Well-Being: It’s Not Nothing / A Counterintuitive Approach to Well-Being and Inner Peace
Does it surprise you to know that sitting with eyes closed, focusing on inner experiences does more to promote well-being and inner peace than nearly any other activity? It surprises most parents and non-parents alike, yet study after study shows these outcomes.
Many of us have embraced the culture of doing. We keep our children busy with academics, athletics, and various after-school and community activities, all valuable pursuits in their development. Yet, in our technology-driven culture, downtime has shifted to become “gadget gaze.” Our children seem to be relaxing in front of their gadgets; however, neuroscientists demonstrate that the constant buzzing and beeping of games and instant messages causes a chronic stress response in the brain and body. Beyond the damaging effects on cognitive development, this busyness leaves no time for ‘non-doing.’
It’s important to note that non-doing is different than doing nothing. Non-doing is purposeful, albeit counter-intuitive. It is sometimes called ‘mindfulness,’ and it involves the cultivation of moment-to-moment awareness.
Often, our focus is on the past (what has happened) or on the future (what will happen). While it is useful to learn from the past and plan for the future, paying close attention to this moment now is the most direct and full experience of life.
Bringing awareness to all that is happening, as it is happening, allows us to become intimately familiar with our inner world. By simply paying attention, without judgment to our thoughts, senses, feelings, and emotions, we begin to come into direct contact with our deepest values, essence, and purpose. The practice does not rush at us or hijack us like ‘gaming’ does. It nudges us from our core. It amplifies the whisper of our soul. This is not an external pursuit of doing; it is an internal pursuit of being.
Montessori children are exposed to many awareness practices as part of their normal school day. The works, activities, and interactions with each other are all designed to require purposeful attention to a task, to the surroundings, and to the community. Maria Montessori innately knew what scientists are now discovering.
There is a growing body of evidence that mindful awareness skills foster healthy development in children and can be strengthened with practice. Awareness practices have been shown to reduce the negative effects of stress, anxiety, and depression while enhancing cognitive performance, self-control, resilience and a sense of well-being. They also have been shown to increase academic performance and reduce behavior problems in the classroom (Bakosh, et al., 2014 in review).
As a result of these findings, both public and private schools around the country and around the world are beginning to offer mindfulness programs to their students. These programs provide formal practices, like sitting with eyes closed, to help students develop and strengthen the skills of awareness and inner peace.
These practices, often for only 5-10 minutes per day, prepare students to bring a sense of awareness and peace to more moments throughout the day. The cultivation of awareness also offers a space between stimulus and response. Children learn to become more responsive and less reactive, leading to better decision-making and less conflict. Parents and educators often tell us they wish they had learned these skills as children!
Non-doing can inspire a generation of children to bring forth this sense of well-being and inner peace into the world. Imagine the impact!
Tomorrow’s Child / September 2014 / p 21
