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These parts evolved to respond with defensive action to threatening situations. – Mindful SchoolsĪn impulsive reaction, triggered by emotions like fear or anger, rises up from the amygdala and hippocampus-the most ancient parts of our brain.
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The responses of her autonomic nervous system are the same whether she’s taking a math test or sensing actual physical danger. When a 4th grader reports that she felt she “was going to die” from test anxiety, she’s telling the truth. Negative emotions can be tough for anyone to deal with. Fear and anger can hit us unexpectedly and when we do not have a prior plan for dealing with these feelings, we can be thrown off balance and react badly. Learning to be mindful of what’s happening in the moment helps children make sound decisions rather than be ruled by their emotions. We apply this same focus of attention to situations both good and bad. We observe our emotions, our thoughts, our surroundings, in an even-minded, nonjudgmental way. So what is mindfulness? Mindfulness occurs when we pay attention to what is happening in the here and now. If you are in a hurry, you can scroll down to the big infographic. Explaining how mindfulness and the brain works can seem a daunting task, yet it can be one of the best ways to show how mindfulness works for us and how it helps our brain to function properly.