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FearlessLeader19 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-18-2023, 11:08 PM

Dhruv knew that calling a meditation activity this early in the morning warranted the hazard that some of students would think the yoga mats would make an almost perfect bed for a nap. They would cross that bridge when they got there as they were too busy surveying the set up for today's activity from their cross legged position on their own vibrant purple purple mat at the front of the Arena.

A variety of coloured yoga mats spread at even distances across the floor? Check.

Cushioned, straight back chairs for those who preferred them? {Yes, this form of yoga can also be done on chairs}. Check.

Scented candles which gave off the attractive fragrance of a forest - slightly musty but mostly crisp and refreshing? Check.

Calming flute music from musicians of their home country, India, resonating softly throughout the Arena? Check.

All that was required were their students. Dhruv smoothed their loose light orange coloured shirt {which clashed violently with the purple yoga mat} as they await the the arrivals.

OOC: Hihihi!!! Welcome to our activity for this term! Have your charrie make themselves at home on either a mat or chair! There is plenty for them to react to in the Arena! <3

SilverTiger · 09-19-2023, 01:11 AM

Were mornings exactly Giselle’s cup of tea? Not particularly, but the newly-minted fourteen-year-old was still riding the high from her shared birthday with her siblings the day before. Plus, there was a healthy curiosity toward what kind of meditation the DADA professor was planning on trying to teach them. Considering she was fairly certain it was going to be entertaining, at the very least. The third year was convinced that it would prove impossible to keep things from devolving into chaos, just by virtue of how her classmates regularly acted. (Okay, mostly the Gryffindors, and it wasn’t Slytherin bias that led her to that conclusion by any means)

Did she intend on being one of the first to arrive? Maybe yes, maybe no, and the brunette wasn’t inclined to appease anyone’s curiosity on that matter. It gave her the best selection of places to sit, anyhow, and she gave Professor Khanna a brilliant smile as she beelined for a pink mat and delicately took a seat criss-cross on it. This almost reminded her of dance classes, in a weird way. Even the fire ones, which she was hoping mum and dad would agree to her finally taking now that she was fourteen. “Good morning, Professor”, she called out quietly. Just in case he preferred the music to loud greetings. It was possible, and besides, everyone liked respect.

*Kolyander* · 09-19-2023, 03:49 PM

These Professor's knew her all too well already. All these early morning lessons and activity's were just up her alley! Bryony skipped her way into the DADA classroom with a warm smile on her face and wiggly fingers ready to greet the man in charge. "Good morning, Professor Kanna!" Sorry, not sorry about her chirpiness so early, she was awake and in the best of moods!

Bright blue eyes scanned the room. She was here, now where was Aryan? Arriving at anything before him or not having him at her side was strange and she was half tempted to remain near the door and wait for him. However she knew he would show up sooner or later, therefore Bry headed towards one of the yoga mats near Giselle and sat herself down upon it. Hi, hi!" Cue the wiggle fingers!

MadMadamMalfoy · 09-19-2023, 06:19 PM

What was it with the professors and early Monday mornings this term? First Adara, now Khanna. Ordinarily Desiree would sleep in on a Monday, but DADA was one of the subjects necessary for her future Healer career. If there was a chance that this activity could teach her something useful, it would be worth the early wake up time! Besides, she was rather curious about this meditation activity. Did it need to be done at a certain time of day? Did one need to be sleepy for it to work?

Despite the early hour, Desiree was never too sleepy to put together a Disney-themed outfit for the occasion. Today she was channeling Moana in an orange patterned top that tied on one side and loose-fitting beige pants. Her curiosity grew as she entered the arena. Wow, so many interesting things in here! She liked the mats; they were so nice and colorful! She liked the flute music too… and the candles! She wondered if the candles had to be forest-scented for the meditation to work or would any scent do? She was partial to the scent of roses herself!

“Hi, Professor Khanna!” she said, accompanying the greeting with a friendly smile and wave. Her smile turned into a soft giggle at the orange shirt. Not that she was laughing at the professor’s fashion choice, of course. She was laughing because they’d both decided to wear orange today! What were the odds? “I like your shirt! Looks like we almost match.” Her shade of orange was a bit more reddish.

Orange with the purple mat, however… that color combination reminded her of something she’d seen in a book about 1980s fashion. Was that what Khanna was going for? As for her, she chose an orange mat to go with her top (though he was awfully tempted to pick a pink one). She sat down on her mat, greeting the other two girls (Giselle and Bryony) with a wave. “Hi!”

Norman was well used to mornings, being a habitual early riser himself. In fact, he got up over an hour ago and had already had his morning run and a light breakfast. With his usual morning routine accomplished, he proceeded to the dueling arena dressed in joggers and a faded sweatshirt bearing the MACUSA seal. His bluish-green eyes scanned the room, taking in the colorful mats, chairs, and candles. Khanna had certainly gone all out to provide a calming environment! “Good morning, Dhruv,” he greeted, nodding politely to his colleague.

