A friend from Lewisham, south London, reports occasionally on her children’s state school, which has a reputation for being strife- and strike-prone. However, the children themselves – nursery and reception – are engaged in more calming activities. They are doing mindfulness. ‘My son loves it,’ she says. They sit down cross-legged at least once a week to take in the sounds around them (‘listen to the birds!’), concentrate on their breathing and focus on the present moment. My friend did ask the teachers whether it was possible to get five-year-olds to sit still for that long. ‘Yes,’ she was told. ‘In fact, some fall asleep.’

On the plus side, it helped deal with teacher burnout; on the downside, the participants were just bored

Another friend’s two children attended St James’s School, a private school in Kensington which teaches Sanskrit and where meditation is very much part of the school day; they did it for about ten years. ‘The school took it quite seriously,’ she says. ‘They did it in partnership with the School of Meditation in Holland Park. The experience wasn’t particularly positive or negative. When they were little, it got in the way of playtime. When they were sitting with their eyes shut at the start of each day, my daughter says they were generally thinking about lunch. She says she has now gone back to meditation, but using apps. That is better than anything she learned at school.’

Schools, then, aren’t immune from the mindfulness craze, which was very much in fashion about a decade ago. In 2019 the government helped sponsor a research project led by the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families, in partnership with University College London, which works with children from 370 schools to see how various approaches work ‘to help them regulate their emotions’. Mindfulness is one, relaxation techniques another. As mindful.org observes: ‘The government’s initiative builds on over a decade of grassroots work to bring mindfulness to schoolchildren across the UK. Thanks to independent curriculum innovators and enthusiastic champions at the school and local authority level, over 5,000 trained classroom teachers deliver mindfulness training in thousands of schools across the UK.’

The results are already in from one study into the effects of mindfulness in schools, and the gist is: it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The Myriad study, which was funded by The Wellcome Trust and conducted by researchers from Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter, King’s College London, UCL and Pennsylvania State University, was an eight-year programme that involved more than 28,000 children aged 11 to 14, 100 schools and 650 teachers.

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The outcome was underwhelming. The young people participating in the studies reported mixed views of the training (some rating it highly and others negatively), while 80 per cent did not do the required practice homework. (That last bit was the least surprising aspect of the study.) On the plus side, it improved school culture and helped deal with teacher burnout (teachers led the sessions), though the effects washed out after a year. On the downside, quite a few of the participants were just bored. So, as regards the great issue of the day – teenage mental health problems – mindfulness isn’t quite the all-purpose fix its proponents hope.

Or, as Miranda Wolpert, director of mental health at Wellcome, said: ‘In science, it is just as important to find out what doesn’t work as what does. It can take real bravery to share such findings. This rigorous, large-scale study found that when mindfulness training was delivered at scale in schools, it did not have an impact on preventing risk of depression or promoting wellbeing in students aged 11 to 14 years.’ What all this suggests is that we’re investing a lot – emotionally, financially and in time – in something that cannot be transformative.

To state the crashingly obvious, if a school is badly run, with a culture where bullying goes unchecked, mindfulness sessions are not going to make bullied children less unhappy or the bullies less horrible. Indeed, in the quiet time for mindfulness, the mind of a bullied child is quite likely to turn to ways to evade his tormentors, not to focus on his breathing. Similarly, if teachers are overstretched and under-supported, mindfulness may help them focus on the present moment, but it doesn’t address the reasons they’re under pressure. Mindfulness is not a panacea, a way of evading unhappiness.

It’s known, for instance, that mental health problems are – surprise! – more prevalent in socially deprived areas than in prosperous ones; focusing on the present moment, however useful, isn’t going to make your area less deprived. Indeed, in Marxist terms, I’d say there’s something dodgy about this particular opium of the proletariat in diverting attention from injustice.

We’re investing a lot – emotionally, financially and in time – in something that cannot be transformative

But there is an alternative. The friend I mentioned previously observed that although mindfulness seems like a novelty, she’d done it herself without knowing it: ‘A nun at school used to get us to sit in a circle, in silence, breathing deeply, and then, once we were focused, we’d say a prayer.’ In other words, it was that familiar thing: religious meditation. Except critically, instead of focusing on ourselves, the minds and hearts are directed to God – outwards and upwards.

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Indeed, pupils at the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst, do an element of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, the examen, midway through the day. It’s a silent reflection on God in the events and people of the day, and on their intentions for what is to come. St Ignatius recommended it at night, but in school, the headmaster John Browne told me, it helps pupils focus on what they can do better.

In other words, I’d say what schools need to help with mental health isn’t mindfulness. It’s a proper chaplain and prayers.

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Emotions are a normal part of everyday life. Emotional regulation is the ability to recognise, manage, and respond to your emotions. It is the gap between feeling an emotion and then responding or reacting to it. Yoga helps as it is a comprehensive practice that facilitates change not only mentally but also behaviorally. It helps us take in information, process it, and effectively communicate our needs to others. Kids often go through volatile emotions and are unable to express or understand them. Calm, empathetic responses to big feelings teach children that it’s possible to feel upset about a situation while keeping your anger in check at the same time. (Also read: How to take control of our emotions? )

Through gentle movements, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices, children can learn to cultivate inner balance and resilience. (Pexels)

Teaching emotional regulation to children

To teach emotional regulation to children, we must help them feel seen and heard, not judged. So, the next time your child is dysregulated, follow these steps suggested by Sabrina Merchant, founder of Li’l Yogis, mindfulness coach and author of the book “Ocean Yoga”.

