creative rituals

Approximate time for re-entry: 5 minutes
Approximate time for portal creation: it depends on your idea, but plan on 30 min. to 1 hour

In facilitating her OK YOU workshops, Mia always began by having her group leave the room and enter again.  She called this “intentional re-entry.” Mia:

I started dancing when I was three. The stage and studio were places that, as soon as I walked through the doors felt a change. I think it was the sacredness of those spaces. I see that similarly in the classroom. Each time you walk through a door, things are different on the other side. The people are different, the energy is different, because of what we all carry inside us.

Kids understand better when you make things physical and so if you’re explaining the practice as they’re moving their bodies, it becomes a part of their routine and they know what to expect when they’re coming into your space.

That’s why, in my groups, we would step out of the room and come back in, to acknowledge the energetic difference and acknowledge what we’re all bringing into the room. Encouraging young people to be more aware of their bodies in a space has turned out to be a really powerful tool in our workshops. 

The beauty of this practice is that it slows down the transition from whatever kids are dealing with at home or in the halls to the present moment, giving students the opportunity to reset and decide how they want to show up, which can have a powerful effect on their self-confidence, self-image, and emotional wellbeing.

To practice intentional re-entry with your students:

Have everyone gather or line up outside in the hall. Ask your students to think about what they’re currently feeling and what they would like to feel when they walk back inside. Then, before re-entering the classroom, have everyone take a deep breath and embody this new feeling by…

…shaking out their bodies and striking a new pose that reflects what they want to feel (the “act as if” principle).

…turning their desired feeling into an affirmation. For example: I am happy, I am strong, I am loved. As they take a deep breath, have them say this affirmation either to themselves or aloud. 

….introducing EFT tapping, either on its own or along with affirmations. If you aren’t familiar with this practice, you can read more about its use in releasing anxiety, stress and trauma here. 

You can also try:

…turning your classroom door into a portal by decorating it, either on your own or with your students’ ideas and involvement. 

…having students design their own portals and post their drawings around the outside of your door. 

…assigning a door greeter to remind students to slow down and take a deep breath before passing through the portal.

Whatever your approach, it’s all about giving students that moment to stop and consider the space they are about to enter, what they are carrying with them, and how they want to show up. That’s a practice that will serve them well into their futures.