Mostly Mindful for Teens and Tweens : Recent Episodes
Dominique Sullivan of the Zen Librarian
Weekly podcast that will explore one strategy or concepts to support teens build resiliency. Mindfulness is a superpower that can rewire the brain to boost joy and life satisfaction. This podcast will teach age appropriate mindfulness strategies, based in self compassion practice. Being a teen is hard ~ This podcast is a fun way for people to build life long stress management skills. Ancient wisdoms for Modern Times. Please note: This podcast is not intended to replace therapy but rather support teens as they grow into adulthood. The Zen Librarian Description:Dominique Sullivan BBA, BEd ,MEd , MFY teacher, is a teacher-librarian in Nanaimo BC and yoga instructor. She has experience with teaching students meditation and mindfulness in an educational setting. Dominique has presented around the province regarding dyslexia, Adhd, mindfulness, self regulation, executive functioning, teacher burn-out, and bringing mindfulness to the classroom. Contact: domsull@shaw.caWebsite: www.zenlibrarian.caInstagram: zen_librarianTwitter: @librarian_zenFacebook : Zen Librarian
Sometimes we talk on other people's problems or pain. We are not the cause of someone suffering- nor is it entirely in our power to make the pain go away.
This mediation teaches us how to be with someone is is struggling with out becoming overwhelmed.
Being kind to ourselves often feels weird the first time we try. Practice of compassion takes time - but is so worth the effort.
You are enough!
Visit Zen Librarian for more information on this Canadian!
In this meditation we practice cultivating compassion.
For more information on my courses please visit :
www.zenlibrarian.ca
I want to reduce the suffering in teens and tweens. How can I help?
Learn a new technique to manage the stressful moments. Anxiety always hits is BEFORE the event. Using the Sloes of the feet technique to walk up to the front of the class before a presentation or performance.
Soles of the feet can be used at your desk or before the big game. It is an invisible strategy that can be used by anyone at anytime.
I use this techniques often when flying and as I walk up to the podium for a big keynote presentations. We all need tools for our tool kit!
Breathing can be such a powerful tool to manage big emotions and to stay focused. I invite you to get curious and think about how you breath! - what type of breath do you like?
In this meditation we explore the anatomy and the difference between a heart breath and a belly breath.
I am a yoga teacher and studied pranayama breathing - I am totally bias... I am a Heart breather. I was lucky enough to take a course with Leslie Kaminoff of the Breath Project.
We will explore further breath techniques in future episodes.
Do you want to learn more techniques ? Making Friends with yourself for teens that has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression by 32%. This is not group therapy but rather a strategy class to help teens ages 12-18 find healthy ways to manage stress.
This year has been hard. Join me online for hands on stress management and resiliency training.
Bringing loving kindness to people in our lives can help deepen our connection with others and ourselves. In Buddhism this is known as the practice of Metta. Meditation allows us to practice the cultivation of compassion and loving kindness.
New Teen class Starts April 6th. for more information visit my Website www.zenlibrarian.ca or follow me on facebook.
Sometimes we feel like we are the only person on the face of the earth to have difficult feelings. This meditation reminds us we are not alone, broken, weird or different.
We often feel isolated with our shame and emotions. Here we practice giving compassion to others as we normalize the human experience. - Life is hard for everyone!
This meditation is a core practice. We start the self compassion break as a meditation but with practice you will be able to use these skills in moment of difficulty.
Be Kind to Yourself!
Please checkout my website or Facebook page Zen Librarian for more information on my courses and presentations.
www.zenlibrarian.ca
Social anxiety sucks. Loving yourself is a badass thing to do. In this practice we remind ourselves that we are enough and there are people in our lives who love us.
Sitting with what ever emotions arise.
Being with what is....
Sending love and light.
Friendships are tricky. Learn how to be with what is when meeting difficult situations with compassion.
Meditation to follow.
Let's get real - Pandemic life is hard.
This meditation is a bit sassy and helps me let go of stress.
Breathing helps activate vagus nerve!
Stay well !
Let's practice. The more you practice at home - the more you can use these skills in your everyday life. Learn to turn towards anxiety with compassion and say to your anxious thoughts:
"this feels real but is not true"
" everything is going to work out"
"I am doing the best I can"
Repeat, repeat, repeat..
Learning a different approach to an anxious mind.
Learn a mindful approach to anxiety and looping thoughts. These are trying times. Thank you for practicing with me. The follow episode will be the practice for this technique.
Good luck- Keep practicing.
Thank you everyone for all the downloads. the Sleep apps are
Insight Timer ( check out mediation and sleep stories)
https://insighttimer.com/meditation-app
Calm App
https://www.calm.com/
Sleep with Me Podcast
http://www.sleepwithmepodcast.com/
Get nerdy about breathing! Do you like to breathe in to your belly or in to your heart?
(I am a heart breather! - I feel so good!)
Moment to moment mindfulness is essential for well being. - We can change our thought patterns with awareness.
Resistance - We all avoid things in our lives we find uncomfortable. In this episode we talk about how to get "unstuck"
“Through practice, I’ve come to see that the deepest source of my misery is not wanting things to be the way they are. Not wanting myself to be the way I am. Not wanting the world to be the way it is. Not wanting others to be the way they are. Whenever I’m suffering, I find this war with reality to be at the heart of the problem.”
