Embracing Life: Three Mindfulness Activities for Teachers

By Patrick T. Randolph


I. Introduction
 
English language teachers (ELTs) have very rewarding jobs, for the profession is centered on helping English language learners develop their comfort and confidence in using and enhancing their language skills. However, the profession can also bring about its fair share of heartaches—from unappreciative administrators and low pay, to the grueling schedules and countless hours of grading. It would be nice to receive that proverbial pat on the back every now and then, but that seldom happens. So, in the end, ELTs need to create and somehow sustain their own positive mindset—for the sake of themselves, their families, and their students—as they dance to the music of academia’s intriguing symphony.
 
In my 24 years of teaching ESL, I’ve noticed that the majority of the field’s publications, conference themes, and policy reforms focus on the students, but teachers need equal attention, encouragement, support, and motivation. In this piece, I will highlight three mindfulness activities that can help teachers create a healthy and positive perspective on life, both inside and outside of the classroom. The goal of each activity is to inspire teachers to embrace every day with a heightened sense of enthusiasm and love for life.
 
 
 
 
II. Three Activities for a Better Life
 
 
1. Practicing Mindfulness Frees the Mind
 
In his book, Wherever You Go, There You Are, Jon Kabbat-Zinn (1994) lays out a common, self-inflicted conundrum of the busy mind: “The habit of ignoring our present moments in favor of others yet to come leads directly to a pervasive lack of awareness of the web of life in which we are embedded” (p. 5).  In addition, a preoccupation of past thoughts, events, or repeated patterns of thought also inhibit an understanding of what is right in front of us. All too often we are thinking about either past or future events but not engaged in what is happening now, here inside the miracle of each moment; consequently, mindfulness is an essential state of our lives because it keeps us grounded in reality and helps us see all the amazing offerings of the moment.
             
Before moving on, I would like to define mindfulness as explained by Kabat-Zinn. He suggests that “mindfulness” or “paying attention” includes three essential components. That is, to be mindful one must pay attention “on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally. This kind of attention nurtures greater awareness, clarity, and acceptance of present-moment reality” (1994, p. 4). Without passing judgment (either in a positive or negative way), one is more apt to enjoy the moment and focus on what that moment has to offer.
 
Let us return to our original concern: How can mindfulness help teachers? The answer is obvious, but not necessarily easy to employ, due to the human tendency to cognitively wander about from thought to thought. To address this issue, there is no better activity than practicing mindfulness because it accomplishes two significant tasks: (1) it encourages the mind to focus on the moment, and (2) it cures us from the spiritual illness of taking life for granted.
 
How often does a teacher enter the classroom thinking about a myriad of things (past- or future-related) but not focused on his or her breath, the presence of his or her body and its immediate relation to the moment, or his or her students’ facial expressions, or precious smiles (the visible ones as well as the hidden ones)? How often does a teacher enter his or her home with similar distractions versus focusing on the daily celebration of coming home and enjoying the warmth of the family?
 
Isn’t it time to focus on the present and appreciate each gift that life offers? These seemingly simple aspects are the elements that make life meaningful and give us energy and inspiration to continue on and blossom as human beings. And, if we pay attention, focus, and appreciate all the subtle and evident happenings going on around us, life becomes a moment-by-moment world of poetry, music, and miracles.
 
In being mindful, we can eagerly engage in life, embrace the energy that is evoked throughout the day, and cheerfully create a wonderful environment for those whom we meet along the way.
 
Just recently, I entered one of my afternoon classrooms a few minutes early to prepare the whiteboard, and I observed a student’s welcoming smile. This simple moment of mindfulness led to a wonderful conversation with the student about his interest in our discussion topic for the class, and it set a positive and energetic tone for the next hour and fifteen minutes. The whole class benefited from just that one mindful moment when I was aware of my student’s smile. At dinner last week, I paid careful attention and was mindful of my wife’s energy and excitement as she told our daughter and me about her first day at her new job in the public schools. We shared her enthusiasm and celebrated the moment’s magic.
 
