I believe that each of us is born with an inherent natural sense of imagination and a propensity for wonder. Every child, in their purest essence is a priest of priestess, an alchemist of imagination. And to the extent that we, as parents, caregivers, educators or...
Fairy Tale Meditations
Good Morning! I am so honored to be able to sit here and blog (FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER), alongside Zemirah. For those of you wondering, my name is Maurie and I am interning under Zemirah this semester as I am close to graduating with my undergraduate degree. I have...
Rainbow of Relaxation
All Tied Up in Knots: Releasing the Worries When our brains get all tied up in knots with worry, they can look like this rubber band ball. In small group today we talked about how it's sometimes impossible to think straight when there are all sorts of worries going...
Teacher and Parent as Gardener
You, dear parent, dear teacher... are a Gardener As I am working with kids in one of the many Garden Offices we have, this is one of my most powerful mantras: I am a gardener, I plant seeds, I am not in charge of when they grow. It keeps me in "seed planting mode"...
One-Minute Relaxer: Icicle/Puddle Game
One minute relaxers are relaxation techniques that can be completed in one minute or less. If you like, spending some time playing games on sites such as http://162.213.250.60/baccarat-online/ is a great stress-reliever and it can promote relaxation. During busy times...
Relaxation Collage
Create a relaxation collage with your child. I like to explain that just looking at serene, tranquil pictures can calm our bodies and minds. There's even research out there that shows that just by looking upon tranquil scenes or even other people relaxing and...
Re-Write the “Monster Under the Bed” Story
The Monster Under Your Bed is Just a Story In Your Head by Lisa Wimberger Loving this new book by Lisa Wimberger, founder of the Neurosculpting Institute, (www.neurosculptinginstitute.com). It's perfect for introducing kids to neuroliteracy, the study of brain...
Relaxation Story: Flowers, Butterflies, Rainbows and More!
I recently was invited into first grade to share some relaxation practice after recess. As you can imagine, the energy was high and distracted, with students buzzing around the room like bees. So, I invited them to be the "very best bee they could be" and buzz right...
Wheels of….RELAXATION!
This morning in our small group yoga time at school, we practiced relaxation skills using a spinner visual aid. This visual aid helped students to stay focused on what we were learning and was a great tool to bring attention back to the present moment when it was...
Calm Monkey Mind Corner
It's getting towards the end of the school year in my district. We are wrapping things up, saying goodbye to a year that passed so swiftly, and sending our fifth graders on to the larger horizon of middle school. Even my own daughter, Maiya, is graduating from high...