Activity 1: What do I feel? (5 min)
Step 1:
Students close their eyes and sit tall. Make sure they are all sitting up straight. It helps to use a visual, such as.
- Imagine there’s a cord pulling at the top of your heads.
Step 2:
Tell the learners to place their hands on their belly to feel belly breathing.
It helps to for them to use a visualisation:
- Imagine your stomach is a balloon. As you breathe in, the balloon expands, and when you breathe out the balloon deflates. This is belly breathing.
Step 3:
Ring a chime, or gently tap a pen on a window, or a spoon on a glass.
- Listen to the sound for as long as you can, while still focusing on your breathing.
Ring the chime a second time.
- Listen again for as long as you can, breathing slowly in and out.
Step 4:
- Listen to the sounds your body is making.
- Notice any sensations you are feeling in your body – tension in one part of your body; a pain or an itch. Don’t try to change this, just be aware of it.
- Notice any feelings you are feeling. Don’t judge or try to change them, just acknowledge them. Greet your feelings in your own mind: ‘Hello anger’ and ‘Hello sadness’.
- Then go back to your breath.
Step 5:
- All emotions are important and have a part to play. But it is when we let one emotion overtake us and control our behaviour that it is a problem. So if you find this happening, don’t worry. Go back to your breath, and find your own natural rhythm until you feel balanced again.