Ocean Breathing, Mindful Breathing

Last week at Om School, kids ages 6-9 practiced mindful breathing and enjoyed drawing what they discovered in their Mindful Schools workbooks.

First we put on our Mountain Bodies.  Then we opened our Fox Ears.  Next we just breathed normally... in and out... calm and at ease.  We call this our Ocean Breathing. 

After a moment of breathing like this together, kids put one hand in the air -- then placed it on their belly.  We continued to breathe like this for a few moments.  Some children noticed that their hand was moving up and down, in and out, with their belly.

Next, we placed one hand on our chest.  Breathing normally, some children noticed that their chest expands and contracts with each inhale and exhale.  Some children did not feel any movement here... so we tried something else.

I asked children to place a hand under their nose and see if they felt anything.  This one worked for everyone.  We breathed together like this for three breaths.  Then I asked the kids to draw what they experienced.

Why mindful breathing?  As Deborah Schoeberlein, author of, "Mindful Teaching and Teaching Mindfulness," writes in this article:

"Practicing mindfulness enhances cognitive functioning (including memory, concentration and performance), improves emotion regulation and resilience, increases self-awareness (including of one's own stress level) and promotes relaxation for the body as well as rest for the mind (including sleep)."

To my Om School kids and families -- don't forget that, in honor of President's Week, we don't have class this Wednesday, February 19th.  Until then, I hope you're enjoying your practice!

With metta,
Chelsea 

Mindfulness of Breath

Today the Om School kids practiced mindfulness of breathing. We began by sitting upright and tall like a mountain.  Then we placed one hand on our belly.  We noticed that our belly moves while we breathe -- in and out... out and in.  Next, something amazing happened!  We began to feel calm and peaceful inside.  

Look what happens to Elmo when he remembers his belly breathing.  How sweet that mindfulness has come to Sesame Street...

Mindful Bodies, Mindful Listening

Last week at Om School, children began working with the Mindful Schools workbooks.  Lesson One of this research-based curriculum introduces kids to mindful bodies and mindful listening.

We began by sitting upright and tall like a solid mountain.  Children sat like this for a moment with eyes open and then tried sitting like a mountain with eyes closed.  We noticed that it became very quiet while we sat with eyes closed.

This led us to the second part of the lesson, Mindful Listening.  To help us listen mindfully, I gave the kids the image of putting on Fox Ears.  Fox listens very deeply.  He can hear the sound of mice deep beneath the snow... and in summer, he can even hear the sound of grapes growing.  We have to be very still to listen like fox.  We also have to listen not just with our ears, but also with our heart and way down into our belly.

Next we listened with the bell.  We listened with eyes open and then with eyes closed.  When we couldn't hear the sound any more, we raised our hands.  With eyes closed, the bell seemed to sound for a very long time.

Finally, we closed our eyes and listened to the sounds outside of our classroom and inside our own bodies.  We heard the sound of the rain, an airplane going by, and some children even heard their own heart beating.

At today's class we'll explore mindful breathing.  We'll also continue to expand on the themes of mindful listening and mindful speech with folk tales, and discover what's happening on the farm.

I'm posting more photos of the children's work on our Facebook page.  Be sure to stop by and enjoy these little treasures. 

With metta,
Chelsea

Raindrops, Cherry Blossoms and Ryōkan: February Children's Program at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center

We celebrated the mid-way point to spring yesterday with a new season of Children's Program at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center. 

The first part of the teacher's talk featured the Soto monk Ryōkan who lived much of his life as a hermit.  He's remembered for his calligraphy, poetry, love of children, and eccentric ways... playing games and filling his rice bowl with violets and dandelions. 

After the talk, we walked through the light rain noticing cherry blossoms and daffodils in bloom. 

Children were then guided through a short meditation... listening to the rain and the sound of the bell...  noticing in-breath, out-breath, and the gap in between.

Older children were then invited to try calligraphy and brushstroke with ink.  Younger children used crayons to draw what they noticed on the walk and their experience of listening to the rain.

We read the book, "No Ordinary Apple" -- a story about mindful eating... then enjoyed apple juice and apple muffins prepared earlier that morning by some of the children in the Green Gulch kitchen.

Our next program meets Sunday, March 2nd.  We meet outside the zendo at 10am.  Advanced registration is not required.  Participating families are invited to stay for lunch in the dining hall.

Hope to see you next time!

With metta,
Chelsea

No Ordinary Apple

I have this book out from the library right now -- and it is so clever!  I can't wait to share it with the Om School kids next week.

The kids have been enjoying eating meditation with apples each day before class this semester.  We've been smelling, touching, tasting and even listening to our apples before eating them oh-so-slowly.  Take a peek inside this book... you may never see an apple the same way again.