The students likewise received nods of acknowledgement. “Good morning, Miss Barrington, Miss Paton, Miss Marchand.” Two Slytherins and a Hufflepuf so far. Hopefully some of his Ravenclaws would turn up soon! He took his place at a blue mat in the back and waited for the activity to begin.

He had to admit, he was more than a little curious about this activity. Defensive Studies had been one of his strongest subjects in school, and meditation had proved useful to him in his Auror days. Maybe the same would hold true for his daughter, he hoped! There was no doubt that Normandie had the courage required for the job, but she could be a little flighty. He’d have to pass the information he learned here on to her!

aRogueOne · 09-19-2023, 09:38 PM

Turning up to this activity was such a stupid idea and yet, here she was. There. Early. Her leggings on along with her grey hoodie and a pair of trainers, ready to spend a whole lesson trying to act all calm and flexible when in reality, she could barely touch her toes, which was saying something seeing as everyone her age seemed to be made like a cooked noodle.

As she walked in, her expression like thunder, Sloane ignored Professor Kanna and the annoying music that was echoing around the arena. Marching towards the mats that she assumed were for the students, she took an electric blue one that was behind Bryony, Giselle and Desiree and quietly took her place. As she sat down, she did briefly notice the presence of another teacher, Professor Carton, but he didn’t so much as get a brief glance. She was in no mood for socialising today. She was here. She’d turned up voluntarily, despite not wanting to, and now, she’d sit here and see if this stupid thing would improve her mood.

FearlessLeader19 · 09-20-2023, 07:46 PM

SPOILER!!: Giselle! <3

Having decided that everything was well set for the activity, Dhruv readjusted their posture by aligning his spine in a straight manner. In general, it was a posture they tried to inculcate daily since they had no intention of being a hunched old man in the future. Glancing towards the door of the Arena, a welcoming smile graced their face as they saw Ms. Barrington. They were quite pleased to see her settle in quickly. “Good morning, Ms. Barrington!’’ they called cheerfully. It was lovely to have her and her bright personality present.

SPOILER!!: Bry + a mention of Aryan, for her sake ;)

Speaking of bright personalities…

Hadleigh’s youngest made quite the entry, finger wiggles included. Dhruv lifted his right hand to return the wiggly greeting. “Ms. Paton, great to see you.” They had a feeling she was going to enjoy today’s activity, though she may falter at the bits where sitting still was needed. Let’s see… so Bryony was here which meant… ah, there he was. Aryan trailed in a minute later, awake and smiling but not looking too thrilled. Dhruv knew their friend’s son was not into such activities as meditation, but they hoped it would fare better than Aryan imagined. They watched the Slytherin boy go off to join Bryony.

SPOILER!!: Desiree & Carton!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy

What was it with the professors and early Monday mornings this term? First Adara, now Khanna. Ordinarily Desiree would sleep in on a Monday, but DADA was one of the subjects necessary for her future Healer career. If there was a chance that this activity could teach her something useful, it would be worth the early wake up time! Besides, she was rather curious about this meditation activity. Did it need to be done at a certain time of day? Did one need to be sleepy for it to work?

Despite the early hour, Desiree was never too sleepy to put together a Disney-themed outfit for the occasion. Today she was channeling Moana in an orange patterned top that tied on one side and loose-fitting beige pants. Her curiosity grew as she entered the arena. Wow, so many interesting things in here! She liked the mats; they were so nice and colorful! She liked the flute music too… and the candles! She wondered if the candles had to be forest-scented for the meditation to work or would any scent do? She was partial to the scent of roses herself!

“Hi, Professor Khanna!” she said, accompanying the greeting with a friendly smile and wave. Her smile turned into a soft giggle at the orange shirt. Not that she was laughing at the professor’s fashion choice, of course. She was laughing because they’d both decided to wear orange today! What were the odds? “I like your shirt! Looks like we almost match.” Her shade of orange was a bit more reddish.

Orange with the purple mat, however… that color combination reminded her of something she’d seen in a book about 1980s fashion. Was that what Khanna was going for? As for her, she chose an orange mat to go with her top (though he was awfully tempted to pick a pink one). She sat down on her mat, greeting the other two girls (Giselle and Bryony) with a wave. “Hi!”

Norman was well used to mornings, being a habitual early riser himself. In fact, he got up over an hour ago and had already had his morning run and a light breakfast. With his usual morning routine accomplished, he proceeded to the dueling arena dressed in joggers and a faded sweatshirt bearing the MACUSA seal. His bluish-green eyes scanned the room, taking in the colorful mats, chairs, and candles. Khanna had certainly gone all out to provide a calming environment! “Good morning, Dhruv,” he greeted, nodding politely to his colleague.

The students likewise received nods of acknowledgement. “Good morning, Miss Barrington, Miss Paton, Miss Marchand.” Two Slytherins and a Hufflepuf so far. Hopefully some of his Ravenclaws would turn up soon! He took his place at a blue mat in the back and waited for the activity to begin.

