There’s a chance you have taken part in some form of mindfulness in your life, and whether it’s self-meditation or yoga, the applications of mindfulness have made it a common practice used worldwide. Franklin recently began offering a mindfulness class of its own, and while some students find mindfulness boring and tedious, many students who spent time in the mindfulness class had their views broadened.
Last year, I took Franklin’s mindfulness class — taught by Nic Johnson — and I wouldn’t have traded it for any other elective. Every day, we’d spend an hour and a half trying different mindfulness techniques. Despite assumptions, everybody in my class respected the time and remained calm and collected throughout our year. In the class, I had some of my favorite opportunities on educational and relaxing field trips to the Portland Japanese Garden and Dharma Rain Zen Center, a Buddhist temple. At the temple, my classmates and I followed along to a short meditation led by a monk, and afterward, we drank tea while exploring the outdoor part of the temple which was engulfed in nature.
The mindfulness classroom is set up with yoga mats lined up in a circle with boho-style pillows to sit on. It’s a very relaxing atmosphere, especially during the meditations. Each class begins with a singing bowl being rung while Johnson leads breathing techniques to help calm students down and induce relaxation. We practiced a series of stretches designed to help with flexibility, and from my short time practicing mindfulness, I noticed how effective they were in loosening my mind and muscles. Maya Phenix, a Franklin graduate who took mindfulness last year stated, “It felt like a sanctuary to come into. The energy was always able to soothe me and everyone felt supportive around me. I was able to take time out of my day to focus on my mindset, which really helped me keep going through the rest of the day and take it with ease.”
Bella Lambertus, another former Franklin student who took the mindfulness class her senior year, said, “My favorite part of mindfulness was the open journal self-reflection, in which we were given a prompt on the board and the choice to share [our reflection] with a partner or to the class.” She continued, saying, “The idea of sharing my own thoughts and feelings was scary at first, but it definitely made me more acquainted with my peers, and for that, I am grateful.” On what the class did for her, Lambertus stated, “[The class] opposed the idea of a teacher giving and a student receiving, and instead promoted equal participation and discussion of real-world events, social issues, mental health, and life in general through the context of mental awareness.”
Another mindfulness technique that students have the opportunity to learn is an array of yoga positions. My classmates and I held positions and had to balance ourselves every day, in hopes of bettering our inner balance. Johnson had us practice an interesting method to become more comfortable in uncomfortable situations, by walking around the room for several minutes and holding eye contact with passersby.
Phenix reflected on her overall experience, saying, “I learned how to connect to myself. I strengthened my ability to be patient with myself and others. I feel more confident in my thoughts and words, and content with myself and my life in general. During my time in mindfulness, I became more grounded and relaxed to finish the day, and the class gave me a sense of motivation.” Those who doubt the impacts of mindfulness might want to experiment with some form of mindfulness, especially with the class available at Franklin.
