12 Sep Grounding Practices for a New School Year
by Kalika Yap
It was so lovely to see everyone again as we kicked off the school year with our first Harvard-Westlake Mindfulness Club event: Back to (Meditation) School with Brian Shiers.
Watch the full session recording here.
After summer break, Brian’s calm and thoughtful approach helped us reset our minds and reconnect with presence through accessible, powerful practices.
Below is a recap of what he shared, including links to each meditation he recorded for us.
1. Mindfulness of the Breath and Body
Brian began with breath as a simple and reliable anchor. Noticing physical sensations—without judgment or visualization—helps gently return awareness to the present.
Let the phrase go just for a minute, and just rest in what we call non-meditation.
2. Concentration: Counting & Labeling the Breath
To train steadier attention, we practiced counting and labeling each breath. These are helpful tools for focusing a busy mind.
We used either labeling, ‘breathing in, breathing out,’ or counting… as a way to stay focused on the breath sensations.
3. Natural Body Awareness (NBA)
This practice helps us connect with what the body is feeling—without mentally naming or visualizing it. Just feel what’s actually there: warmth, pressure, tingling, texture.
This is natural body awareness. Not forced. Just gentle, receiving sensations.
4. Mindfulness of Feeling Tones
Every experience has a subtle tone—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. Being aware of this can help us pause before reacting.
Feeling tones are the beginning of every reaction we have… They help us pause before we react.
5. Theater of the Mind
Brian invited us to step out of the stream of our thoughts and watch them arise. He used the metaphor of sitting on the riverbank, letting the mind’s activity pass without needing to engage.
We’re trying to swim to the riverbank of the body, and just watch the mind.
Brian also spoke about mindsight, a term coined by psychiatrist Dr. Dan Siegel. Mindsight is the ability to become aware of your internal experience—something that helps build self-understanding, resilience, and emotional regulation.
6. The Field of Care
Our final reflection centered around kindness. Even stress is rooted in care, Brian reminded us. By remembering our connections—to people, pets, and small moments of generosity—we ground ourselves in something deeper.
Problems wouldn’t be problems if it weren’t for the fact that we care.
Thank you so much for being part of our Harvard-Westlake mindfulness community.
Whether you’re new to meditation or a longtime practitioner, we’re so grateful to be learning alongside you.
Let’s practice together!