Mindfulness Matters – ‘Irish Weather Inside-Out’ campaign for schools and all those up for a challenge

What is the most talked about subject in Ireland? The weather! What’s the least talked about subject in Ireland? Feelings and emotions or what we call the ‘Internal weather’!

Mindfulness matters because everything changes moment to moment both internally and externally therefore it makes sense to become accustomed to being mindful of change… why? Because it happens anyway. The Irish language recognises the movement of emotion. As Gaeilge I cannot say ‘I am sad’ I can only say ‘Tá brón orm’, sadness is upon me. Just as sadness comes upon me so too will it move off again, nothing is permanent. Irish Weather Inside-Out invites you to observe your present state without identifying with the emotion.

We know that we can’t flick a switch to turn off the external weather. We can’t flick a switch to turn off the internal weather either. What we can do is change how we relate to the weather. In other words we can acknowledge that ‘I am not the dark cloud, but I am aware of its presence and in this moment it is raining.’ It is like being a witness, watching this moment, not trying to change it because if you allow it to be… it will change anyway.

Awareness is wisdom. Thoughts are not facts. When we become aware that we are not our thoughts or emotions, we can sit and observe them come and go, seeing clearly their transient nature, just like clouds in the sky. We can never be sad, but sadness can come upon us, happiness can also come along and linger for a while, as can a whole range of other emotions. None of them will stay forever.

Learning not to grasp happiness, learning not to push sadness away reduces our suffering. There is primary suffering and secondary suffering. Primary suffering is the challenges you face in your life, secondary suffering is what you ‘add’ to those challenges in your mind, winding yourself up or re-playing stories again and again.

Irish Weather Inside-Out is an invitation simply to observe change using the ever-changing image of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo. The invitation is to sit for a few moments once or twice daily for Seachtain na Gaeilge (1st -17^th March) using Michael Gannon’s absorbing images of Croagh Patrick on Mindfulness Matters Facebook page (Mindfulness Matters Mayo) Twitter (@infomindfulness) or blog. The challenge invites you to firstly take a few moments in the morning with an image taken at sunrise to observe the external weather, then observe the internal weather.

Sit quietly, solid like a mountain, aware of your body, aware of your breath. In the evening adults are invited to take a few moments to repeat the process, observing the external and internal weather using a fresh image at sunset. Adults are invited to not only to observe the internal weather and the transient nature of thoughts, emotions and clouds but also to report to us on Facebook/Twitter using a word or an icon. The suggested sunset ‘check in’ for children is below with general guidelines for use in the classroom.

Suggested guidelines for use in the classroom

Please note: Amend instructions to ensure they are age appropriate.

Step 1: In the morning invite the children to check the external weather on Mindfulness Matters’ blog Irish Weather Inside-Out using the photograph provided, Croagh Patrick at sunrise.

Depending on the age and fluency of the children the forecast on the photograph may give them a new word to learn ‘as Gaeilge’. The teacher may write the new word on the board or ask the children to write down the word. Connecting the word to the image will enhance learning.

Step 2: Invite the children to check their internal weather.

The invitation may be to close the eyes, sitting for a few moments, solid like a mountain, notice the breath moving in and out of their bodies. If they were to describe themselves as the weather – notice how their internal weather feels in this moment.

The practice can be very simple… literally just a quick check in to observe or you may extend the practice by inviting feedback.

Depending on the age of the children they could offer feedback in the form of a weather forecast e.g. sunny, calm, cloudy, stormy or they could offer feedback using emotions e.g. sad, anxious, content, happy.

Step 3: If it is appropriate as part of their homework the children may be invited to Mindfulness Matters’ blog under the supervision of their parents to see the forecast at sunset and how the weather was in that moment. The sunset check-in may also be done in the classroom the following day.

Step 4: At the end of Seachtain na Gaeilge, March 17^th, it may be an interesting exercise to look at all of the photographs together. This can give a clear sense of how everything changes moment to moment.

Step 5: A weather and emotions chart may be created for the classroom as part of the experiment.

Further exploration:

• This project can be extended to include a lesson on Geography, Science, SPHE, an exploration of St. Patrick and perhaps further exploration ‘as Gaeilge’.

• Irish Weather Inside-Out Art project: The invitation may be to create a drawing/painting using Croagh Patrick and the weather to express an emotion. The child’s art work could then be titled in English and ‘as Gaeilge’. This is a creative way to learn about emotions, how they feel in mind and body and most importantly how they change from moment to moment. Remember an image speaks a thousand words!

Thank you for joining us in supporting the mental health of our children, teaching them about thoughts and emotions from the inside out and for encouraging them to ‘take a moment’ and to pause.

Please note: If you are experiencing mental/emotional challenges at present and/or feel uncomfortable checking your internal weather please refrain from participation in the Irish Weather Inside-Out challenge.