CHAPTER 3: THE MINDFUL AND YOGIC LEARNER: 12 EMBODIED PRACTICES FOR SCHOOLS • 55and sustainability. Notably, they lead to the mindful development principles (i.e., compas-
sion, kindness, and possibility). For more reading on embodied self-regulation, see Cook-
Cottone (2015).
Principle 6: Inquiry: “I ask questions about my physical experiences,
thoughts, feelings, and actions”
Being in inquiry means always being curious about the present-moment experiences in all
domains—physical, emotional, and cognitive. Yoga and mindful practices view life as the
journey of the seeker of knowledge (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Wallace, 2011). Knowledge is not
viewed as coming only from books, teachers, or study guides. Mindfulness and yoga tradi-
tions hold that knowledge comes from experience. That is, each moment in the classroom, you
and your students are on a path of self-inquiry (Bennett, 2002). Wallace (2011) reminds us that,
“The search for insight and wisdom is not done for the sake of knowledge itself; it is a search
to deepen our experiential understanding” (p. 5). In this view of inquiry, students are asked to
drop what they think they already know and become present to the current context (Baptiste,
2016). In this way, to be in inquiry means to come from a place of not knowing (Cook-Cottone,
2015; McCown et al., 2010). That is, as an educator, you want the student to get curious about
the presemantic, before words and concepts, and experience the present moment (McCown
et al., 2010). Each present-moment experience is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Inquiry stems from both yoga and mindful traditions. The Sanskrit word Svadhyaya
means self-study as a path to deeper self-knowledge (Weintraub, 2012). Inquiry and curiosity
cultivate an attitude of openness and nonjudgment (Cook-Cottone, 2015). Curiosity moves
you away from a withdrawal and defense mode of processing and toward engagement
and approach (Cook-Cottone, 2015; McCown et al., 2010). Presemantic (i.e., before words)
inquiry questions would sound like this: “What am I noticing in my body?” or “What am
I noticing in the current moment?” Inquiry questions can help guide behavior as well. For
example, Shapiro and Carlson (2009) ask us, as adults, to inquire, “What is most conducive
to my own and others’ well-being?” (p. 6), or “What would best serve my intentions right
now?” For older students, we ask, “How can I be more effective in my work right now?”
“Am I reacting to the present moment or a story I am telling myself?” “If I focused only on
the here and now, would I think about this differently?” For younger students, “What do I
see and notice?” “Where is my focus?” “How is my breathing right now?” In this way, the
process of growth is fluid, creative, responsive, nonjudgmental, ongoing, and open (Cook-
Cottone, 2015).
Principle 7: Choice: “I choose my focus and actions”
In yoga and mindfulness practices, students are taught to be active decision makers. As well
articulated in the Viktor Frankl quote at the beginning of this chapter, between stimulus and
response there is a space and in that space is our ability to choose our response. Physical
presence, breath, and awareness allow students access to the space between stimulus and
response. The next step is for them to actively choose their intentional thought and action.
As described by Kellie Love at the beginning of this chapter, students often want to choose
to focus and attend but do not know how. Yoga and mindful practices teach students how
to focus and choose behaviors. Better, these methodologies teach students how to be aware
and focus, and then have them practice these skills in an embodied and active manner