“WITHIN 15
SECONDS, EVERY
KID IN THE ROOM
WAS STILL.
I THOUGHT, ARE
THEY MESSING
WITH ME?”How did that first
session go?
I’d been practicing for two
or three weeks. I had no
idea how to lead meditation,
but I kept it simple—two
minutes. If you don’t like it, I
said, I won’t force it on you,
but I’ve found something
that’s helped me, and maybe
it will help you. We’re going
to focus on sounds and on
breathing. They looked at
me: What? We thought you
were the cool teacher!
Within 15 seconds, every
kid in the room was still.
Eyes closed. No fidgeting. I
saw their facial muscles and
their bodies dropping into
relaxation. After two min-
utes, when I rang the bell,
no one moved. Twenty-five
kids! I thought, Are they
messing with me? After a few
minutes, they began to open
their eyes, and then, they
shared: I felt relaxed. It was
like floating in the clouds.And you’ve never wavered
in your own practice?
It’s funny. I’m actually more
disciplined about practicing
mindfulness than I am about
flossing my teeth. I haven’t
missed one day of practicing
or sitting in stillness. ●August 2019 mindful 37walk the talk
PH
OT
OG
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PH
BY
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R^ E
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NS