By Patty Dinsmore

 

A few months ago if you had asked an Oak Tree student what they think of when they hear the word mindfulness, they may have replied "peace" or "relaxing".   If you asked them at the end of the day on May 2nd, you may have gotten a completely different response.   Oak Tree held its very first Mindfulness Matters Day on May 2nd. While many students had already been exposed to relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, and maybe even yoga in their classrooms, on May 2nd they truly understood that mindfulness is a way to keep our bodies and minds calm, healthy, and happy. Mindful bodies are peaceful and paying attention.   Today's students live in a nonstop, busy and stressful world where they are constantly forced to multitask and make decisions. By participating in three different stations, Oak Tree children learned that it is okay to not think about anything sometimes, focus on breathing, and close your eyes and use your senses to savor that moment. The stations included breathing exercises and yoga, taking an imagination vacation, and creating a "buddy" from a stone or a pom pom that can help you focus and may even come in handy when you are taking a test or are nervous or anxious in the future. Students came to understand that mindfulness is important to learn so that we can calm our bodies and minds in order to learn, focus, and have fun.