Breath Awareness with Children: Finding the Gap

The Om School kids have been working with moon phases this semester.  We're keeping journals with observations and verses for practice.  This is a fun way to keep our mindfulness practice constant and to become more aware of our interrelatedness with nature.

Because tonight is the new or dark moon, I shared this guided meditation yesterday in class.  I hope you'll enjoy it too!

"Sit comfortably with your back supported.  You can sit in a chair or on the floor.  You can even try this exercise lying down; however, this might make you sleepy!  It’s best if we stay awake during this exercise! 

Breathe normally.  Notice where you can feel your breath.  Can you feel your breath under your nose?  In your chest?  In your belly?  Place a hand on your belly and see what happens.  Do you notice your belly rising and falling?  See how your belly gets bigger with your in-breath and smaller with your out-breath.  Stay with your breathing like this for a moment.  Notice the rising and falling of breath – in and out… deep and slow… like waves on the sea.  Don’t try to control your breath.  Just notice how it feels.  It may slow down on its own.  We can call this our Ocean Breathing.
 
With your hands by your sides, continue Ocean Breathing for a minute or maybe even two. 
 
Now, let’s focus our attention on our in-breath.  As we breathe in, we can say quietly to ourselves:
“Breathing in: I am aware of my in-breath.”
 
And as we breathe out, we say:
“Breathing out: I am aware of my out-breath.”
 
Simple enough, right?  We can even shorten the phrases to:
“IN.  OUT.”
 
Let's try this a few times. 
 
Now let’s try something new.  What happens in between breathing in and breathing out?  Can you keep your attention there?  Notice that point where the in-breath transforms into the out-breath.  Notice what is there -- or what is not there.  It's sort of a gap.  

Continue breathing normally and notice the gap between the in-breath and the out-breath.  It’s like a tiny break – a beautiful rest as one thing continues into another.  It’s like the dark moon pausing in stillness before beginning anew."

Mindfulness with the Moon

By practicing with the moon, we can give continuity to our practice.  We can also become more aware of our interrelatedness with nature and seasonal rhythms.  By bringing rhythm and intention to our practice, we become more consistent and rooted in our practice.

The waxing moon is like an in-breath.  While the moon is growing, we can explore new ideas, nurture our creativity, and plant intentions to grow like seeds under the energy of the increasing moon.  

For centuries, the full moon has been a metaphor for the awakened mind – the inherent nobility that dwells within each of us.  With the full moon, we can practice feeling this inner-nobility.  We can return home to the vast spaciousness of our own true nature.

The waning moon is like the out-breath.  It is a time for letting go.  It is a time for noticing difficult emotions and negative mental formations and shining our light of awareness on them so that they diminish with the vanishing moon.  It’s also a time for slowing down, for noticing when we’re caught in the habit-energy of rushing, and preparing to rest with the dark moon.

The dark or new moon is the pause between the in-breath and the out-breath.  It is the quiet space where we can rest before continuing on to the next phase of our own journey.

Here are some verses for you to enjoy with the children in your care. 

Verse for the waning crescent moon:

“Sister Moon, your horns point west, breathe in, breathe out then take your rest.”

Verses for the new moon.  January 30, 2014:

Breathing in, my belly grows

Breathing out, my breathing slows

In between I feel the space

Here there is a quiet place

Wish for the Fields

Night is dark, and cold, and long
Winter's hold is still so strong,
But beneath the earthen crust
Underneath the frozen dust
Life is growing, moving, thriving
Roots are drinking, resting, striving,
Buds are swelling on the trees
In the hives, still sleep the bees
But moving humming strumming sing
Soon we all will welcome spring!

 - Author unknown

A glimpse of our program....

Om School Mindfulness Cooperative - slideshow

The Pause Between

A remarkable synchronicity is taking place this week.  We’re coming to the mid-way point to spring under a new moon.  Waldorf schools celebrate this mid-way point as Candlemas.  In ancient times, the holiday was honored as Imbolc – which means, “in the belly” and refers to the lambing season and the earth’s quickening.  The Celts honored the goddess Brigid at this time – goddess of hearth and home, of poetry, sacred fire, and water. 

We know this holiday by another name: Groundhog Day.  It’s the time for peeking our heads out of our wintery dens and noticing the first, oh-so-subtle signs of spring.  Just beneath the earth surface, life is beginning to stir.

This mid-way point to spring feels like the pause between the in-breath of winter and the out-breath of spring.

The moon is also in the place in-between this week.  The new or dark moon is the quiet moment between waxing and waning… the gap where we can take a rest -- and where we might just notice something unnameable.

In the next few posts, I'll share some stories, verses, poems, and a guided meditation to enrich your experience of this beautiful time of year.  If you were able to attend yesterday's class, I hope you enjoyed the bonfire, let go of difficulties with the waning moon, and let the light of your awareness shine with the coming of spring. 

With metta,
Chelsea