Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools A Guide for Teachers and Practitioners

(Ben Green) #1

280 • PART iii: YogA foR EduCATing foR SElf-REgulATion And EngAgEmEnT


your body. Scan your body from your feet to the crown of your head. Feel your arms and legs. Breathe into
the areas of your body where you are feeling. It might help to place one or both of your hands on the place
that you are feeling something. Breathe as you watch the feeling arise and slowly pass away. Notice that
feelings have a point at which you become aware of them, a peak, and then a gradual lessening. Breathe and
notice. Take as much time as you need [pause]. When you are ready, slowly open your eyes. Reflect on
your experience and draw what you were feeling in your body on the figure here. Choose whatever colors
you’d like to reflect what you were feeling and where you were feeling it. Use color to show intensity and
how the feeling may have felt different in various parts of your body. Let me know when you are done.
When you are ready, sit back and return your focus to your breath. Next, think of a time when you
were feeling sad. Maybe you were disappointed or you lost a toy or favorite object. As before, cultivate
a sense of your surroundings, the people, the sounds, sights, and smells of the environment. As you
remember, see what you see and feel what you feel. Now, bring your awareness to your body. Locate
the sadness in your body. Breathe and notice. Breathe into the areas of your body where you are feeling
sadness. It might help to place one or both of your hands on the place(s) that you are feeling sadness.
Breathe as you watch the feeling arise and slowly pass away. Notice if the emotions seem to peak.
Breathe and notice. Take as much time as you need [pause]. When you are ready,  open  your  eyes.
Color on this sheet where you were feeling sadness in your body. Choose whatever colors you’d like in
order to best reflect what you were feeling and where you were feeling it.
When you are ready, sit back and bring your focus to your breath. Close your eyes. Bring to mind a
time when you were angry. Do you remember why you were angry? Maybe a friend borrowed something
and did not give it back. Maybe someone did not play a game fairly. Think about the anger. Who was pres-
ent when you were feeling angry? Where were you? Do you recall what you were wearing, or any sights,
sounds, and smells? Bring the feeling of anger to your awareness. Now, bring your attention to your
body. Where do you feel the anger in your body? Scan your body from the crown of your head to your feet.
Feel your arms, your torso, and your legs. Feel what you feel. Breathe into the areas of your body where
you are feeling the anger. It might help to place one or both of your hands on the place that you are feeling
anger. Breathe as you watch the feeling arise and slowly pass way. Breathe and notice the feeling. Take as
much time as you need [pause]. When you are ready, open your eyes. Color on a new sheet where you
were feeling anger in your body. Indicate with colors where you were feeling anger in your body. Choose
whatever colors you’d like to reflect what you were feeling and where you were feeling it.
When you are ready, return to a comfortable position and close your eyes. Bring your awareness to
your breathing. This is the final emotion we will be working on today. Bring to mind a time when you
were anxious. Maybe it was before a test or you were waiting to get a grade back. Think of something like
that. Recall the circumstances, the location, and the people that were there. Recall if it was day or night
and the location. Try to recall any sights, sounds, and smells. Now, turn your attention to your body.
Where do you feel the anxiety in your body? Take time to scan your body, from your center out to your
hands and feet, to the crown of your head. Feel what you feel. Breathe into the areas of your body where
you are feeling anxiety. It might help to place one or both of your hands on the area that you are feeling
the anxiety. Breathe as you watch the feeling arise and slowly pass way. Take as much time as you need
[pause]. When you are ready, open your eyes. Color on this sheet where you were feeling anxiety in your
body. Choose whatever colors you’d like to reflect what you were feeling and where you were feeling it.
[Label each of the drawings: safe and happy, sad, angry, and anxiety. Place them one next to
the other on the table. Have your students describe the pictures to you, how the feelings showed


PRACTiCE SCRiPT 12.2 (continued )

(continued )
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