 
 
2. Offering Gratitude to Our Body
 
One of the most common and potentially dangerous aspects of being human is that we have a tendency to take so many things in our life for granted. Oddly, we often take for granted what matters most—our own body! This phenomenally complex system of intricately working parts faithfully offers us life each minute and not once asks us for a two-week holiday; it works from conception to death—each and every moment of our life.
 
How, then, can we be more mindful and show appreciation to that special entity that helps us move freely about the day? The answer is easy. Each morning when you wake up, simply look at your body, smile, and say ‘thank you’— either silently or out loud. In practicing this mindful act of gratitude, a beautiful sense of bliss and positive energy will fill your consciousness and help you start your day in a vibrant way. Of course, you ought to do this with a genuine sense of meaning and sincerity; a meaningless, compulsive ‘thanks’ while thinking about something else, will do little, if anything, for your spirit.
 
When done with complete awareness, however, this daily ritual will have wonderful consequences, and most important, it can remind us that each day is a special gift. A similar insight from Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev suggests that “[i]f you want to know the value of life, just know that it is a brief happening” (see Carmichael’s video, “Sadhguru’s Top 10 Rules for Success”). There is never, unfortunately, a guarantee that there will be a tomorrow. It is thus crucial to appreciate what we have now and treat each moment of our life with care and respect. This begins by thanking the body each morning and, if possible, throughout the day.
 
 
 
3. Restfulness as Mindfulness in Motion
 
The third mindful activity comes from the insights of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, and it is a practice that has produced major benefits in terms of both positive physical and cognitive energy in my daily life. At first blush, the activity might appear to be counterintuitive because it deals with being restful while doing our daily activities. This, however, is where the concept becomes so fascinating because one can “rest” or “relax” while at “work.”
 
Vasudev’s (2016) idea is that it is important to be in a relaxed state during the day; and, if one is able to maintain that relaxed state, he or she will continue to benefit by having high levels of cognitive and physical energy from morning until night. His idea is that restfulness “rejuvenates” the body and mind like sleep. According to Vasudev,
   
I use this mindful activity while walking to class, preparing the whiteboard before class, and even while teaching. Although these activities are done at a relatively high level of energy, they feel like play and not work. I simply remain cognizant of my breathing, my body, and enjoy the moment in a relaxing way. In practicing this, I’ve found I have as much energy at the beginning of the day as at the end. The key, I believe, is to follow Vasudev’s advice, “Don’t battle with life. You are not anti-life; you are life. Just get in tune with it and you will see that you will pass through it easily” (2016, p. 143).
 

III. Concluding Remarks
 
Practicing mindfulness as a way of becoming involved with life, being grateful for our body by offering a simple ‘thank you’ when we wake up, and being relaxed or restful in our everyday actions are three effective and relatively easy ways to create a fulfilled and enlightened life. Moreover, these activities keep us engaged in life as it unfolds moment-by-moment. I encourage all teachers to try these three activities as a way of enjoying their lives, inside and outside of the classroom, and also as a way to keep their energy levels up even on days that appear a bit challenging and arduous.
 
References
 
Carmichael, E. (2016, July 21). Sadhguru’s top 10 rules for success. Retrieved
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ASgYupz0XY
 
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York, NY: MFJ Books.
 
Sadhguru, J. V. (2016). Inner engineering: A yogi’s guide to joy. New York, NY: Spiegel & Grau.
 
Art source: Image is from www.pixabay.com. 
 

Patrick T. Randolph teaches at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he specializes in vocabulary acquisition, creative and academic writing, speech, and debate. Patrick received the “Best of the TESOL Affiliates Award” in 2015 and 2018. He has also received two “Best of CoTESOL Awards” for his 2017 and 2018 presentations. Patrick lives with his wife, Gamze; daughter, Aylene; and cat, Gable, in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.