Collagraph Printing - Basic course 1 & 2

Collagraph Printing

Basic course 1 & 2

Art - Feelings – Mindfulness

            

Art - Feelings - Mindfulness

And the connections between Brain – Language - Body

Kids 4 - 8yrs

Art is a good tool for expressing feelings and a deep form of communication. It helps consciously or unconsciously to reach emotions such as frustration, anger, sadness and get them released. Art helps healing those emotions and help in preventing and healing stress, anxiety and depression.

We learn little by little to feel the body and mental needs when practicing mindfulness. In turn art is a strong tool for mindfulness. Both helps in boosting self-confidence.

We have being living difficult times during the last years due to Covid. Strict sanitary measures and the virus in itself have provoked lot of stress and distress in thousand of peoples in the world. Hong kong has experienced one of the strictest measures with schools, parks and sport facilities closed several times for months each time thus kids have been forced to stay for long periods indoors. Measures have been easing little by little recently and finally we can come back to classes. I though it would be a good idea to dedicate the first classes to talk and express feelings and emotions. Trying to create connections between brain-language-body to release tensions, stress at same time we reflect, we put words, colours and strokes on it.

                                                                                   

Kids often hide their feelings and emotions. It is easy to find kids thinking that some feelings are bad or abnormal so they prefer not to talk about and keep them well inside them.

During our the recent sessions the kids are asked to think about different feelings, those they like and those they dislike. We attribute them a main colour, a stroke, a shape to each of them to represent them in an expressive and abstract way. We liberate the world, we release tensions, gain self-confidence and stimulates our HAPPINESS hormones !

A (4.5yrs) represented her mum's belly while pregnant of her bigger sister !! That's pure love!

Keeping warm, clean and vitalised ...

More than asanas, Yoga is learn to enjoy little things in the present moment. A warm infusion after our deep and meditative yoga session during a cold morning is always appreciated by our senses.

Both ginger and curcuma are used in Ayurveda medicine and nutrition. The first one helps the intestinal transit and the second one protect the gut flora. Both helps to stabilize our three doshas. Warm drinks are also recommended also in Ayurveda to increase vitality and control toxins that cumulate in the body during winter.

Many asanas help to relieve gastrointestinal disorders and to energize the digestion. Ginger and curcuma are just two in a selection of ingredients I use in my infusions, full of taste and aromas to close my sessions … as a last touch for keeping a warm energy and cleaning the body.

 

ECO – CREATIVE JEWELLERY

 

We really enjoyed this last term using non conventional materials for jewellery like seeds, wood, threads, shells …

We did it eco friendly at same time we developed creativity !

Even if we can use some basic macrame for some creations more than a technique we look here to create a space for experimentation and creation of original and beautiful objects.

Knot - bead – braid …

During this term we will be also cutting, perforating and painting wood and other materials for our jewellery … And if time allows we will be creating some accessories …

Mindfulheads - Mindfulness for kids and teens

The aims of these sessions are:

- Develop self awareness and self care.

- Promote wellbeing.

- Help to manage and reduce stress and anxiety.

- Create mindfulness practices to use throughout the school and homework time.

- Learn healthy habits.

- Improve communication.

- Deepen relationships with relatives and classmates.

The sessions can include:

- Activities / games to focus the mind.

- Singing.

- Stretching and exercising.

- Art and Crafts.

- Journaling.

- Breathing and relaxation exercises.

After a good break we are starting classes this week!!!

If the schedule don't fit your needs please let me know … new classes can be on the way …

Do not hesitate to contact me for further information.

Isabel Parra

www.mariaisabelparra.com

www.mariaisabelparra.blogspot.com

When practice make the difference !

I wanted to share a little, beautiful and meaningful experience I had with J's mum few days ago by phone.

J is 5 years old and has been for almost one year in our Art & Mindfulness class.

Mum: Tell you something very encouraging. On J’s first day of school, once he woke up we asked him getting himself ready, guess what he did?

Me: What ????

Mum: He did some mindfulness breathing exercises, he said because he is a little bit nervous

And yes, this is really encouraging … thanks J and thanks mum for sharing !!!

Short breaks & Movement

Very often we do not respect the needs and the study/learning rhythm of our kids. 

As parents and teachers we use to ask kids to do a quantity of tasks that sometimes they are not able to do in our “adult rhythm”. Also it happens the kids don't have a little time for themselves within one activity and another one.

Naturally kids move. Working outdoor or on the floor – under a framework, allow certain freedom to move. Mobility that kids generally don't have at school. 

Move, stretch and make pauses are needed for a better concentration and better efficacy at school/work.  That's why we do small breaks (sometimes just one or two minutes) during our art-mindfulness class. During those breaks we can do some mindful breathing, stretching or a quick physical pose that allow us to calm down, to relax or just to focus our minds ...And it happens to focus our minds just listening the birds, feeling the air on the skin ... just so calming !

When we move our body, we can relax our minds … ! 

Just try it ! i

Gaining on concentration but also in Harmony and Friendship

In previous classes we have been building towers with different objects, the highest the best. We use one hand or the other, individually or in groups. This with the aim of :

• gaining on concentration,

  but also:

• practicing breathing to control the body actions,

• encouraging solidarity and teamwork

• encouraging harmony and friendship.

It has been very fun because we can see different reactions, most are solidarity and motivation, but sometimes some are not happy to see others doing “better”, however once you explain that it is not a competition but a matter of care and solidarity things change and egoism or egocentrism attitudes  change for support, harmony, teamwork … So maybe we can be better individuals when we are supportive to others ? I think yes …

Art with Mindfulness