Step 1: Take a moment before you respond. Stay calm

Step 2: Acknowledge the feelings: No emotions are bad. All emotions are important.

Step 3: Listen without correcting or judging.

Step 4: Address the behaviour after your child is calm.

Sabrina further shared with HT Lifestyle, 5 yoga poses to help your child with emotional stability.

1. Child pose

Child pose (Sabrina Merchant)

1. Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels.

2. Bend forward to rest your forehead gently on the floor.

3. Relax your arms in front of you, palms down.

4. Imagine you are a hippo in the water.

5. Close your eyes and relax your body for several breaths.

2. Gate pose

Gate pose (Sabrina Merchant)

1. Start by kneeling down on your may.

2. Now stretch out your right leg to the right side, knees straight.

3. Lift your hands up sideways and bring them parallel to the ground.

4. Start bending towards your right side bringing your right hand towards your right leg.

5. Left-hand stay of top close to your left ear.

6. Feel the stretch on the outer left side of your body.

7. Unbend and come back to the centre and bring your hands dom and leg back to the start position.

8. Repeat on the left side.

3. Butterfly pose

Butterfly pose( Sabrina Merchant)

1. Sit up tall and bring the bottoms of your feet together to form your butterfly wings.

2. Breathing in lift your knees. Breathing out lower your knees

3. Continue to breathe and flap your wings.

4. Tree pose

Tree pose (Sabrina Merchant)

1. Begin standing straight with toes, feet and knees together. Palms together at the sternum. Find a focus point with your eyes.

2. When you are ready shift your weight to the left foot and turn your right knee out to the side.

3. Rest your right heel on the left ankle, keeping your toes on the floor. If you are feeling balanced, try lifting your right foot up to rest on the inside of your calf, or bring your foot up all the way to press into your inner thigh.

4. Slowly grow your arm branches by reaching up to the sky. You can bring your hands together overhead or keep them apart.

5. Balance her for three to ten slow, deep breaths or for as long as you are able to.

5. Padmasana

Padmasana(Sabrina Merchant)

1. Sit on the floor or on a mat with legs stretched out in front of you while keeping the spine erect.

2. Bend the right knee and place it on the left thigh. Make sure that the sole of the feet points upward and the heel is close to the abdomen.

3. Now, repeat the same step with the other leg.

4. With both legs crossed and feet placed on opposite thighs, bring your palms together towards the centre of your chest.

5. Keep the head straight, spine erect and eyes closed.

6. Hold and continue with gentle long breaths in and out.

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Black woman embracing herself, loving herself and prioritizing mental health.

Black women are beginning to prioritize their mental health in all aspects. They are traveling the world, maintaining the “soft girl” persona, updating their skin care routines, doing low impact workouts and more. Overall, Black women are living their best lives unapologetically.

Many Black women believe that the first step to achieving the highest level of self-love is boosting their mental health. If their mental health is prioritized, then they can manifest their wildest dreams. While social media can be a falsified perception of reality, there is one thing that is true: Black women are growing. They are prioritizing themselves and breaking generational trauma. Anyone can scroll on their screen on any given day and see a woman living their best stress-free life.

Black celebrities are using their platform to encourage their followers to prioritize their mental health. They are opening up more and sharing their journey with the world, which is inspiring to the community. Whether it’s through social media, a television show or a musical anthem, these Black celebrities are doing more than prioritizing their mental health and self love. They are empowering other women to love themselves, take care of their mental health and rebuild their confidence.

Check out these Black celebrities who have taught the community how to love themselves to the fullest and prioritize mental health and wellness.

Speak Positive Affirmations like Coco Jones

Photo credit: Todd Owyoung

Speaking positivity in your life can take you places you wouldn’t imagine. Whether its praying or chanting affirmations throughout the day, giving yourself grace allows you to change your mindset. Actress and singer Coco Jones is using her platform to show Black women what that mental health practice looks like.

In her mid teenage years, Jones appeared on the Disney Channel original movie “Let It Shine,” and was signed to a label. However, shortly after she was dropped and found her life at a standstill.

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“I got signed at 15, and then I got dropped at around 16, turning 17, so I was just like, ‘what do I do? I’m out here by myself. I don’t have a team. I don’t have management,’” she said in a recent interview with New York radio station Hot 97. “That was very scary and sad. Not having any clue of what was going to change for me or if it ever was.”

She also endured colorism throughout her career, which took a toll on her mental health. Although Jones feared her situation would never change she knew that giving up was not an option. She relinquished her fears of starting over and started pouring into herself.

Now, Jones stars as Hillary Banks in Peacock’s “Bel-Air” and recently released an EP titled “What I Didn’t Tell You.” In the Hot 97 interview, she described this chapter in her life as a “renaissance moment.” It all began when she began to speak positive affirmations over herself and her career.

