1st Edition
Mindfulness for Young Adults Tools to Thrive in School and Life
Mindfulness for Young Adults: Tools to Thrive in School and Life is an interactive experience designed to enhance mindful awareness and to aid in teaching and learning the principles and practice of mindfulness.
Blending theory, research, and practice to offer a comprehensive program for young adults to build well-being tools, each of the book’s five modules includes engaging information, strategies, meditations, and activities designed to deepen understanding and application of mindfulness. It includes practical techniques to cope with emotions, work with thoughts, navigate stress, build resilience, make aligned choices, and be more present in life and relationships. In addition to the reflection and meditation activities found at the end of each module, the text also features a "resources" section complete with a mock exam, tips for course design, and resources for further study.
Designed for both students and instructors, this workbook can be used independently or in the classroom as either a textbook to an introductory mindfulness course or as a supplement for teaching well-being practices in any discipline.
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Module 1: Principles of Mindfulness
1.0 Introduction to Mindfulness
1.1 What is and isn’t Mindfulness?
1.2 Why Mindfulness? The Science and Benefits
1.3 How To: Foundations and Obstacles in Practice
1.4 School and Community Lens: Mindful Learning
Meditation: Anchoring through the Breath
Module 2: Body
2.0 Connection and Relationship to the Body
2.1 Body Scan and Conscious Breathing Techniques
2.2 Standing, Walking, and Mindful Movement Practices
2.3 Principles of Mindful Eating
2.4 School and Community Lens: Healthy Living
Meditation: Body Scan
Module 3: Heart
3.0 Noticing and Processing Emotions
3.1 Causes and Conditions of Peace, Kindness, and Joy
3.2 Working with Difficult Emotions
3.3 Mental Health and Mindfulness
3.4 School and Community Lens: Trauma-Sensitive Instruction
Meditation: RAIN Technique for Working with Emotions
Module 4: Mind
4.0 Working with Thoughts
4.1 Uncertainty and Anxiety
4.2 Resilience
4.3 Identity and Social Consciousness
4.4 School and Community Lens: Stress Resilience
Meditation: Mountain Visualization
Module 5: Mindfulness in Daily Life
5.0 Informal Practice in Daily Life
5.1 Relational Mindfulness and Connection
5.2 Decision Making
5.3 Change, Impermanence, and Grief
5.4 School and Community Lens: Success and Careers
Meditation: Decision Making
Conclusion
Resources
A. Mindfulness Exam
B. Guiding Questions for Complementary Reading
C. Student Panel: Mindfulness in the Classroom
D. Course Design and Pedagogy
E. Resources for Further Study
Index
Biography
Linda Yaron Weston teaches at the University of Southern California. Blending her expertise in mindfulness and education, she developed their introductory mindfulness course. She is a National Board Certified Teacher with a dual M.Ed.
"Essential reading for students and educators alike! Trainings in mindful presence are the hope for our next generation and for the healing of our world." — Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance and Radical Compassion
"This beautifully structured, practical, and comprehensive book brings mindfulness to the college-aged population and the adults who work with them. Whether you are a young adult or an educator trying to introduce mindfulness into your classroom, this book is sure to serve as a thorough and relevant guide to the power of mindfulness practice." —Diana Winston, director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center and author of The Little Book of Being
"In this engaging and accessible approach to well-being, Linda Yaron Weston beautifully combines her expertise in mindfulness and education. She invites us into the present moment and captures the essence of mindfulness with fresh and interactive practices that build on one another. This is an important book for young adults who need a strong foundation to thrive. Highly recommended for students and the schools and organizations that serve them." —Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive Global
"Taking better care of ourselves, our families, and our communities is ever more critical for our nation’s students, especially now. Linda Yaron Weston gives us fascinating insights into the science and practice of mindfulness with evidence-based lessons for teachers and students drawn from the neuro, social, physiological, and psychological sciences. This book makes the powerful case that mindful learning enables higher and deeper levels of students’ academic and personal success, outcomes that we wish for each of our students." —Dr. Martha J. Kanter, CEO of College Promise in Washington, DC and the former U.S. Under Secretary of Education for the Obama administration
"Linda Yaron Weston supplies us with a comprehensive program to help bring mindfulness to the classroom. In Mindfulness for Young Adults, she pairs mindfulness tools with day to day scenarios, offering students techniques to promote thriving in the classroom and in life. The course design provides avenues for deepening personal connections, maneuvering through emotions and supporting intellectual growth. This work will be of benefit to educational systems, teachers and students." —Sharon Salzberg, author of Real Happiness and Real Change
"Linda Yaron Weston’s work is an essential offering for the well-being of our young people and the health of our future. Mindfulness for Young Adults: Tools to Thrive in School and Life offers practical strategies in a comprehensive, interactive program to help calm the body, relax the nervous system, and create conditions for optimal healing, learning, and thriving. As our young people learn to care for themselves in this way, it does not only impact them—it impacts the health and wellbeing of our entire society. Thank you, Linda, for your expertise and passion." —Jillian Pransky, author of Deep Listening: Practices to Calm Your Body, Clear Your Mind, And Open Your Heart
"This book taught me so many important lessons and techniques that have helped me learn and incorporate mindfulness into my everyday life. Cultivating mindfulness has shifted my mindset from one of fear and anxiety, to one of acceptance and gratitude. It has truly changed my life and has pushed me to evolve into a much more confident, compassionate, and positive person." —Jacqueline Berliner, USC undergraduate class of '20
