Session 12: Body Scan

Time allocation:
1. a. Mindful check-in: 3-5 minutes
b. Discussion on Mindfulness:10 minutes
2. a. Body Scan: 5 minutes
b. Discussion on Body Scan: 15 minutes
3. Silent check out: 1-2 minutes

1. a. Mindful check-in: 3-5 minutes

Learning outcome: Through this activity, the teacher will prepare the students for the mindfulness class.

The steps of the activity

Teachers should tell students that through this activity we will take our attention off the work we were doing before this and bring it to the present. This exercise can be done by the students anywhere and at any time.
Tell the students to sit comfortably and, if they want, they can straighten their backs, close their eyes. If someone is finding it difficult to close their eyes then they can lower their eyes and look downwards.
Tell the students to keep their hands on the desk or on their lap.
Tell the students that we will begin the class with the mindful check-in activity. We will do this for 3 minutes.
Tell the students to focus first on the sounds they can hear around them and then take their attention to their own breathing.
Tell the students that the other sounds can reduce … or increase, they can be heard at intervals … or heard continuously.

(Wait for 20 seconds.)

Tell the students to become aware of these sounds, however they might sound. Ask them to listen to where they are coming from.

(Wait for 30 seconds.)

Tell the students that now they should focus on their breath. Focus on inhaling and exhaling.
Ask the students not to change the rhythm of their breath. Just be aware and focus on them.

(Wait for 10 seconds.)

Ask the students to focus on when they are inhaling and when they are exhaling. Is there a difference between the breath they are taking in and the one they are giving out? Are these breaths cool or warm … fast or slow … light or deep?
Tell the students to be aware of each breath.

(Wait for 20 seconds.)

Now ask the students to slowly focus on how they are sitting and whenever they are ready, they may open their eyes.

Dos and Don’ts:

Before beginning with check-in, give time to the students to sit comfortably.
During the activity, if you see a student getting distracted, without naming him/her, ask the whole class to pay attention.

1. b. Discussion on Mindfulness: 10 minutes

Learning outcome: To know the students’ experience on the process of mindfulness and its benefits.

Proposed points of discussion:

Ask the students to think about the changes they experienced within themselves during the process for 2-3 minutes. Ask them to think about the experience and the practice of the previous week’s activity. Ask them to think also about where and when they used this activity other than the happiness period.
After this, teachers can discuss with the students about the learnings and benefits of mindfulness and how it has improved their lives in ways like –

Reduction of stress within
More focus in the classroom
Realising what is going on within them (happiness, sadness, anger etc.)

Tell the students that they may write their thoughts in their notebook. After this, some of them can share their experiences.
In this period, a discussion can be held on the particular experiences, challenges or questions that arose during the mindfulness activity.
A discussion can be held on the articles on mindfulness brought by the students.

Dos and Don’ts

Every week, ask the students to bring a few articles on mindfulness to the class so that a discussion could be held on them.
Encourage all students to give answers.
The students who hesitate in speaking up, may write their thoughts somewhere.
Accept all answers given by students, don’t contest them.

2. a. Body Scan: 5 minutes

Learning outcome: To make the students aware about the sensations in their body.

The steps of the activity
The teachers should tell the students the following:

This exercise is called Body Scan. This helps us with being aware about our bodies.
Just the way we focus on listening, seeing, walking etc., similarly, we can pay attention to our bodies.
In this process, we focus our attention on the various parts of our body and also focus on how we are feeling.
In Body Scan, we will become aware of our various body parts. We won’t try to create any pull or tension in them.
All the students should quietly and comfortably in one place. They may rest their hands on your feet.
Ask the students to take two-three deep breaths and close their eyes. Those who don’t feel comfortable may look downwards.
Ask the students, with the next breath, to bring their focus on their head and try to know if they are experiencing any kind of stress there. Now take the attention to the face and become aware of the make of the face – the nose, the ears and the air touching the face. Now students should take their attention to their throat and see if they can feel their breath coming in and going on in their throat. It’s possible that this might be a very mild feeling! Now with the next breath, they should take their attention to their neck and shoulders and know how they feel in this part of their body. Is there a pull, pain or stress in the muscles? Whatever is being experienced, they should become aware about it.

(Wait for 30 seconds.)

Tell the students that they will now take their attention from their heads to their shoulders and will try to know what is happening in their shoulders when they inhale and exhale.
With the next breath, they should take their attention to their arms and hands and know what is happening there.

(Wait for 10 seconds.)

Ask them to focus on their chest and know when they inhale and exhale what happens in there. Ask them to feel that when they inhale, their chest expands and when they exhale, their chest contracts.

(Wait for 10 seconds.)

Ask the students to take their attention to their heartbeat and know if they are able to feel their heartbeat – it is fast or slow. For a while, they should focus on their heartbeat.

(Wait for 10 seconds.)

Now ask the students to take their attention on their stomach and know when they take a deep breath, does it impact their stomach in any way? Does their stomach expand on inhaling and contract on exhaling? They should focus on the expansion and contraction in their stomach and see how the stomach moves in and out with their breath.

(Wait for 10 seconds.)

Now ask the students to slowly take their attention to the muscles on their waist and know if they are able to experience the change in their breath.
Ask the students to move their focus to their legs and experience how they feel in this part of the body. If there is any sensation, discomfort or pain here, they should become aware of it. Ask them to not try and change this. Just be aware each second and when they get digressed, they should bring their attention back to their body. Now, with the next breath, they should focus on their feet and feel the touch of the shoes and socks they are wearing! Tell them they would now know how their feet are feeling. Is there any tiredness or comfort that they are experiencing? However they are feeling, they should become aware about it.

(Wait for 10 seconds.)

Ask the students to now become aware of their entire body. From their head to their toe, they should pay attention to their breath and know in which part of the body they are experiencing the maximum movement of the breath.

(Wait for 10 seconds.)

Now ask the students to become aware of the position they are sitting in with this awareness. Slowly, they can bring their attention to their class and whenever they feel good, they can gently open their eyes.

2. b. Discussion on Body Scan: 15 minutes

How are all of you feeling?
What did you experience about your body today?
Did you experience any kind of discomfort in your body or sensation or any kind of unnatural feeling in your muscles? If yes, do share.

3. Silent check out: 1-2 minutes

Learning outcome: The purpose of this activity is to get the students to reflect on the thoughts and feelings generated while doing the activities in the happiness class.

Steps of the activity

The mindfulness class should be ended sitting quietly.
During this, a reflection should be made by the students on the thoughts and feelings generated by today’s activities.
Do not give any other instructions to the students.
Whether the students want to close their eyes and reflect, or would want to lower them – this should be left on them.

Dos and Don’ts:

The teachers should not ask any questions after the silent check out.
If a student wants to share his/her experience, the teacher may give them a chance to do so.

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Session 12: Body Scan

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