
Mindful Monday
Breathing Colors:
Take some time this week to practice breathing exercises in the classroom and at home.This activity is similar to the first mindful breathing activity, however it uses visualizing colors as a means to increase focus and awareness.
Ask students to think of a relaxing color. It can be any color they like, as long as it is one that makes them think of relaxation.
Then, ask students to think of a color that represents stress, sadness, or anger. Whichever of those emotions is most relevant or suitable for your class to explore.
Students imagine breathing in the relaxing color and visualize it filling their lungs.
Students then imagine breathing out the stress, sadness, or anger color.
Once your students have their relaxing color in mind and their stress, sadness, or anger color, have them follow these simple instructions:
- Imagine you are surrounded by the relaxing color. No longer is the air clear, it is the relaxing color.
- You can still make out shapes, but your world is now a different color.
- Imagine that as you breathe in, you breathe in this color too.
- See the color filling up your lungs.
- Imagine as you breathe out, that your breath is the color of stress.
- See the stress color mix into the relaxing color around you. Watch the stress color slowly disappear.
- Breath in your relaxing color.
- Breath out the stress color.