CHAPTER 3: THE MINDFUL AND YOGIC LEARNER: 12 EMBODIED PRACTICES FOR SCHOOLS • 63CONCLUSION
The mindful and yogic learner is not a thing, or an object, but is a person in process ( Cook-
Cottone, 2015). This process requires a set of skills that make up what I call mindful grit and
the capacity for mindful growing. These skills can be summarized in a set of 12 embodied
practices: worth, breath, awareness, presence, feeling, inquiry, choice, self-determination,
sustainability, compassion, kindness, and possibility. These practices integrate a large body
of knowledge passed down from both mindful and yogic traditions, as well as a large and
growing body of research on mindfulness and yoga in schools.
The following chapters break down mindful and yoga conceptualizations and detail
specific practices referring back to these 12 practices as central organizing themes. Consider
this your starting place. Continued study of the research, theoretical texts, and practical
texts on mindfulness and yoga in schools is encouraged as you continue your path of self-
development and refine your work with your students. Welcome to the journey.
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