~ Stephen Cope"
Don't you hate it when people tell you to breath when your are emotional! - The annoying part is... that it is true!
Breathing is one of the best ways to calm down. Keeping today's meditation simple but effective. enjoy
Welcome Back! I am excited to be releasing bimonthly podcast designed to help families and teens. Today we are going to go nice and easy.... back to basics.
Check out the meditation for this week.
Sometimes our minds are racing and we can't calm down. Hacking the nervous systems is a great way to pull the mind out of anxiety and brain fog.
The Vagus nerve is the mind body connection - Take a journey down the vagus nerve as you learn to master this science based technique.
www.zenlibrarian.ca
I'm struggling this week. Things are hard and I needed to reach into my tool kit and find new strategies that helped me clam down. My mind is too busy... meditation is a struggle right now.
Using the body, we can hack our nervous system and encourage the parasympathetic nervous system to turn on (the rest and digest state)
Come learn the importance of the vagus nerve.
www.zenlibrarian.ca
Practice the felt experience of emotions and how they feel. We want to lean how to 'feel stress' but not 'become stress'. We also want to lean how to be with joy and sadness/ stress and calm. etc. We focus on negative emotions... but the truth is all emotions are temporary. Mindfulness + compassion is the magic formula for well being.
Visit my website or on Facebook Zen Librarian for more information on my teen online classes.
www.zenlibrarian.ca
The movie Inside and Out is an amazing analogy that helps us picture our inner characters. Who is in control? Anger, Sad , Disgust, Joy, Fear.
We apply the Buddhist concept of "Right View" to help with difficult emotions.
1- Name it to tame it
2- Get into felt experience of the emotion - what does the emotion feel like in your body?
3- Shift from "I am" to "Is" - "I am anxious" shifts to " Anxiety is here"
We learn to relax the nervous system in the meditation session.
For more information regarding the teen online classes visit:
www.zenlibrarian.ca or follow me on Facebook Zen Librarian
Breaking up with a Friend hurts! Finding a group of people who you enjoy can be tricky.
Below is a link to Anxiety Canada's website on social anxiety.So many great tips!
https://www.anxietycanada.com/disorders/social-anxiety/#:~:text=Children%20and%20teens%20with%20social,will%20think%20badly%20of%20them.
Check out my website for my Teen online classes
www.zenlibrarian.ca
Compassion can be cultivated for yourself and others.
This meditation is designed to support connection and belonging.
If you like the music - Please Visit Moby's Website to download 4 hours of ambient music.
https://moby.com/la/
Begin again is a technique to help re-focus a wandering mind.
Brain Push ups is performed when we notice we are stuck in the future or the past... the say " begin again" - breath in and start again in the present moment. Bring compassion to your wild mind.
We call it a practice for a reason... you get better over time. It take work.- Mindfulness is an investment in yourself.
You are worth the investment!
Lets go to sleep and get some zzzzs.
I feel "wired and tired" often. I'm exhausted but my brain won't shut off!
Enjoy!
Do you struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep? - Yeah, me too! Here are 5 things that can help:
1- Heart breath ( Not a belly breath- feel the difference)
2- Soft Sooth and Allow - Self Compassion
3- Darth Vader Breath - Ujjaiyi Breath
4- So Hum - ( So = I am ; Hum = That)
5- Common Humanity - Can't stress about sleep
Vagus Nerve Podcast on BBC Frontiers ( 2014)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04pv6kq
We have spent 5 episodes practicing mindfulness. Remember this is a practice- We need to do many "brain push-ups" - Be gentile with yourself as you try a new skill.
Please note, we will be practicing with the uncertainty created by Covid-19. Some may find this episode to be triggering.
We lean to to greet the anxiety differently in today's mediation.
Our brains likes to time travel into the future and the past. Mindfulness helps us stay in the present moment - When we are anxious about tomorrow.... meet those feelings with compassion and with weeks strategy from Sharon Salzberg.
"Don't know, Don't know, Don't know"
In this mediation we practice looking at our anxious thoughts. Mindfulness helps us learn what is "story" or second arrow and what is the truth of your experience - First arrow.
Second arrow is such a useful strategy for life! - If you have anxiety - try this mediation. This is what courage looks like! - You can do this!
Second arrow is a very useful concept for teens dealing with anxiety. Click this weeks episode for hands on instruction that you will find very useful! Below is a YouTube Video of a baby's brain- Please notice how thoughts act in the brain. You are you not your thoughts! Thoughts are just electrical surge in the brain. Not all your thoughts are true.
Baby thoughts
https://youtu.be/hb7tjqhfDus
Adults Thoughts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9zLKmt2nHo
Please also view the video on the concept of Second arrow.
https://youtu.be/FUge6f-AzuE
Click on the next episode to practice Second arrow in a mediation in action! - Re-wire the brain to be more calm- it just takes practice!
To practice single pointed awareness - we have adapted Dr. Dan Siegel meditation Wheel of Awareness. This practice gets teens and tweens to "check in and focus" on a variety of sensations and feelings. Try to shift from " I feel sad" to "Sadness is here."
Enjoy
We all struggle to stay on task. We can train our brains to focus through simple mindfulness exercises. The science stays that single pointed awareness is most effective for training focus.
How to practice mindful listening through mindful music. Music is a powerful tool for our emotions. Music can sooth, excite and connect us to the present moment.