Mindful Activities
Definitions / People
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Demonstrations
Relaxation Techniques
100
An activity that include posture, breathing, control of subtle forces, cleansing the body-mind, visualizations, chanting of mantras, and many forms of meditation.
What is Yoga?
100
Present-moment awareness. An open and friendly willingness to understand what's going on in and around you- physically and mentally, and without judgment.
What is Mindfulness?
100
This activity helps you to be mindful by asking you to name: 5 Things that you can See 4 Things that you can Touch 3 Things that you can Hear 2 Things that you can Smell 1 Thing that you can Taste
What is Mindfulness 5-4-3-2-1?
100
Describe an item from your lunch w at least 5 different descriptions (what it looks like, feels like, tastes like, etc.)
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100
A quick relaxation technique with your attention focused on breathing: deep inhalation and holding the breath for a few seconds (try 5 seconds) before exhalation. You can make a square using your finger (up=breathe in through your nose; side, and down= hold the breath; over=exhale out your mouth)
What is Deep Breathing or Square Breathing?
200
The 4 Goals of Mindfulness:
What are: 1.) To Reduce Suffering 2.) To Increase Happiness 3.) To Increase Control of your Mind 4.) To Experience Reality as it is
200
An emotion characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil, often with nervousness, pacing back and forth, somatic complaints like belly aches, and constantly thinking about things over and over. Having a bad feeling of dread regarding an event that is coming up.
What is Anxiety?
200

PARTICIPATE: Select one more person from the group and the two of you do your best imitation of opera singers... (Each of you will get these points if you do it well)

...Awesome job!

200
Describe your Safe Place with at least 5 different descriptions (What you could see, hear, smell, feel, etc.)
..
200
Creating a mental location that you visualize to enhance your meditation and reduce your stress.
What is Safe Space (or Place)?
300
To Just Notice (To notice body sensations or breathing patterns, etc.)
What is OBSERVE?
300
A sleep disorder where people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired.
What is Insomnia?
300

Mindful Gratitude Exercise: Write down up to five things for which you feel grateful. The physical record is important—don’t just do this exercise in your head. The things you list can be relatively small in importance (“The tasty sandwich I had for lunch today.”) or relatively large (“My sister gave birth to a healthy baby boy.”). The goal of the exercise is to remember a good event, experience, person, or thing in your life—then enjoy the good emotions that come with it.

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300
Show us your special dance move.....
...
300
To calm your emotions and slow your mind and your breathing to a point where you can 'feel' a lot more going on around AND inside you. It's like a state of alertness, but really relaxed at the same time. You can also interlock your arms; and or interlock your legs and purposely stretch to create relaxation.
What is Centering Yourself?
400
A recognition or statement that a person or their feelings or opinions are valid or worthwhile. Accepting our feelings and emotions is a simple method of managing highly intense emotions. Instead of keeping them locked inside us, or denying how we feel, which can actually make our current emotions more intense, this process can soothe intense feelings and make them more manageable. It can be used on your own emotions or in friendships/ relationships with others.
What is VALIDATION?
400
A state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings, and sense of well-being.
What is Depression?
400

Share an example of a stressful time in treatment that you think a person could utilize a mindfulness activity, and which activity would you recommend?

What is ....

400
Demonstrate how to do Square breathing...
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400
A daily practice that may alter the brain’s neural pathways, making you more resilient to stress. One would sit up straight with both feet on the floor. Close their eyes. Focus their attention on breathing and/or reciting a positive mantra such as “I feel at peace” or “I love myself.” Let any distracting thoughts float by like clouds. Remind yourself gently to get back to your focus.
What is Meditation?
500
Mindful listening is a way of listening without judgment, criticism or interruption, while being aware of internal thoughts and reactions that may get in the way of people communicating with you effectively. When you listen mindfully, you are fully present in the moment, which means you can absorb the speaker's whole message, and s/he can feel heard and respected. By being present, cultivating empathy, and listening to your own cues, you can learn to let go of reactions and other distractions that block your understanding, so that you remain open and receptive to other people's ideas.
What is Mindful Listening?
500

In 1979, he founded the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the University of Massachusetts to treat the chronically ill. This program sparked the application of mindfulness ideas and practices in Medicine for the treatment of a variety of conditions in both healthy and unhealthy people (Illness, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Stress, Pain). MBSR and similar programs are now widely applied in schools, prisons, hospitals, veterans’ centers, and other environments. He currently resides in Lexington, MA.

Who is Jon Kabat-Zinn?

500

Practice a Self Compassion activity: Ask yourself, “What do I need to hear right now to express kindness to myself?” Is there a phrase that speaks to you in your particular situation that would be useful to hear right now? (Basically tell yourself something kind!)

EXAMPLES: •May I give myself the compassion that I need •May I learn to accept myself just as I am •May I forgive myself •May I be strong and full of courage •May I be patient •May I develop skills to help myself

500
Demonstrate mindful listening by describing at least 4 things you can hear at this time.
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500
Tensing and Relaxing your Muscles. A technique for learning to monitor and control how tight your muscles are. It involves learning to monitor tension in each specific muscle group in the body by deliberately tensing each group. This tension is then released, with attention paid to the difference between tension and relaxation. It starts usually from your feet up to your head.
What is Progressive Relaxation?
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