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Drawing by Tim  Iverson 
The brain and stress
Do you know your brain anatomy? Here's a sketch I made a few years ago in my notebook, inspired by the MindUp work of the  Hawn foundation. While understanding anatomy isn't crucial for practicing mindfulness, I do think it's helpful and fun to learn about how the brain functions in the fight-or-flight mode. It's especially relevant in our classrooms where we can show how mindfulness can impact brain functioning. Studies have even shown that mindfulness practice can have a positive effect on the amygdala, the core of our "alarm" response. Why wouldn't we want students to understand how their brains work?

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