principle of embodied growth and learning (see Chapter 3). Examples are provided to illus-
trate the utility of these practices with specific struggles, in-class challenges, and disorders.
FORMAL MINDFULNESS PRACTICES
The term formal refers to the on-the-cushion nature of the practices. A formal mindful practice
is a systematic meditation practice with the specific aim of cultivating the cognitive process
of mindfulness (Lutz, Jha, Dunne, & Saron, 2015; Shapiro & Carlson, 2009; Stahl & Goldstein,
2010). In other words, formal refers to the specific setting-aside of time to practice (e.g.,
5–60 minutes; Cook-Cottone, 2015; Shapiro & Carlson, 2009; Willard, 2016). Formal practices
also have a structure or format for practice (Cook-Cottone, 2015). It is important to make a
distinction between formal and informal practices. Specifically, informal practices involve
the intentional weaving in of the elements of mindfulness into typical daily classroom and
at-home activities (Willard, 2016). Here, we learn about the formal practices.
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is one of the formal mindfulness practices. There are many different popular
meditation practices, all with the underlying premise of attending deliberately to exter-
nal and/or internal phenomena (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Waters et al., 2015; Willard, 2016).
It is the intentional act of regulating attention through the observation of thoughts (i.e.,
mental events), physiological experiences (i.e., sense impressions), and emotions (i.e.,
mental events/sense impressions; Cook-Cottone, 2015; Waters et al., 2015). Also essential,
External
Family
(interpersonal
experiences)
Community/Culture
(environmental and
social stimuli)Internal
Cognitive
(mental events)
Physiological
(sense impressions)
Emotional
(mental events/sense
impressions)Mindful
Practices(Noticing, Allowing,
Insight)FIGURE 6.1 Mindful practices.
Source: Cook-Cottone (2015).