Starting the School Year Right with Poetry and Mindfulness [WRITING YOGA® PROMPT #2018]

It's never too late to go back to school! I took two graduate courses this summer, even though I have been an educator for over 20 years. Learning and teaching are inseparable practices. Plus, we all must stay current to thrive.

I became a librarian for the love of books and reading but there is little time for sitting quietly at the desk and reviewing new acquisitions these days. Librarianship sure has changed since I first learned manual cataloging using the Dewey Decimal System. Some change is for the better. No one gets shushed and we can practice yoga between reading to stretch our bodies and minds. 

At the start of the school year we had district faculty meeting led by a yogi, business owner and Speaker, Regina Smith. “Take a breath; begin again," was her refrain. It resonated with us because we had learned to breathe while teaching through Covid. She was a stellar speaker. My work with teachers using yoga and mindfulness practices had been reinforced and validated with additional scientific evidence and an outside presenter. If this works for the business world, it can at work just as well with children and teachers. And wow, do we all need it no matter how old or enlightened we are.

My last social media post before school started was about how important it is to take a deep breath, and how it is something that even the most advanced yoga practitioners among us forget. Life is a practice. Teaching and learning are practices informing each other just as we inform each other. 

May you stay calm, creative, and compassionate September through June. Happy School year, 2023-2024.

WRITING YOGA® PROMPT #2018: Write a Poem about One First Day of School in the Past or Present. 

Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Say to yourself, "It's the first day of school." What are your first thoughts? What year came to mind? What are you wearing? What's in your lunchbox? How do you feel? What images float inside your head? 

Without judging, write about all of the emotions, images and maybe even anxiety that comes with the start of anything new.  

Seeking to create a calmer, more compassionate & creative life at home, school or in the office?  Book a free consultation to learn more about workplace retreats and professional development.  Join the Course to Feel Calm and Write! For more activities and resources, please go to www.WritingYoga.com.