Autumn Mindfulness- Recharge

Stop! Take a deep breathe and look!

For those who work in education, the start of this school year has been like none before. The COVID-19 Pandemic has challenged schools and the people who worked in them in ways that causes daily stress and concern. Everyone is hyper vigilant in order to keep our school communities as safe as possible. However, with that, we are having to work within strict protocols, quickly changing situations and unknown territory that has made 7 weeks feel like 36 weeks.

Across most of the UK and half-term break is finally here. It is time to recharge our batteries and soothe our battered emotions.

With Autumn upon us, the air has a new crispness, the trees are undressing themselves as the technicolor leaves whip around and fall to the ground as the wind blows around you. There is a new earthy scent. We can get outside, fill our lungs with fresh air and give ourselves much needed TLC.

Stop! Take a deep breathe! Autumn is here!

Take five minutes now to take part in this lovely Autumn Mediation to help you relax and find peace within your Mindfulness practice.

Autumn Meditation

For this mediation, you will need a fallen Autumn leaf.

Find a space where you can have five uninterrupted minutes. Maybe it is in your back garden, in a local park, or a walk through some woodlands. It may even be that you collect a leaf while out and about and complete the meditation within the comfort of your home. It really doesn’t matter as long as you have your leaf.

– Pick up the leaf and lay it in your hands.
– Notice the colours, the different in shades of colours and fading of one colour to another colour.
– Notice the veins in the leaf, the main stem, the edges of the leaf.
– Feel the leaf. Run your fingers over the top and bottom; along the edges. Notice the differences. Rub it against your face or over the top of your hand. Use nerve endings that normally are not used to feel objects. Notice the difference.
– Smell the leaf. Note the scent. Inhale deeply and notice the memories it may bring up.

Close your eyes and take a minute to breathe deeply and allow yourself to be in awe and wonder of the moment you have had with the leaf.

Proceed with a new found calmness and appreciation.

Happy Autumn!