Inner Explorer :)

INNER EXPLORER APP

This is for everyone :)  Parents, guardians, relatives, siblings, students, children and YOU!  Inner Explorer is the online Mindfulness Program that many teachers have been using at Abbot School to support students in their classroom this year.  It includes a variety of guided daily practices on mindfulness for all ages preschool through high school.

Right now, they are offering a free APP for families called I AM PRESENT!  It is FREE through the end of AUGUST!  Try it out :)

https://www.innerexplorer.org/compass/mobileApp

It's time to practice Laughing :)

Laughter Exercise

Ever heard the phrase laughter is the best medicine?  Laughter isn’t really a medicine, but it can make you feel better.  Laughing can help you relax, release endorphins (chemicals that help your body feel good), and even have a positive impact on your immune system.  The cool thing is your body doesn’t really know the difference between a real laugh and a fake one and the fake ones can often turn into a real one.

Here is a short one minute video of practicing laughing!  Feel free to join in.  Then maybe see if you and someone in your family can do a 30 second laughing challenge . . . who can laugh the longest, even if it is a fake laugh!  Ready, set go!

https://safeYouTube.net/w/yuuG

Here is a fun video of some babies laughing!  Give it a try, it will make you smile and laugh along!  Laughing can often pass from one person to another, just like a yawn can!

https://safeYouTube.net/w/RfuG

Parent Tip: 

If you want to get some laughter in . . . watch this video to figure out why it could help https://safeYouTube.net/w/YZtG   It is fun :)

Raisin Meditation . . . yummy!

Raisin Meditation 

Using the raisin meditation can foster mindfulness around thoughtful eating, being aware of what we are eating, and focusing in-the-moment on what and how we eat.  This meditation encompasses all of our senses in a single, simple act of eating a raisin.  The link below explains the benefits of the raisin meditation and offers a script for “walking through” the meditation.  ***If you don’t like raisins, feel free to try this with another small piece of food (ex. orange slice, piece of chocolate, cracker, etc.).

If you can, have an adult read you through these steps while you enjoy your raisin or whatever snack you choose :)

Raisin meditation mindfulness exercise | AXA PPP Healthcare

Parent Tip:

Feel free to try this activity at home for you too!  Here is a Raisin Meditation geared towards adults!

https://safeYouTube.net/w/xE7E

Kindness and Compassion

Kindness and Compassion to yourself and others :) 

One of the Mindfulness Moments that we practice before guidance lessons is an abbreviated version of the following Loving Kindness/Friendly Wishes Meditation for children. We often call this sending kind thoughts to yourself and others.  It is so important as we have talked about to notice our thoughts and whether they are helpful (inner coach) or hurtful (inner critic).  Practicing sending kind thoughts to yourself and others can help you strengthen your inner coach and show compassion to yourself and others.

Try this guided meditation at home and see what you think.  Hope you feel better afterwards :)

Friendly Wishes Guided Meditation for Kids (Peace Out)

https://safeYouTube.net/w/PjkC

Parent Tip: 

Loving Kindness Meditation for adults: 

       https://safeYouTube.net/w/ipkC

 “With compassion meditation, it slows everything down so you can practice being calmer or noticing the feelings that arise and learning to be less reactive to it. This gives you more mental space to focus on the other person, to practice wishing kindness and wanting them to be well, and I think both parts are really important for effectively responding to people suffering.” 

- Helen Weng, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at UC San Francisco

Training Your Compassion “Muscle” May Boost Brain's Resilience in the Face of Suffering