Category / branch (in the tree of contemplative practices): Stillness – sensory awareness

Click to download a transcript of the video (PDF)

This practice emerged from my experience with somatic mindfulness and body-based awareness work. I’ve long been interested in how attention to the body, sound, and breath can help students regulate stress and return to presence. The simplicity and accessibility of this sequence made it a strong candidate for integration into class. Students are often balancing school, work, and personal pressures. It also allows me to model what it means to take a pause—an essential skill in the helping professions.

Cultural & historical origins

The three-point meditation draws on foundational mindfulness practices from Buddhist traditions, particularly those that emphasize Vipassana (insight meditation) and body scanning. Secular adaptations of these practices—such as in MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction)—have informed this approach. It’s important to recognize and acknowledge the Buddhist and contemplative roots of these practices while presenting them in a way that is inclusive and accessible to diverse student populations.

What to be aware of

• Allow students the option to keep their eyes open or soft-focus if closing them is uncomfortable.
• Be mindful that body awareness may trigger discomfort for some; remind students they can skip any part.
• Normalize wandering thoughts and provide gentle redirection without judgment.
• Use inclusive language, avoid command-based tone, and offer opt-outs at any point.

Ways to use this in the classroom

This practice works well at the start or midway through class, especially when transitioning between topics or periods of extended screen use. It can help reset attention, reduce overwhelm, and ground students in their bodies.

Instructions

Click to download a transcript of the video (PDF)

• Duration: 5 minutes
• Class size: Any (works well online or in person)
• Materials: None
• Classroom setup: Quiet space, minimal distractions, students seated or standing comfortably, ask that all computers, tablets, and/or phones be put aside

1. Invite students to sit or stand comfortably and put aside phones/computers.
2. Offer the choice to close their eyes or lower their gaze.
3. Body awareness: Guide attention to the contact points of the body with the floor/chair; hands, feet, back, legs. Notice warmth, pressure, or sensations.
4. Sound awareness: Invite students to notice sounds in the room (e.g., ventilation, distant movement) aside from your voice. Invite students to notice sounds far from them, outside even. Invite them to bring the attention back to the room. Allow for 20–30 seconds of quiet in each phase.
5. Breath awareness: Ask students to bring awareness to their breath—first notice the sound of the breath, then focus on the coolness of the breath in the nostril as they inhale, later focusing on the movement of the breath, what move first when the inhale starts, when the exhale starts. Remind them it’s normal for the mind to wander; gently bring attention back to body, sound, or breath.
6. Close with a few deep breaths and an invitation to return awareness to the room by opening the eyes and stretching, even standing for a moment if it feels right for them.

Alternatives

• Offer students the option to focus on an object (e.g., holding a pen or stone) instead of internal awareness. Focusing on the breath creates stress for some students.
• Provide a written version of the meditation for self-guided pacing if they wish to practice at home.

Additional resources

• Roger Gabrielle https://rogergabriel.com/
• Calm app https://www.calm.com/
• UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center (free guided meditations)
• Writings and teachings by Thich Nhat Hanh on sound and breath as anchors for mindfulness

Evidence of benefits for students & educators

Student reflections show:

• a calming effect and increased capacity to focus
• greater awareness of mental/emotional state before re-engaging with class
• a sense of presence and connection despite external pressures