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Presence

The ability to be in the moment

  • This workout takes approximately 10 Minutes
  • This workout is for students in Grades 9-12
  • Teacher Resources

Move

  • Type:  Breathing
  • Excercise:  Standing Posture
  • Target:  Breath + Posture + Mindfulness
  • Equipment:  None
Workout guide

Steps

1. Stand in NaliniKIDS posture
2. Close your eyes
3. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, allowing your chest to rise on the inhale and sink on the exhale
4. Reflect on the presence of the room and/or your state of mind in gearing up for or completing a workout
5. Focus on your breath, stillness, and reflection

NOTE: Teachers are free to engage in a few minutes of silent or guided relaxation

Sequence

A few questions for students to answer silently in their heads could be:
– Reflecting on the work you did or are about to do today, do you feel accomplished/ready?
– Do you feel aware of your body?
– Can you hear your breath? The sounds of other students breathing in the room?
– What sounds do you hear?
– Do you feel confident in your alignment?
– Can you quiet your mind chatter and be present?

Icon of a body with vibration lines on the sides of it.

How does your body feel after completing the workout?

Icon of a profile view of a person’s head with a speech bubble where the brain would be.

How does your mind feel after completing the workout?

Icon of a question mark.

What does Presence mean to you in this moment?

Choose from the additional reflection prompts below to customize this lesson and meet the needs of your students and your time constraints. Create a unique workout experience every time you return to this lesson!

Self-Connection

Past

Think back to a situation that you wish you had been more present for (perhaps you were distracted by your phone or something on your mind). How did you feel in that moment and how do you feel about that situation now?

Present

Think critically about the word PRESENCE. What are some different ways that others might interpret this word?

Future

Practicing being present can be challenging when there are internal and external distractions. What advice would you give a friend who is trying to be more present?

Real-World Connection

Family

When do you feel the most present with your family? When do you feel the least present?

Learning Environment

Do you find it easy or challenging to be present while in your learning environment, and what makes you feel this way?

Community

When you are present, what are some sounds that you hear outside in your community? What do you see? What do you smell? How do you feel?

Academic Connection

ELA

Write a personal narrative describing one sound you heard in the past ten hours. Make sure to include: where/when you heard this sound, a description of the sound, and what this sound means to you.

Social Studies

What practices and traditions do different cultures perform in an effort to be present? Do you participate in any of these practices?

STEM

Practice mindfully eating a healthy snack. Chew each bite twenty times before swallowing and pay attention to all five of your senses.

Fun Fact

What’s one way to know you’re in the presence of a giant whale? A blue whale’s heartbeat can be heard from more than two miles away! Their heart is the size of a small car, and beats only 8-10 times per minute.