He had to admit, he was more than a little curious about this activity. Defensive Studies had been one of his strongest subjects in school, and meditation had proved useful to him in his Auror days. Maybe the same would hold true for his daughter, he hoped! There was no doubt that Normandie had the courage required for the job, but she could be a little flighty. He’d have to pass the information he learned here on to her!

“Hi, Ms. Marchand!’’ Dhruv greeted in return. Smiling, they surveyed Desiree through narrowed eyes {not the malicious type} as she giggled. Was she laughing at them? Did they forget to comb their hair? Was there something stuck to their nose? Oh, it was just their shirts. “I would say we coordinated quite nicely today, wouldn’t you? We should do this more often.” Dhruv winked.

Who said a professor couldn’t benefit greatly from what Dhruv planned today? They were pleased to see at least one colleague show up. “Hi, good morning, Norman! Glad to have you here.” Did they expect Norman to take a seat on a chair? Sort of. Then again, Dhruv too was what one might classify as ‘aging’ and they hadn’t chosen a chair to ease any back or knee problem they may be there.

SPOILER!!: Sloane! <3

It was not their imagination; clearly Sloane was not happy to be here. Dhruv considered giving her a warm greeting then decided against it. Perhaps their interaction with her would set her in an even deeper bad mood. They’d settle for keeping an eye on her throughout the activity’s progression.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Good morning, everyone!’’ Yes, it was that time of day, the time to get this activity going! “As the notices on the various Common Room notice boards would have indicated, our focus today will be on Concentration Meditation. This is one form of meditation and it is achieved by mentally focusing on an object, an image or a mantra.” They paused to let this sink in, during which time they cast a gaze around at the gathering. “The first aim of Concentration Meditation is to continuously guide your attention back to your chosen object, image or mantra when you find that your mind is beginning to wander. The second objective of this meditation form is, as the name suggests, to help you focus. This can be quite useful for those of us who are learning new spells, simply refamiliarising ourselves with old ones or…” Here their gaze drifted to Norman and the other professors present. “For some of us to give our full attention to those homework and essays that need to be graded.” Yes, even professors needed the occasional kick to get themselves back into gear.

“If you have any questions, you may ask them now. In the meanwhile, go ahead to select your object, image or mantra that you think will be best for you to focus on. The mantra does not have to be lengthy. It can be as simple as ‘chin up, shoulders back. You got this.’, a thought about how your favourite fictional character or characters would be proud of you for showing up today. The object can be one of the dummies in the Arena.” Dhruv waved a hand, directing their attention to the dummies along the wall behind them. “The image can be a flowing waterfall, a pumpkin pasty, basically whatever brings you calm. Go ahead, you have two minutes to make your selection.”

OOC: Thanks for the patience, lovelies! The activity has now commenced. Cannot wait to see what form of focus material your charries will choose {if they decide to

}. Credit for the ‘Chin up, shoulders back’ mantra goes to the TV series 9-1-1: Lone Star! It’s a mantra I adopted from one of the main character’s dialogues and it helps, trust me! For the fictional character mantra, it can be something along the line of “T. K & Carlos are proud of you, Alicia. They’re proud of how well you’re trying.” This mantra is obviously the one I use but feel free to tweak it if you would like to!

aRogueOne · 09-21-2023, 08:41 PM

As the Professor started the activity, Sloane sat on her mat with her arms and her legs folder. The floor was almost as cold as her mood it seemed because she couldn’t help but shiver slightly as she listened, despite the thickness of her hoodie. As she listened to the Professor discuss the activity, her mind often went wandering, mainly back to how cold she was, although that could have been the start of a cold coming. Naturally, when she’d managed to wrestle her thoughts back into check and back on the activity, she’d missed the majority of the explanation.

Hearing something about focusing on a mantra or an image, Sloane focused on what she wanted more than anything in the world right now.

A nice, warm cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and some whipped cream.

The issue with this however is that…well…she couldn’t imagine anything in her head. She knew that some people had the mental capacity to be able to imagine full images of colour and detail in their heads. To be able to picture the hot chocolate, down to the steam coming off, the condensation around the cup and the toasted marshmallows on top. She however could picture nothing but darkness.

Sighing, more so because she had to unfurl her hands from around herself, Sloane raised her right hand and waited for the Professors attention before talking. “I can’t visualise things in my head. Does that mean I need to keep thinking the same sentence over and over?” because that sounded a little stupid to the first year. She knew the Professor had said as much but the whole thing just confused her. How was thinking the same thing over and over really going to help? It just seemed like a waste of time, which was one of the reasons why she’d turned up. Things that she didn’t understand simply kept her awake at night.

*Holmesian Feline* · 09-22-2023, 01:54 AM

Having taken a spot on of the free purple mats, Nadia had stretched a moment before settling in place as Professor Khanna had gathered their attention for the meditation. Listening curiously to what was being said, the Gryffindor wondered just what she could work with. What she could focus on. Admittedly she wasn’t normally one to stay still and grounded for very long outside of actual lessons and meals. Her gaze flickered every so slightly at the dummies the professor had mentioned, shaking her head giving up on that idea.

