CHAPTER 6: MINDFULNESS ON THE CUSHION • 109
In this special spot you, feel happiness, peace, and calm right now. Things are so calm and peace-
ful right now that you settle in even more and breathe, watch, and let go. You notice that, if you
turn to look at the water and the things coming your way (i.e., the future), you miss this really great
moment of being and watching right now. So you let go of looking to what is coming. You also notice
that, if you look to the water or the things that have floated by (i.e., the past), again you miss this
wonderful moment right now. So you let go of looking to what has passed. You notice that the best
place to find peace, joy, and calm is right here in your current spot and in the current moment. You
settle in even more, breathe, watch, and let go. Whenever you find yourself thinking about anything
else, you notice. Then, you come right back to your spot, your breathing, watching, and letting go.
Cuddle into your spot on the riverbed and breathe in and out slowly and deeply.
Take a few more breaths knowing that it is time to bring your attention back to the classroom.
Breathing in—one, two, three, four, and breathing out—one, two, three, four. Breathing in—one,
two, three, four, and breathing out—one, two, three, four. Breathing in—one, two, three, four and
breathing out—one, two, three, four. Breathing in—one, two, three, four and breathing out—one,
two, three, four. Now, slowly bring your hands up to your eyes. Slowly open your eyes and allow
light through your fingers. Slowly bring your hands down to your desk or lap. Check in with how
you are feeling.
Source: Inspired by Hanh (1975), Cook-Cottone (2015), and Greenland (2010).
As in this instructional story, the breath is used as an anchor, or tool, to help your mind
focus. Attention to breath and breathing is not meant to be used to chase thoughts and feel-
ings away (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Greenland, 2010; Hanh, 1975; Kabat-Zinn, 2013). Breath is
the methodology for uniting the mind and the body and bringing them together in one spot,
like the pebble in the riverbed (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Hanh, 1975; Kabat-Zinn, 2013). Explain
to the students that when they feel a thought or feeling arise, do not follow it with their
attention. Invite them to notice the presence of the thought or feeling and bring their atten-
tion back to their breath, just like the pebble in the riverbed (Hanh, 1975). Greenland (2010)
suggests writing a focus word on the back of a pebble or stone (e.g., calm, peaceful, happy,
joy, focus, health, or safe). She calls these “focus rocks” (Greenland, 2010, p. 96). Students
can bring to awareness the concept written on their pebbles as they breathe and watch the
water, thoughts, and other distractions float by.
Breath Awareness
Breath awareness and breath control are critical aspects of the physiological components of self-
regulation (Cook-Cottone, 2015). As well explicated by Davis et al. (2008) and Willard (2016),
breathing exercises have been found to be effective in the relief of many triggering symptoms,
such as anxiety and mood symptoms, irritability, muscle tension, headaches, and fatigue.
Breath awareness is a wonderful place to begin a meditation practice. Hanh (1975) begins his
instruction on meditation with instruction on the breath. This ancient proverb on breath is
powerful; I frequently use it when teaching mindfulness and yoga (Cook-Cottone, 2015):
He who half breathes, half lives.
—Author Unknown