Exploring Awareness Through the Body (ATB) – A Teacher’s Journey

-SandhiyaBala, SivaguruPrasath and Nithya Santhosh

SAIIER Teachers’ Centre recently invited teachers to a three-day workshop series called ATB for Teachers, held on Saturdays- 19th & 26th July, and 2nd August 2025. The sessions were designed to help educators explore how attention, concentration, and relaxation can support both personal well-being and teaching practice.

The workshop introduced us to Awareness Through the Body (ATB) – a pedagogical approach that uses the body as a gateway to connect with oneself in a holistic, experiential way. Through movement, play, reflection, and breath, we explored how awareness can be developed intentionally in the classroom and life.

How the workshop helped us:

• Experience practical tools that enhance focus, relaxation, and emotional regulation.
• Understand the connection between body, mind, and emotions through engaging, fun activities.
• Reflect on how to integrate these tools into our own teaching and classroom practices.

Session Highlights

Each session brought new experiences and deeper awareness. Here are some of the activities we explored across the three Saturdays:

Session 1: Attention Through Movement

We began with activities that helped bring our focus to the present moment:

• Mirror game / Catching game: We paired up and mirrored each other’s movements with attention and care. A fun way to stay alert and responsive.
• Simon says: This game tested how well we listen and respond with awareness.
• Attention exercises: We explored “who is nearby?” and learned to direct focus inward and outward.
• Flat and turn movements: Coordinating our body movement with awareness.
• Monkey tail: A subtle movement to explore our spinal energy and flow.
• Plate and stick: We balanced a plate using a stick, first with eyes open, then with eyes closed – an exercise in stillness and concentration.

Session 2: Awareness of Emotions and Response
This session explored the connection between emotion, attention, and long-term memory.
We learned how emotion and information together create deeper memory.
We practiced maintaining connection, attention, and rapport with others.
Explored different types of breaks to reset attention:
Touching break – A calming pause using physical touch to reset our focus.
Freezing break – We suddenly froze in place to become aware of our body’s stillness.
Close box yoga – A quiet inward activity to return to our centre.
Played rhythm and focus-based games:
Click finger and count – A rhythm activity to sharpen attention.
Attention clap – We used synchronized clapping to train group attention.
Rise hand, lower volume – Coordinating voice with hand movements helped manage energy and awareness.
Copy rhythms and voice – We echoed sounds and rhythms to build listening and response skills.
Different action vs. saying – A playful test of focus when words and actions didn’t match.
Feel heartbeat with finger – We tuned into our body’s internal rhythm.
Clap and throw – A movement game combining timing and coordination.
Find objects on the wall – We visually scanned and focused attention to spot details.
Maze walks and bends – We moved around objects mindfully, like in a maze.
Find the killer game – A focus game requiring subtle observation and quick guessing.
Wolf game – A group game blending alertness and strategy.
Pull towel with toes – We used foot muscles with precision to complete a fun challenge.
Room direction game – We moved based on cues like birth month or clothing colour.
Music stops statue – We froze like statues as soon as the music stopped.
Bean bag game (toes/head) – We raced to occupy bean bags using different body parts.
Flower leg game (rain story) – We acted out a flower blooming in the rain using leg movements.
Sound coordination – We responded to different sounds with matching actions.
Bean bag on head – We practiced balance and posture with a bean bag on our head

Session 3: Reflection and Sensing
In this final part, we turned inward and explored subtle forms of awareness.
We drew the thoughts in our minds before and after the session – to reflect on our internal state.
We breathed with sound while walking and smelling a scent, bringing attention to the present.
We engaged in partner work, gently pushing each other with our shoulders, exploring boundaries and trust.

Reflection:

My name is Sandhiya BalaAnand, and I stand for courage, care and happiness for myself and others. The session helped me become more aware of how my body, breath, attention, and emotions are all connected. It was playful, yet deep. The games made learning enjoyable and helped us build focus, connection, and inner calm. Each activity reminded me that awareness can be cultivated through simple yet intentional movement and play.

My name is Sivaguruprasath, and I stand for Courage, Full potential, and equanimity for myself and others. In this ATB session, we come back to the body and focus on what we feel inside-like breath or touch. This helps our mind stay calm and clear. When we notice our body, we learn to pay attention. We become more aware of how we feel. This awareness helps us stay balanced. We learn to pause and choose how to act. Our focus becomes stronger. Our body helps us feel steady and safe. We start to know ourselves better, from the inside.

My name is Nithyasandhosh, and I deeply care about kindness and equality for myself and others. Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Awareness Through the Body (ATB) session at Transition School. It was a truly wonderful experience. The session introduced me to several activities that helped me develop greater concentration, inner joy, and a sense of aliveness. We engaged in a variety of games that were not only fun but also deeply refreshing. They awakened my energy and helped me return to a state of focus and efficiency. As I participated in the ATB exercises, I became more aware of my entire being my body, my emotions, and even the subtle shifts in my mental state. It was a powerful reminder of how important it is to stay present and connected to ourselves. I want to express my deep gratitude to the instructor, Francisco. He was truly an exceptional guide joyful, deeply knowledgeable, and full of playful wisdom. His way of teaching made learning feel light, meaningful, and enjoyable. He didn’t just teach us exercises—he helped us rediscover the joy of simply being aware and alive in each moment.