Guided Teacher Script

To begin, find a nice comfortable spot to relax in. Pick somewhere quiet where you feel safe and cosy. You can either sit down with your back against something hard like the back of the chair or a wall, or you can lie down and place your hands on your tummy.

Today you are going to imagine heading outside. You get your cosy jacket, you put it on and you zip it up. The jacket feels smooth against your skin and its squishy padding feels like a hug! You head outside.

You walk along until you see a comfortable place to sit. It is not too hot or too cold today. You begin to listen to the wind.

The wind is gently blowing today and you can hear the leaves on the trees rustle as their branches move and sway with the wind. You listen closely to this as it almost sounds as if the leaves are whispering to each other.  I wonder what they would say?

In the Autumn ti me the wind sounds different as the leaves fall from the trees to dance with the wind for a while. As they swoosh the dry leaves crinkle, they bob along the ground as the wind blows them all over the garden, the footpath and beyond!

As you are listening you hear the sounds of children playing nearby, they are giggling and joking together. You can hear their feet running and the ball bouncing on the tarmac. They are playing a game. I wonder what game they are playing?

In the Wintertime the wind blows strong and fast. Sometimes the wind blows during a storm. We listen to the wind tucked safely up in our beds. The wind can blow so hard that it moves the garden furniture and turns the trampoline upside down!

Sometimes snowflakes travel on the wind. When that happens we see the snowflakes falling in different ways-swirling in circles if the wind is blowing strongly and falling slow and soft  if there is no wind that day.

In the Springtime the birds can be heard all over Ireland. Some birds like to sing to each other. Others make very little noise but we can hear them as they swoop by. We sometimes hear the beat of their wings as they fly by gliding effortlessly on the wind.

Suddenly the wind stops. You listen for it, you concentrate hard but it is not there. The air is calm. It is now very quiet.  You get up from your spot outside and you walk back home. 

Begin to become aware of what sounds you can hear now, around you. Sounds you can hear far away, sounds that are close by. Begin to help your body to wake up now by wiggling your fingers and your toes, your ankles and your wrists. Take a deep breath in and stretch your arms up overhead. As you breathe out lower your arms and give yourself a big squeezy hug!

Slowly open your eyes. Notice what sounds you can hear throughout the day and remember your nice calm breath if you hear any!

Have a lovely day. Slán go fóill!

Emma Uí Ríordáin,
Primary Health and Wellbeing Advisor,
PDST