« You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf. »
Jon Kabat-Zinn
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness teaches us how to find some space and stillness in the midst of our busy minds and our hectic lives. It helps us to cultivate peace of mind by clearly seeing the way things are. It is a process of learning to really be ‘here’ in the present, fully alive with all the possibilities that life has to offer. We learn how our minds work, and explore our habitual patterns of thinking and behaviour. By paying attention to the here and now, we can begin to change the way think, feel and re-act to some of our experiences. With practice we can choose how to respond instead of reacting to challenging events in our lives. We develop the potential to experience each moment, no matter how difficult, with greater compassion and understanding.
It is the practice of
“paying attention on purpose, in the present moment with curiosity and kindness to things as they are”.
It is training the mind to: 
- be focused
- attend to the ‘here and now’
- be enquiring and curious
- be less judgemental
- be compassionate
What are the benefits of mindfulness in education?
It can help us all; children and adults alike, as it gives us tools to enable us to be with difficult emotions, thoughts or physical states in a way that is nourishing and can really transform the way that we see things. It teaches us how to be present in our lives and to be more compassionate towards ourselves. It can help us to focus more and concentrate better.
A fast-growing and extensive body of scientific research shows that through mindfulness training and practice children, teenagers and adults cultivate the skills to increase:
- Stress management
- Attention and concentration
- Self-awareness
- Self-calming and impulse control
- Social and emotional understanding
- Overall health and well-being
- Work /academic performance