Mindful Moments

Nature’s Reset

Traci

Director of Counseling & Wellness

With so many special spots on campus, I never know where I will end up taking students. Will we head to the point the furthest away from the buildings where we create a sense of being “off campus”? Will we find the moss covered rocks across from the tennis courts where we can play “the floor is lava” under the beautiful canopy of trees? Will we sit on the rock wall gazing out at the Greene River with our toes in the water? Or, will we take the short walk to the front of Hopelands and find ourselves a space under the giant Elm Tree?

The three-minute walk and talk to our outdoor location is always a part of the lesson, as I keep a watchful eye and ear on the dynamics of the class. As we approach the giant Elm, we find a spot on the grass where we are cast in shade, protected from the sun’s rays. We circle up, as we always do, indoor or out, so everyone “has a seat at the table”. With the lush grass beneath us, offer an opportunity for students to check in with themselves. They find a comfortable position in a criss-cross applesauce seated position, or laying down in corpse yoga pose (laying flat on their backs) with a gaze upwards to the gentle giant tree. We watch as the branches gently sway with the breeze and we put a hand on our hearts and another on our stomachs to really tune into our breathing. As we take this mindful