Instead she closed her eyes and tried to let her mind quiet and think of something that might be of interest. Mantra….image….it didn’t really matter to her.

--------------------

Mornings could be a challenge for someone who worked primarily in the evenings and Celeste it was no different. Thankfully though she hadn’t had a late night class the day before so it hadn’t been too much of a fight to be up for her colleague’s chosen activity. Maybe just a teensy weensy one that had required a nice mug of hot chocolate beforehand to wake one up. And caused the astronomy professor to be just a touch late, slipping quietly into the cozy room even as Dhruv was starting everything.

At least it was something easy and didn’t require too much moving like some of the outdoor fun could be. And yes, she opted to take a seat in one of the chairs, but she would deny it was because she was of a certain age thank you very much. Nope, she was just concerned she would be one of the ones falling to sleep if she got too comfy on the floor. Settled in place, Celeste worked on picking something to focus on. For her, the night skies gave her calm but trying to settle on one piece might be difficult so she opted on a saying or mantra.

SIC ITUR AD ASTRA…Be of courage, thus is the way to the stars. Fitting for a former Gryffindor astronomer.

*Kolyander* · 09-22-2023, 02:25 PM

Where there was a Bryony, there was her Aryan at her side. Sure, he wasn't thrilled about the morning's activity buuuuuuuuut he was here with her and that's the important thing. And it had to show on her face through the bright smile that was plastered there. He knew how happy it made her to have him at her side at all times. Especially times where she knew she would have to be calm, something she wasn't always best at. Yet, here she was willing to give this whole meditation thing a try.

Bryony blinked at Professor Khanna as he spoke. Was he speaking directly to her?! Because it sure appeared that way in her young eleven year old head. Had he been speaking to her mama about her struggles to focus on tasks that really weren't high up on her 'fun' meter? Being constantly loud and always feeling like she had to be moving made it very difficult to remain on any one task for all that long.. unless it was one that involved her constantly moving around. Hence her deep passion for ninja warrior training.

Anyhow, she did her very best to listen to all that was being said. Her small frame straightened up and she placed her hands into her lap.. well that was until her hand shot up into the air. She had a question! "We can focus on a person then, yes?" Bryony had one person set in mind that generally almost always helped calm her no matter the situation. "Or would it be best if it wasn't an actual person and was something else entirely like iced coffee out in the garden or cuddling with Bacon my Jarvey." She needed to know what she was focusing on! There was so many things to choose from!

FearlessLeader19 · 09-23-2023, 07:04 PM

SPOILER!!: Sloane!

Dhruv always ensured that their classroom and Arena were warm but they knew that everyone’s body temperature varied. Sloane simply needed to make mention of her uncomfortableness and they would do their best to remedy it. As they spoke, their head turned in various directions of the Arena, an effort to keep the students and professors in their view. But it slipped their notice that the young Slytherin had zoned out for a bit. “You can try a mantra. The important thing is that you feel those words within you. Just repeating them if you lack the belief would mean the mantra would serve no purpose.” Dhruv paused for a bit. “It’s quite okay if you start out not believing. The trick is to repeat the mantra mentally and slowly. Put focus on each word and each time you repeat the mantra, say it with a little more force.”

SPOILER!!: Nadia & Celeste!

Their friend’s daughter seemed to be settled in well. There was curiosity about what Nadia would choose. From what Dhruv knew about the family, there were a host of things to do so from: Quidditch, the Reserve & the respective creatures there, her family in general. Yes, plenty of things. Of course mantra and images were there in competition for the girl’s attention as well.

Celeste had selected a chair, Dhruv noticed. It had nothing to do with her age, they were sure, as she was as sprite as one can be. There was curiosity on their part for what form she’d choose to focus on. The rather colourful Veli Nebula came to mind immediately.

SPOILER!!: Bry!

Dhruv had indeed been talking to Hadleigh about such things, but not as Bryony suspected. The topic of Bryony’s difficulty in concentration only came up because Dhruv had had a discussion with some of his colleagues about what they thought of the students’ ability to focus during lessons. “A person is fine,’’ Dhruv replied, lips twitching as they determinedly did not glance at Aryan. “Whatever keeps you calm and makes you happy, Ms. Paton.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Now!’’ Dhruv continued brightly. “It has come to that wonderful time when we need to put our bodies in the right posture so that we may put what we have just spoken about into practice!’’ How exciting, right? They did so love a good meditation session. “As you can see, I’m already sitting in the appropriate position. So, for those of you on the yoga mats, please ensure your legs are crossed and each hand is lightly grasping your corresponding knee. Your back must be straight! If you’re seated on chairs, your knees and back must be straight so that your feet rest flat on the floor. Palms should rest flat on knees.”

