Boy Group | Mindfulness Mini-Series | Wk 2

We were busy on Sunday in our 2nd Mindfulness workshop. We focused on tools for soothing and bringing calmness and non-reactivity to the common frustrations and anxieties that we experience.

The afternoon started with a "game" of charades. The Boys acted out people, places or things that stress them out. One Boy acted out losing in a video game, while another acted out being late to his Tae Kwon Do class. We talked about why these were stressors and what the Boys could do to make them less so.

The Boys also sat for a brief mindfulness meditation, "take a moment to visualize a place that makes you feel at peace." We discussed how the Boys could use their breathe as an anchor in moments of stress or anxiety and how they can slow things down when they get upset. Sitting in stillness is challenging for all of us, but most of the Boys were able to find a moment of quiet and take a couple of deep breaths. It was an encouraging start.

The afternoon ended with a sensory activity involving essential oils. We presented a number of different smells and each Boy got to choose an oil that they liked best and we used it to make a spray. How can this smell remind our Boys to slow down and calm ourselves? We encouraged them to use the spray whenever they needed a reminder to stop, reflect, and take a deep breath. A couple of Boys talked about how their moms used diffusers at home and the smells made them feel calmer.

Before we left for the day, the Boys did a writing/drawing activity. They thought of a time when they acted out without thinking versus a time when they thought before they reacted and reflected on how that made them feel. A couple of the Boys shared their experiences with the group and the tools they use to slow down before they do something.

We have it within us to work to control how we respond and react. It's challenging, but reminding ourselves to take a moment, to take a breath, can help alleviate some of the stress and anxiety of being an adolescence.

Join us next Sunday, July 22nd for our third and final workshop in the Mindfulness Mini-Series as we continue to work on meditation in practice. Please feel free to reach out with any questions. And thank you for sending your Boy, it's a pleasure spending the afternoon with them and getting to know them.

Warmly,

Mike Rindge