2017 Dragon Magazine Winter

f positivity
By Mark Lederer
AP Psychology Teacher
Marriage and Family Therapist Intern
Mindfulness can be defined as bringing one’s attention
to the present moment without judgment, to
simply notice what is happening right now. While the
definition may sound simple, the practice is not easy.
The practice of mindfulness asks us to sit still with
the totality of our experience, with all our thoughts,
all our feelings, and all our sensations. It is in this
space of stillness where we can cultivate compassion
for ourselves and others, an understanding of
the human condition, and the freedom to act on our
deepest values.
A growing body of research is demonstrating the
benefits of mindfulness, from the reduction of depression
and anxiety to increased performance in academics
and athletics. For the developing adolescent
brain, the practice of mindfulness strengthens those
areas in the prefrontal cortex that are responsible for
impulse control, emotion regulation, and the focusing
of attention. For the adults who care for teens,
mindfulness is a useful practice of self-care and of
modeling for teens the calm presence that they need
from adults in order to learn how to cope with strong
feelings.
Last summer, and continuing into this school year, 30
faculty and staff from eight departments, including
counseling, administration and athletics, took courses
through Mindful Schools in Emeryville or through
independent study. Last fall, our Parent Education
program offered parents the opportunity to bring
mindfulness to parenting. Our parent book club read
The Awakened Family, by Dr. Shefali Tsabary, and our
evening speaker series featured Mindfulness-Based
Stress Reduction for Teens expert Gina Biegel,
LMFT.
Mindfulness is also incorporated into our retreat program.
The freshman retreat focuses on noticing and
befriending one’s emotions. The retreat begins and
ends with mindfulness meditations where students
are invited to simply observe and learn from their
feelings before acting on them. The Kairos retreat for
juniors and seniors incorporates mindfulness into
the training of retreat leaders and is a foundational
practice for the overall theme of being present to
oneself, others and God.
Winter Magazine 2017 // 15