Dhruv allowed two or three minutes for the gathering to adjust themselves into the required posture. “Wonderful effort so far, everyone!” they commended after a while. “Next, take two or three deep breaths then close your eyes. It is important that you relax your muscles but it is also important that you keep your back straight.” They fell silent, a watchful eye on everyone before him. Surely the lovely forest-y scene would help with the inhalation and relaxation?

OOC: Thanks for posting, everyone! Your charries are doing great so far! <3

*PhoenixRising* · 09-24-2023, 04:30 AM

Emma wasn't particularly keen on early morning meditation .... unless it involved some nutritious eggs, potatoes, bacon ... which was pretty much all she could think about when Professor Khanna said something about choosing a mantra.

A pumpkin pasty sounded good as the object to focus on. Although all this focus on food was making her tummy rumble and she just hoped it wasn't loud enough that others heard ~~although it was entirely possible that those next to her would have heard~~ Cracking her eye open slightly she bit her lower lip apologetically as she sat copying Khanna's position on her own yoga mat. Although she definitely felt much more restless. Sitting still was not really her cup of tea, which meant that her knees were definitely jiggling up and down from being antsy.

lazykitty · 09-25-2023, 09:35 AM

This particular Hufflepuff was having trouble focusing on a mantra, object or anything else. Why? Because she was distracted by the clash of colors at the front of the classroom in the form of Professor Khanna's orange shirt and purple yoga mat. They looked like Halloween threw up on them, did they know? But then again, her house's color combo tended to suggest bees, so she couldn't really say anything. But it was still distracting and therefore not really conducive to meditation. Kalie did cross her legs, sit up straight, close her eyes and try though, she really did.

Wait.....who's stomach was grumbling?

MadMadamMalfoy · 09-25-2023, 10:22 PM

Desiree noticed Khanna’s eyes narrow. Oh, no! Did they think she was insulting them? She was about to apologize when they spoke again. No? Whew, thank goodness! “I’d say so too!” she replied with another soft giggle.

From her place on the orange mat, she waved at the other girls who arrived after her (Sloane, Nadia, Emma, and Kalie), and a wave for Professors Gert and Carton too. She paid close attention as the activity began. Concentration meditation? That sounded hard! She hoped it wouldn’t be as hard as it sounded! When Professor Khanna mentioned favorite fictional characters, Desiree’s thoughts turned to Belle (her favorite Disney character) and Jane Eyre (her favorite non-Disney character). Would they be proud of her? She wasn’t sure she deserved it, but it gave her warm fuzzies to think about it.

When the time came to choose an image or mantra, one immediately came to mind. It was a line from a Disney movie and something she strived to do every day: Have courage and be kind. That mantra made her think of Cinderella and butterflies, pretty purple ones like her dad’s old Beauxbatons house mascot, and - No, focus on the mantra!

Have courage and be kind, she repeated in her mind until Khanna gave the next set of instructions. She was already sitting cross-legged, but she adjusted her position to better match the professor’s. Straightening her posture, she rested her hands on her knees. After taking three deep breaths, she closed her eyes. Merlin, she hoped she wouldn’t fall asleep with that soothing flute music in the background!

Despite approaching his 52nd birthday in a couple of months, Norman was in decent shape for his age. More to the point, he wasn’t the type to take the easy way out. If the students were doing this activity on mats, so would he. “Thank you. Glad to be here,” he replied with a slight smile in Dhruv’s direction. There may have been another smile at the mention of paying attention to grading homework. Yes, even professors could get distracted; that much was true.

Speaking of distraction, he greeted the other arrivals (Sloane, Nadia, Emma, Kalie & Gert) with a polite nod so as not to cause one by talking over his colleague. He listened intently to the directions, mentally filing the information away to pass along to his daughter later. Focus on an object, image, or mantra… He lacked the eloquence to come up with a good mantra, so he chose a calming image instead. Specifically, the woods behind his childhood home. Lush green grass, warm sun peeking through the trees, leaves rustling in the wind…

It seemed all too soon that Dhruv’s voice jerked him out of that thought. With only some minor difficulty, he got into the appropriate cross-legged position, sitting with his back straight and one hand on each knee. One deep breath in and out, then another, and another. Usually in large gatherings such as this, Norman’s eyes would be constantly scanning the area for anything odd or dangerous (an old habit left over from his Auror days), but he allowed them to close after the third breath. Please don’t make him regret that decision, kids!

FearlessLeader19 · 09-27-2023, 02:17 AM

SPOILER!!: Emma! <3

In their scan of the Arena, it was easy to spot that Emma was restless. Though Dhruv hadn't heard her tummy, they could understand the fidgeting: some humans just had way too much energy in them. In many cases, this would be a good thing but for meditation, not so much. “Have you selected your object of focus, Ms. Montmorency?” Or did she need some more time? “Deep, slow breaths. It will help keep that restlessness at bay,’’ they added gently.

