Mixing teaching and meditation is an unusual practice, but it works for Okanagan College teacherBrett Wade.

Wade helps his students lower their stress levels by offering quick guided meditations before each class.

The idea started when Wade noticed a difference in student behaviour.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e noticed over the last five years students are reporting higher levels of anxiety and stress. So I realized that I had to do something to settle students down prior to the exam,sa国际传媒� he said.

A guru of mindfulness, he worked on a technique to get students to be present in the moment.

After handing out the exams, he asked students to do a quick breathing practice to settle down the class. After the initial success of lowering test anxiety, it became a daily classroom practice.

sa国际传媒淲hat I found was that not only was it settling the class down, but I was getting reports from students that they were finding it to be so beneficial in their own lives,sa国际传媒� he said.

Second-year therapy assistant student Cailin Parry swears by his meditations.

She used to have test anxiety, but after learning some techniques with Wadesa国际传媒檚 help, she found meditating highly effective for her mental health.

sa国际传媒淚 suffered from anxiety and depression and Isa国际传媒檝e reached out to him more than a few times,sa国际传媒� saidParry.

The guided meditations have also calmed her before a test.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a sacred place for us to quiet our minds,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淲e feel blessed to be in his presence.sa国际传媒�

Thanks to Wade, Parry practices her own meditations.

sa国际传媒淚 was looking for an easy and gentle way to bring it into the classroom. Itsa国际传媒檚 interesting if I miss a daysa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檒l be the students who will remind me,sa国际传媒� said Wade.

He has been doing his own meditations for 20 years and said it doesnsa国际传媒檛 have to be a spiritual practice.

On Fridays, he also gives a free meditation class for staff and students that looks into the origins of meditation in addition to meditating.

sa国际传媒淟ook around the classroom and identify five things in your mind that you can see,sa国际传媒� he says to start the class by defining mindfulness.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 about the health benefits. Just a few minutes can provide a significant stress reduction,sa国际传媒� he said.

Wade owns a yoga/meditation studio called the Ekahi Centre on Water Street, where he offers meditation classes for free.