MHS students attended their first mindfulness training program starting now until March. The Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme) program website uses a quote from Dr. Amy Saltzman: “Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment with kindness and curiosity.” The goal of the program is for “participants to establish awareness, compassion, and kindness for themselves, others, and the environment,” according to iBme.
The program will run for 10 weeks total, including an allowance of 3-4 weeks, leaving time for students to wrap their heads around the idea of mindfulness, MHS principal Ting Tsu Engelman said.
This was the first year the school decided to bring Patrick Cook, an instructor from iBme, in to assist students in reaching a state of mindfulness through mandatory visits to groups of students. The visits occur every rotation on A, C, E, and G days in the school’s block schedule, running from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
In order to formally introduce the program to the students, MHS took a day trip to Joaquin Miller Park. Students participated in activities to help them understand mindfulness.
“We didn’t expect it to be an easy day,” Tsu Engelman said. “Some students were totally into it, the majority was neutral, and a small portion of students felt completely uncomfortable.”
They removed the aspect of school to avoid distracting students so they could focus on the activities, Tsu Engelman said. Students participated in activities such as: walking meditation, hiking, assorted sports, creative writing, and conflict resolution.
Students were expecting a “Day on the Green” atmosphere with a relaxing day away from school, but it was not.
“It’s not like Day on the Green, it’s something serious because we’re doing something really important,” Tsu Engelman said.
When they returned to school the students jumped into their first sessions. Senior Georgia Hill said she likes the sessions and feels that expression is a big part of it.
“I think the sessions are enjoyable. You get to learn how to get things off your chest and ease the stress. To me mindfulness is just thinking about the present and relearning about yourself,” Hill said.
MHS counselor Pam Brandau sits in on the sessions and gets to experience Cook in action. There is a wide range of students from ones who struggle to those who get it immediately.
Brandau said that self-awareness is a huge part of the process allowing for “emotional regulation.”
“If you can identify the feeling internally by being aware, you can monitor it and regulate it,” Brandau said. “If you remind yourself that you have your breath as a place to return to that’ll be success.”
The effects of the program are endless and this can be beneficial especially in old age as it is proven to increase life expectancy.
“Once you can get a handle on it you can focus better in school [and] you can decrease your anxiety and anger because you are less frustrated and increase confidence,” Tsu Engelmen said.
Senior Hayden Souza said he enjoys the process and has attended every session of the mindfulness program.
“I like the classes; they actually open my mind to this new idea of mindfulness and help me live in the present.”
Mindfulness is useful throughout a person’s life and even has benefits for students such as relieving stress.
“Mindfulness training will give MHS students one more tool to use to navigate through their lives, whether in times of stress or any other. Knowing more about mediation will provide them with options as they trek through their lives,” math teacher Richard Meyers said.