SPOILER!!: Kalie! <3

Dhruv suspected that they may look… peculiar with their colours but by the time they had registered this, they had been too lazy to swap mats. In any case, they did like the occasional vibrant colour that catches everyone's eyes. The situation just might work, in their mind, that the students keep their focus on them. Though Kalie might have been distracted, her posture was wonderful and Dhruv silently approved.

SPOILER!!: Desiree & Norman! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy

Desiree noticed Khanna’s eyes narrow. Oh, no! Did they think she was insulting them? She was about to apologize when they spoke again. No? Whew, thank goodness! “I’d say so too!” she replied with another soft giggle.

From her place on the orange mat, she waved at the other girls who arrived after her (Sloane, Nadia, Emma, and Kalie), and a wave for Professors Gert and Carton too. She paid close attention as the activity began. Concentration meditation? That sounded hard! She hoped it wouldn’t be as hard as it sounded! When Professor Khanna mentioned favorite fictional characters, Desiree’s thoughts turned to Belle (her favorite Disney character) and Jane Eyre (her favorite non-Disney character). Would they be proud of her? She wasn’t sure she deserved it, but it gave her warm fuzzies to think about it.

When the time came to choose an image or mantra, one immediately came to mind. It was a line from a Disney movie and something she strived to do every day: Have courage and be kind. That mantra made her think of Cinderella and butterflies, pretty purple ones like her dad’s old Beauxbatons house mascot, and - No, focus on the mantra!

Have courage and be kind, she repeated in her mind until Khanna gave the next set of instructions. She was already sitting cross-legged, but she adjusted her position to better match the professor’s. Straightening her posture, she rested her hands on her knees. After taking three deep breaths, she closed her eyes. Merlin, she hoped she wouldn’t fall asleep with that soothing flute music in the background!

Despite approaching his 52nd birthday in a couple of months, Norman was in decent shape for his age. More to the point, he wasn’t the type to take the easy way out. If the students were doing this activity on mats, so would he. “Thank you. Glad to be here,” he replied with a slight smile in Dhruv’s direction. There may have been another smile at the mention of paying attention to grading homework. Yes, even professors could get distracted; that much was true.

Speaking of distraction, he greeted the other arrivals (Sloane, Nadia, Emma, Kalie & Gert) with a polite nod so as not to cause one by talking over his colleague. He listened intently to the directions, mentally filing the information away to pass along to his daughter later. Focus on an object, image, or mantra… He lacked the eloquence to come up with a good mantra, so he chose a calming image instead. Specifically, the woods behind his childhood home. Lush green grass, warm sun peeking through the trees, leaves rustling in the wind…

It seemed all too soon that Dhruv’s voice jerked him out of that thought. With only some minor difficulty, he got into the appropriate cross-legged position, sitting with his back straight and one hand on each knee. One deep breath in and out, then another, and another. Usually in large gatherings such as this, Norman’s eyes would be constantly scanning the area for anything odd or dangerous (an old habit left over from his Auror days), but he allowed them to close after the third breath. Please don’t make him regret that decision, kids!

Oh, no! Dhruv knew Desiree well enough to reason that she wasn’t being insulting. Just as they knew she was quite a diligent student and more than capable of following instructions. She too got an approving look from them though, of course, she could not see it.

Norman’s object of concentration was one that Dhruv would wildly approve of. And it was rather nice to see his colleague so focused yet relaxed at the same time. Yes, Norman, there was absolutely nothing over which you needed to worry about. Just do you.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“No need to open your eyes just yet but wonderful attempts, everyone!” Dhruv commended. There was a hint of pride in their voice. There was nothing more rewarding than seeing a class {even if it was for the most part} advancing in what was being taught. Not wanting to occupy too much of the gathering’s concentration time, they dished out the final bit of instructions.

“Continue breathing through your nostrils but now we will time it: in for three seconds, hold for four, breathe out for three. We will repeat this step for a few more times until you feel yourselves slip into a deeper state of calmness. But please! No falling asleep!” Dhruv chuckled softly, thinking that this definitely might happen to at least one student and even a colleague. “Let’s practice that breathing pattern then. On the count of three, we will breathe in for three seconds. One, two, three. Breathe in! One second, two seconds, three seconds… hold for four! One second, two seconds, three, seconds, four seconds. Finally, breathe out for three! One second, two seconds, three seconds.” That wasn’t bad, was it? “We’ll repeat that for a few more times. Annnnd, off we go!” The exact patterns were repeated with Dhruv counting each second as before.

“Now that we have gotten the hang of that, the next step is to simultaneously focus on your chosen object, picture or mantra and your breathing. However, at this point, it’s okay to not follow the pattern we just practiced as you should be remarkably relaxed and calm by now.” Hopefully. “It’s just important that they breathe deeply and at a pace you’re comfortable with. Your goal should be to brush away all intruding thoughts and keep focus on your object of focus.” This was all easier said than done, they knew, but making attempts was what was important.

OOC: We're into the final stretch now, guys!

