Mind Full or Mindful?

Have you tried mindfulness? Stop by 240 @ 7:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Have you tried mindfulness? Stop by 240 @ 7:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Sydney Robinson

For the past year, mindful meditation has benefited FHS students and faculty in their academic and social lives.

Mindfulness is when one intentionally pays attention to the present moment without judgement.

Studies show there are many advantages to practicing mindfulness, including a decrease in anxiety and depression, and an increase in attention and self-control.

Everyone is mindful in their daily lives, even if they don’t realize it. For example, one is being mindful when they notice the warmth of sunshine on their skin, and when they refocus their attention after being distracted.

However, the AP Psychology teacher, Ms. Fanuele, states that “Mindfulness is a skill… One’s mastery of it, improves with more practice.

To provide students and staff with the opportunity to practice and learn about mindfulness, Ms. Fanuele runs a program called “Mindful Mornings”.

“Mindful Mornings” are 10 minute meditation sessions that occur Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:15 a.m. in Room 240. Everyone is welcome!

There is no obligation to attend every session, and Ms. Fanuele reassures that “No one will judge someone if they attend just once, or attend all the time. The practice, by definition, is about non-judgment.

Ms. Fanuele also encourages mindfulness in her AP Psychology classes, by dedicating the first three minutes of each period to mindful meditation.

Corinne Lewis, a senior in AP Psychology, noticed many improvements in concentration after participating in mindful meditation.

I think I’ve gotten better at being able to focus my attention on the present, and prepare myself mentally for a test,” Lewis reflects.

Mindful meditation relieves stress, leaving one feeling refreshed and more focused on the present.