This activity was a chance for everyone to boost their wellbeing. In this activity, mindfulness was about using an object to help people pay attention to the moment without judging. Mindfulness stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system – a bundle of nerves that calms down the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. Did anyone find that mindfulness helped them feel connected to their bodies? Sometimes it can help people notice things, for example the pain of a bruised knee or a lingering feeling of anger from an argument. Can people compare how they felt before and after the activity? Hopefully people felt calmer and maybe more content too.
This activity also needed everyone to care. It can be tricky to stay quiet for a whole minute. What would’ve happened if someone had ignored the instruction on purpose and not tried their best to be quiet? Their noise would’ve impacted everyone trying to take part (but remember that as long as someone tried their best, it’s OK – this shouldn’t be about being cross with or blaming other people). How did it feel for people to share the object they’d brought with them? How can people help others to be calm?