“Psychologically, seeing other lighter girls get every job can mess with your literal mental health as a kid as you’re coming up in this world,” she said. “That’s another reason to why I make songs like “Caliber” on my EP because what I’m really saying is I have standards.”

She said that she is intentional with the words in her music because they are powerful and she wants girls to speak life over themselves.

Loving Your Body like Lizzo

Photo credit: Jim Dyson

Loving your body with all of its curves can be difficult especially with social media and today’s beauty standards. The negativity circling certain body types can greatly impact ones mental health. Lizzo is someone who continuously encourages people to look in the mirror and accept every part of who they are.

When Lizzo’s single “Truth Hurts” hit the streets, the lyrics invoked strong feelings from everyone who listened. It was an anthem for body positivity. The vocalist, flutist, Grammy-award winner, continues to incorporate positivity within her music to eliminate any false narratives society placed on Black women.

Since her body is the topic of discussion by many trolls and haters, she established Yitty, which is a shapewear and intimates brand for all shapes and sizes. She recently celebrated the brand’s one year anniversary on Instagram with a stunning, bedazzled ensemble. Yitty also announced a “YOUR SKIN,” line, which is a gender affirming line that will sell items, such as binder tops and tucking thongs.

Lizzo dedicates her time and energy to make everyone feel and look great. Despite your size or identity, the thought of being you is enough, and Lizzo makes sure that everyone embraces that.

Address Generational Trauma Head On like Fantasia

Photo credit: Dave Kotinsky

Addressing generational issues can be hard, and they really can impact mental health. Millennials and Gen Z have taken the step to change their current life trajectories by confronting their past. R&B singer Fantasia decided to tackle her family’s generational trauma head on and go back to school to pursue higher education.

Fantasia told PEOPLE that her children inspired her to enroll in college. The 38-year-old singer wants to break the generational curses that exist in her family.

“I’m a businesswoman now and I desire to continue to sharpen my sword and better my craft,” she told PEOPLE. “I want to break generational curses. When it comes to my family, my girls, my children, I want to show them that no matter what she’s been through, you can always get back and go after it again, and that’s what I am doing.”

The American Idol winner said that her grandmother influenced a lot of her decisions in life.

“My grandmother used to tell me anything worth having is worth fighting for, and I want other people to see that if you just stay in the ring, you’ll get to where you’re going,” she said.

Fantasia didn’t let anything deter her from pursuing higher education and inspiring the next generation in her family. She uses her platform to encourage people to reach for their goals, pursue their dreams and address their past traumas to fully embrace their future and improve their mental health.

Form a Sisterhood like Mary J. Blige

Photo credit: Scott Dudelson

Living in this world alone is not healthy for Black women’s mental health. There is power in divine femininity and unity amongst Black women. Communicating and relying on your girls for companionship soothes your mental health. Black women should have open conversations about their realties. Mary J. Blige is showing Black women the importance of sisterhood with BET’s “The Wine Down with Mary J. Blige.”

She has consistently created a space of refuge for Black women with her music. Now, the “Power” actress is in her era of self-love, and her talk show is an extension of that. The show is a safe space for her friends to open up about their different journeys. The first episode, which featured Taraji P Henson and Caresha “Yung Miami” Brownlee, explored relationships, sex and grief.

The episode showed all three women learning from and uplifting each other. It showed the power of sisterhood and love. Your sisters will be the ones to uplift you in the dark times and celebrate you during the good times. One simple conversation with your girlfriends can be therapeutic. Blige shows Black women how to not only love themselves, but also form a sisterhood that will do the same.

The post Black Celebrities Are Teaching Us The Best Mental Health Practices appeared first on 21Ninety.

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Mindfulness is a practice that has become increasingly popular in recent years, and with good reason. Research has shown that mindfulness can help reduce stress and improve mental and physical health. But did you know that mindfulness can be beneficial for children as well? Teaching kids how to practice mindfulness can help them develop better emotional and physical health, and even better academic performance.

Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the present moment. It involves paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judging them or feeling the need to act on them. Mindfulness can help kids become more aware of their emotions and how they affect their behavior. It can also help them learn to be more patient, better manage stress, and be more accepting of themselves and others.

When teaching kids how to practice mindfulness, it’s important to keep it simple and make it fun. Start by introducing the concept of mindfulness and why it’s important. Then, provide simple mindfulness activities, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga. These activities can help kids to become more aware of their bodies and minds.

It’s also important to encourage kids to practice mindfulness throughout their day. This could include taking a few moments to pause and take a few deep breaths when feeling overwhelmed or anxious, or taking a few moments to observe their surroundings and appreciate the beauty of nature.

Finally, make sure to reinforce the importance of mindfulness by incorporating it into everyday life. For example, you can set aside time each day to practice mindfulness activities, or encourage kids to take a few moments each morning to practice deep breathing before school.

Overall, teaching kids how to practice mindfulness can be a great way to help them develop better emotional and physical health, as well as better academic performance. It can also provide a great opportunity for parents to connect with their kids in a meaningful way. So why not give it a try?

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