Today marked the beginning of our two-week course on Yoga, Mindfulness, and Creativity! Our day was full of learning, practicing, and reflecting on how to cultivate mindfulness and creativity in our daily lives.
We started with Dr. Beth Reese, who introduced us to the 8 Limbs of Yoga. She explained how these principles guide not just physical yoga, but a holistic way of living. Afterward, we rolled out our mats and practiced some yoga poses, focusing on the connection between movement and mindfulness.
Next, we explored another limb of yoga: breath-work, led by Dr. Shivani Bhatia. She guided us through simple breathing exercises typically used to reduce stress and improve focus. One exercise stood out to me—it’s easy to do anywhere, anytime, and I highly recommend trying it! Here’s how:
Touch your index finger and thumb together to form an “O.”
Straighten your other three fingers.
Slowly inhale and exhale, optionally adding a gentle hum as you breathe out.
For me, humming made a noticeable difference, helping me feel grounded and aware of my body. It’s incredible how such a small practice can have such a big impact.
After a short break, we took a field trip to HEB to pick up snacks for the week! Armed with a $10 budget and the goal of choosing healthy options, we had fun finding snacks to fuel us during the course.
Returning to school, Ms. Novak distributed an amazing set of supplies to enhance our creative journey:
- A mug
- A mandala coloring book
- Two pencil pouches
- An eye pillow
- Ten markers and three pens
These thoughtful tools set the tone for a relaxing and engaging afternoon. After lunch, we started getting into our mandala books, using different colors to create art that reflected our thoughts and feelings.
We also participated in a guided meditation session, which was a calming way to center ourselves. Ms. Novak introduced us to books about belonging and mindfulness, and we began taking notes.
To wrap up the day, we reflected on our experiences in our journals. Writing down my thoughts and observations gave me a chance to process everything we learned and practiced.
Stay tuned for more updates on our journey into yoga, mindfulness, and creativity!
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