Mindfulness with One Simple Yoga Practice

This has been a difficult school year to begin anything new; in July I moved back to the US after living abroad for seven years, and in many ways, I felt like I was starting my career all over again. I needed to find the stability in the little things, simplify daily routines and procedures, and I knew my students would benefit from this as well. I have been using several mindfulness exercises from the book Sitting Still Like a Frog by Eline Snel, and recently I learned about a simple yoga practice that I can use with students to help calm them down... Especially helpful for this time of year! This technique can be used with the entire class as a mindfulness routine, or even with a student who is prone to outbursts... Basically, at any time when calmer, clearer thinking is needed.

Here's how it works: Simply close your eyes and use your thumb to cover the right nostril. Continue breathing through the left nostril. To achieve the best results, time the breathing to create a rhythm; for example, a 4-second inhale and an equally timed exhale. Continue for 30 seconds to two minutes (or longer).

I only learned about this last week, but it worked wonders the first time I tried it. I will definitely be putting this into regular practice with my students. We all benefit from a calmer, clearer mind.

Do you have any other tips or tricks that helps calm your students? I'd love to hear what works for you!