WEEKLY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRACTICE
Join us for weekly drop-in sessions to help you reconnect with your body, mind, and emotions. Learn techniques, including mindfulness and yoga, for increasing our capacity to be reflective, strengthen our resilience, and improve our relationships with others.
Offered every Thursday in the Fall, 12:10 - 12:50 pm from September 23 - December 9 (sessions will be held at 4:00 pm on Oct 7, Oct 28, and Nov 4); and every Tuesday in the Winter, 12:10 - 12:50 pm from January 11 - April 5 (no session during March Break, March 15; sessions will be held at 4pm on Feb 15, and Mar 8)
These mindful moments sessions are open to all staff, students, and faculty. It is 45 minutes with 5-10 minutes at the beginning and end of the session for informal sharing and questions, allowing students some flexibility in arriving and departing. The session includes a short introduction, 20-30 minutes of practice (breath meditation, body scan, mindful walking or movement, compassion and loving kindness, and gratitude practices), sharing, Q&A, and discussion about stress management, benefits of mindfulness meditation, and latest research findings about mindfulness in mental health, including physiology and neuroscience.
| Guided Meditation Recorded Sessions available: | |
| Audio Recordings | Transcripts |
| January 11, 2022 - 1 Recording (short) | January 11, 2022 - 1 Transcript |
| January 11, 2022 - 2 Recording (body scan) | January 11, 2022 - 2 Transcript |
| January 25, 2022 - 1 Recording | |
| January 25, 2022 - 2 Recording | |
| March 8, 2022 - Zoom Recording (loving kindness) | |
You can also listen to past Recorded Sessions.
(*Comfortable clothes and a stable chair are necessary. Cushions/bolsters, blanket, eye pillow, and essential oils are optional.)
ORSS SPONSORED WEEKLY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRACTICE
The ORSS also offers weekly opportunities to practice mindfulness. Students are invited to join any of the sessions listed on the ORSS website at: https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/orss/Mindfulness_Practice.html
Summer 2022 Schedule
These sessions run from May 16, 2022 - August 19, 2022
Visual Arts-Based Mindfulness | Emily Springgay | Wednesdays, 12:10-1:00pm
These sessions introduce art-making as a tool to connect to the present moment. The arts can help you develop awareness of your inner experiences, access strengths and resources, and cultivate self-compassion and compassion towards others. Each session will include a visual arts-based exercise and personal reflection/journaling, followed by a brief discussion. Cameras may be turned on or off at any time. You can use any art materials available to you (e.g., any kind of paper/cardboard/canvas and any mark-making materials such as pencils, pens, markers, highlighters, crayons, paint, etc). Sessions are free and do not require registration. No previous experience or skill level required. Zoom Link: https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/89586144012 * No session May 25 or June 1
Guided Imagery | Emily Springgay | Wednesdays, 4:10-5:00pm
These sessions introduce guided imagery and visualization as a tool for relaxation. This practice can help reduce stress, anxiety, and tension in the body. Centred on a new theme each week, you will be guided by verbal prompts to engage your imagination and envision a relaxing scene. Each session will include a meditation, personal reflection/journaling, and a brief discussion. Cameras may be turned on or off at any time. Sessions are free and do not require registration. No previous experience or skill level required. Zoom link: https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/85160106858 * No session May 25 or June 1
Cultivating a Gratitude Practice | Rebecca Osterlee | Fridays, 9:10am-10:00am
These sessions introduce gratitude and meditation to OISE students as a tool to ground themselves for the day ahead. Practicing mindful gratitude can help individuals feel more positive emotions, increase their resilience, and strengthen their mental flexibility over time. Each session will include a grounding morning meditation followed by various gratitude journaling prompts, and a personal reflection/journaling period to conclude. Attendees will be welcomed to share their experience in a brief discussion if they desire. Cameras may be turned on or off at any time. You can use a scrap sheet of paper and any writing utensils. Sessions are free and do not require registration. No previous experience with meditation and/or gratitude required. Zoom Link: https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/86780882824
Mindful Habit Formation | Rebecca Osterlee | Fridays, 3:10pm-4:00pm
These sessions introduce a mindful approach towards habit formation as a tool to make the most out of busy days as an OISE student. Forming habits can seem difficult; approaching habit formation from a position of mindfulness can increase self-esteem and feelings of self-efficacy over time. Each session will include a grounding body scan followed by various writing prompts aimed at identifying realistic daily habits that OISE students can incorporate into their lives. Attendees will be welcomed to share their experience in a brief concluding discussion if they desire. Cameras may be turned on or off at any time. You can use a scrap sheet of paper and any writing utensils. Sessions are free and do not require registration. No previous experience with mindfulness and/or habit formation required. Zoom Link: https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/88468904900