*Kolyander* · 09-29-2023, 08:17 PM

Having the proper confirmation from Professor Dhruv was all that this tiny blonde needed. Now that she knew she could focus on a person, it was a done deal. No looks were given and no names needed to be said. Anyone that knew anything, would know who she would be focusing on right then. Her person. The one person that could always center her and help her find the calm in and situation. And like most days, he was right at her side.

Now it was time to follow along with Dhruv's instructions. Criss cross apple sauce. Check. Hands on her knees. Check. Back straight. Erm... a few little wiggles and now it was! So check! Slow deep breaths and then Bry was closing her bright blue eyes. Relax her muscles, she could do that. She was used to that from her trainings.

Clearing her head was a little tougher. It took several long moments to get her focus on her mind. It was a good thing she choose what she did! This made it somewhat easier to picture much clearer in her mind.

When it came to breathing, this was easy. Okay, it was easy at first. Maybe the first one or two times but the longer it went on the tougher it became. Sitting still for this long and not moving.. it was much harder than it looked! How many times she had lost count in her own head, she wasn't sure! Did she peek one of her eyes open once or umm possibly three times at some point to see what everyone else was doing? She most certainly did!

This was going to take some serious work if she had any plans at all of using this as a go to for calming purposes.

aRogueOne · 09-29-2023, 09:36 PM

Slowly, the more she was in the room, she did begin to warm up a little which may or may not have correlated with a brief improvement in her mood. Taking the professors advice in, she simply nodded in reply to him as she sat there, trying her best to focus on something, anything that might help her not get distracted by the smallest, most insignificant thing. Slowly in her head, she started repeating one of the lame saying that one of her old teachers used to say before she left school.

If it’s to be, it’s up to me.

As she repeated it for the first time, she inwardly cringed so hard it caused her to shiver, which wasn’t too bad as it wasn’t a shiver from the cold, but still. Following the next set of instructions, Sloane did her best to cross her lefts and straighten her back. It did feel like a little uncomfortable but she did manage to keep the correct posture…eventually. Somehow, the professors’ instructions seemed to be quite contradictors. How could she sit up straight and also relax? They seemed like two very opposite things to the first year Slytherin but she did as she was instructed. She even did the breathing!

No sooner had she managed this was she then being told to do something else. Eyes closed, she clenched her teeth and waited for the next instruction, only to be told to keep them closed! Breathing deeply, she continued to follow the instructions, holding her breath for three seconds and then exhaling, albeit a little aggressively. She wasn’t relaxed or calm but focused she was…on thoughts of what was she going to have for lunch! As she breathed, her mind flitted from sausage, potatoes and gravy to pizza and lots and lots of cheese. She hadn’t quite managed to really focus on anything…until now! Who knew that food helped her focus. Sitting there, almost at the end of the session, she was now slightly calmer and a little more focused. It was a miracle.

FearlessLeader19 · 09-30-2023, 12:50 AM

SPOILER!!: Bry! <3

Bryony need not say anything; Dhruv already knew. They suspected everyone gathered knew who her chosen person was; no doubt even the boy himself did. Aside from choosing her object of focus, the Slytherin easily got into positions and it seemed was having no trouble following the instructions. Ninja Warrior Training clearly went hand-in-hand with meditation as they both required high levels of dedication and patience. Until it came to focusing, it seemed.

Hello, there! “Caught you, Ms. Paton,’’ Dhruv called out as softly as they could so that Bryony would be able to hear them but at the same time there would be minimal disturbances to those close by. “Eyes closed, please. Surely you can’t have that much trouble focusing on Ar- I mean, your person.” The professor really did had to work extra hard so as to not burst out laughing at his almost- slip up.

SPOILER!!: Sloane! <3

Oh? What was that shiver about? Dhruv was about to query it but something about Sloane’s posture and the way she kept her eyes closed told Dhruv that the young Slytherin was determined, or at least trying to, follow the instructions. They therefore bit back their words and instead watched her adjust. The breathing was a little harsh but they were nevertheless hopeful that Sloane was at least concentrating.

After a bit, they decided to leave her be as there seemed to be no complaints at the moment. Nicely done, Sloane!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“We’ll keep going for a few more minutes. Wonderful attempts so far, everyone!” Dhruv himself, of course, was not following their own instructions as they were too busy keeping an eye on everyone. They allowed silence to reign in the Arena as the minutes ticked by. This aspect of the activity could lead in different directions, much like every situation in life. Dhruv knew that the longer the students and his colleagues sat there, the odds increased in favour of them becoming more fidgety, their feet cramping, their back hurting or something of the physical sort. Mentally, their thoughts could wander and not settle again. All this was based on Dhruv’s own experiences.

When a sufficiently lengthy period of time had elapsed, Dhruv spoke up again. “You may open your eyes slowly. Take a deep breath and you may now shift your posture.” They gave everyone time to do exactly this while they themself settled their hands behind them, face down, before leaning on them. “This sort of meditation can be exceptionally useful during your lessons when you are feeling stressed and unable to hone in on your spellwork. Or in any other stressful situation for that matter. So I urge you to put Concentration Meditation into use whenever the need arises.”

