Mindfulness at DGS: Returning to the Basics

This week in mindfulness, our students returned to the foundations—a gentle review to bring us all onto the same page.

Beginning with the Breath

We started by focusing on the breath. Why breath? Because a calm breath creates a calm mind, connects us to the present moment, and anchors us in our bodies. Many of the students are already familiar with this practice and use it during transition points at school to help themselves return to center.

What Is Mindfulness?

We broke mindfulness into two simple ideas:

• On purpose

• Here and now

  
  

So often, our worries or anxieties live in the past or the future. Mindfulness helps update the nervous system by reminding us we are okay in this moment. (We also reminded students that this is not always true for everyone, but often, right here and now, we are safe.)

When our attention rests in the present, we can open up and receive the goodness that is right in front of us—the everyday joys of being alive and connected.

This Week’s Practice: Exploring Stones

To ground these lessons, students practiced mindfulness with stones. Using their senses, they explored the stones—holding them in their palms, noticing texture and weight, and even listening closely by plugging one ear. This reminded them that the senses are a gateway into presence.

They also learned that mindfulness can be practiced in many everyday activities: creating art, playing outside, walking in the woods, or even helping with chores. It’s less about adding something new, and more about bringing awareness and care to what we already do.

Ideas for Home

If you’d like to extend this week’s practice at home, here are a couple of simple ways:

• Stone practice at home: Invite your child to choose a stone and explore it with their senses—feeling, noticing, and even listening.

  
  
  
  

• Mindful moments: Ask your child to share ways they already practice mindfulness at home—times when they do something on purpose with their full attention. This could be drawing, playing an instrument, or even brushing their teeth. Highlighting these practices helps them see mindfulness is already part of their lives.

  
  
  
  

We are grateful for the many ways families support mindfulness beyond the classroom. These practices help children build resilience, presence, and a deeper sense of well-being