Starting in the 2019-20 school year, art teacher Juli Schuster is providing an opportunity in Room 2321 for students at WHS to relieve stress and anxiety through Mindful Movement, an after-school yoga class on Thursdays from 3:45-4:45.

“Mindful Movement are words I came up with to describe dynamic yoga method,” Schuster said. “You have to just close your eyes and listen to my voice, and then move your body according to what I’m telling you to do, and also moving to your breath.” 

Schuster noticed anxiety in many students and wanted to share this type of yoga with them after its breathing technique helped with her own anxiety in the past.

“You have one movement for one breath, so the slower that you breathe, the slower you move,” Schuster said. “It’s a very good way to get in tune with the way you’re feeling and to calm yourself down. Forcing yourself to focus only on your breath releases the mind from thinking about stressful things, or ruminating on things, so it’s just a way to tune in.”

Freshman Karlene Hoch participated in Mindful Movement and enjoys the benefits from dynamic yoga.

“It’s really relaxing and helps me clear my head,” Hoch said. “I like the focus on nothing because my brain usually likes to go a million miles per hour, so I can think better afterwards.”

Schuster has received positive feedback from other students in her classes so far and hopes to teach Mindful Movement district-wide in the future, as well as add relaxation at WHS beyond the after-school class.

“I think it would be great to have a room set up in the school as a meditation room,” Schuster said, “a quiet room with low lights and some soothing music, open all the time so that if people feel anxious, they can always come to that safe space and relax and practice some of the techniques we’ve learned in the class after school.”

Starting with the current Mindful Movement class, Schuster aims to spread the benefits of dynamic yoga and encourages all students to try it.

“It’s really changed my life, this technique that I’ve learned,” Schuster said. “I think it’s super helpful to people, especially if they’re anxious. Even if you don’t suffer from anxiety issues, it’s still a way to tune into yourself and forget about everything around you and just focus on your breath, which is pretty powerful.”