They gave them all a smile. “With that, we have come to the end of the activity. Thank you for attending! Should you want to practice longer or at another time, the yoga mats will remain in the Arena if you would like to borrow one. Have a productive rest of your day!”

OOC: Eeee! Thanks for sticking it out with us, guys

I shall leave the thread open until Monday 2nd October, 2023 for you to finish things off, if you like <3

*Kolyander* · 09-30-2023, 02:53 PM

Anyone that didn't know who she was using as her focus was silly. Aryan was her safe space. Her calm. The boy in mention may not have known this himself but it was all very much true.

Correct he was, Professor Dhruv's! Focus was not her strongest suit. At least not when focusing had to do with her remaining completely still. If she was able to move, now that would've been a very different story!

Ah! She had been caught! Hehe. Which could only mean.. that the professor had his eyes open too! Hello, Sir! Bryony tried not to giggle as her bright eyes came to meet his much darker ones. "Sorry.." she answered softly, her eyes closing as she said the word. "It honestly is though. Normally I get to look at my focus point when I need to." She also got to reach out and grab his hand but she wouldn't be doing that right now, least she make Aryan lose his own focus! And she heard that Sir! Don't mind her while she stifles yet ANOTHER giggle.

A few more minutes?! Well alrighty then. Dhruv's was really trying to push her to her limits this morning, wasn't he? Bryony was up for the challenge. She was always up for a challenge! Many more slow deep breaths were taken as she continued to try her very best to remain focused and not open her eyes again. Small fingers occasionally curled up around the fabric of her pants before another calming breath was taken and her hands would open once more. This was going to take some time to learn, that much was for sure.

No time was wasted in opening her eyes. A very deep breath being taken as she moved to shift her weight more comfortably now. Bry turned her gaze to the side to see how Ary had done, had he fared any better at this than she had? With a soft smile she slowly got to her feet offering him a hand up as she normally did. "This was much harder than it looks. I don't know how people can sit quietly like that for so long without moving at all.. it's very.. exhausting!" This was said to Professor Dhruv's but not at all meant in a bad way. It was simply how she had felt about it. It was helpful, yes, but also difficult to get used to.

FearlessLeader19 · Yesterday, 12:32 AM

SPOILER!!: Bry! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kolyander

Anyone that didn't know who she was using as her focus was silly. Aryan was her safe space. Her calm. The boy in mention may not have known this himself but it was all very much true.

Correct he was, Professor Dhruv's! Focus was not her strongest suit. At least not when focusing had to do with her remaining completely still. If she was able to move, now that would've been a very different story!

Ah! She had been caught! Hehe. Which could only mean.. that the professor had his eyes open too! Hello, Sir! Bryony tried not to giggle as her bright eyes came to meet his much darker ones. "Sorry.." she answered softly, her eyes closing as she said the word. "It honestly is though. Normally I get to look at my focus point when I need to." She also got to reach out and grab his hand but she wouldn't be doing that right now, least she make Aryan lose his own focus! And she heard that Sir! Don't mind her while she stifles yet ANOTHER giggle.

A few more minutes?! Well alrighty then. Dhruv's was really trying to push her to her limits this morning, wasn't he? Bryony was up for the challenge. She was always up for a challenge! Many more slow deep breaths were taken as she continued to try her very best to remain focused and not open her eyes again. Small fingers occasionally curled up around the fabric of her pants before another calming breath was taken and her hands would open once more. This was going to take some time to learn, that much was for sure.

No time was wasted in opening her eyes. A very deep breath being taken as she moved to shift her weight more comfortably now. Bry turned her gaze to the side to see how Ary had done, had he fared any better at this than she had? With a soft smile she slowly got to her feet offering him a hand up as she normally did. "This was much harder than it looks. I don't know how people can sit quietly like that for so long without moving at all.. it's very.. exhausting!" This was said to Professor Dhruv's but not at all meant in a bad way. It was simply how she had felt about it. It was helpful, yes, but also difficult to get used to.

“That’s alright.” Truly, Dhruv knew how difficult it was to mentally focus on something, especially when there were always intruding thoughts. “You may take a quick glance at that person er, if he or she is present.” They wiggled their brows in response to all that giggling. They admired that the youngest Paton was in such a great mood.

The DADA professor was rather pleased to see that the Slytherin had done her best to sit still. Aryan did well too, the boy having much more luck at staying quiet and still. They couldn’t help but wonder what he had been focusing up. Dhruv watched as Aryan took hold of Bryony’s hand and got to his feet too. “It is difficult. But like with many things, it takes practice. That’s why you constantly have Ninja Warrior Training, is it not?” Dhruv smiled at the pair. “You both did well. I’m sure Mr. Atreyu-Rehman will aid you in future meditation sessions, Ms. Paton.”

OOC: Thank you for participating! I’ll now be closing the thread! <3

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