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Teen Practice

A Self Inquiry Practice can provide teenagers with tools to understand their inner experiences, release mental and emotional blockages, and cultivate a state of peace and inner freedom. The program can help teens recognize that they don’t have to be defined by their thoughts, emotions, or life circumstances, giving them a foundation to handle stress, uncertainty, and the challenges of adolescence with greater resilience and clarity.

Overview

Duration

Goal

To empower teens to develop a deeper understanding of their inner world, cultivate emotional resilience, and find a sense of freedom beyond the ups and downs of daily life.

Core Components

  • Self-observation and awareness practices to recognize thoughts and emotions without attachment

  • Exercises in letting go of fears, doubts, and insecurities

  • Techniques to understand and release emotional patterns and mental tension

  • Reflection and journaling activities to reinforce insights

  • Emphasis on building self-compassion, acceptance, and connection with a larger perspective

Program Structure

8 weeks, with weekly 60-minute sessions

Session 1

Understand the
"Inner World"

Purpose: Introducing the concept of the “inner world” where thoughts, emotions, and experiences arise.
dark-skinned woman in loose yoga clothing sitting on a rock. she is facing a scenic mounta

Activities

  • Overview of the concept of Self inquiry learning that peace comes from within, not from external circumstances.

  • Guided exercise: Observe the flow of thoughts for a few minutes, without judgment.

  • Discussion on how thoughts and emotions are constantly changing and are separate from who they truly are.

Homework

Start a “Thought & Emotion Journal” to write down a few things they notice about their inner world each day.

Om Pose

Session 2

Observing Without Attachement

Guiding teens how to observe thoughts and emotions without getting “tangled up” in them.
dark-skinned woman in loose yoga clothing sitting on a rock. she is facing a scenic mounta

Activities

  • Introduce mindfulness as a way to create space between themselves and their thoughts/emotions.

  • Guided meditation: Observing thoughts like clouds passing in the sky.

  • Group discussion on noticing when they tend to get “pulled into” their thoughts and emotions.

Homework

Practice observing one challenging thought or emotion each day, writing about it in their journal.

Session 3

Letting Go of the need to Control

Guiding teens recognize and release the desire to control their inner or outer experiences.
dark-skinned woman in loose yoga clothing sitting on a rock. she is facing a scenic mounta

Activities

  • Introduction to the concept of surrender: trusting that they don’t have to control everything to be okay.

  • Self-reflection exercise: Identify situations where they feel anxious about needing control.

  • Visualization: Imagine letting go of these “control-based” thoughts like leaves floating down a stream.

Homework

Choose one small thing each day to let go of, whether it’s a worry or a “need to know,” and note how they feel.

Om Pose

Session 4

Recognizing the Patterns of the Mind

Guiding teens understand that their minds often repeat patterns and stories that don’t define them.
dark-skinned woman in loose yoga clothing sitting on a rock. she is facing a scenic mounta

Activities

  • Discussion on the mind’s tendency to repeat familiar thoughts or react to situations in predictable ways.

  • Group reflection on recurring thoughts, such as “I’m not good enough” or “What if something bad happens?”

  • Practice noticing these patterns and questioning them: “Is this really true?”

Homework

Notice any repeating thought patterns throughout the week, recording them in their journal.

Session 5

Exploring the Experience of “Being Present”

Introducing teens to the practice of staying present and centred, even during stressful moments.
dark-skinned woman in loose yoga clothing sitting on a rock. she is facing a scenic mounta

Activities

  • Guided mindfulness exercise focused on the breath, bringing attention to the present moment.

  • Group discussion on what makes it difficult to “stay present,” such as distractions or anxieties.

  • Reflect on a recent stressful moment and discuss how being present might have changed the experience.

Homework

Practice returning to the present moment by focusing on the breath whenever they feel overwhelmed or distracted.

Om Pose

Session 6

Moving Beyond Fear and Insecurity

Guiding teens in understanding that they can observe and release fear without letting it control them.
dark-skinned woman in loose yoga clothing sitting on a rock. she is facing a scenic mounta

Activities

  • Discussion on fear and insecurity as natural emotions that everyone experiences.

  • Group reflection on specific fears or insecurities and how they usually respond to them.

  • Visualization exercise: Imagine their fears as bubbles that they can gently let go of, one at a time.

Homework

Identify one fear or insecurity they experience during the week, practice letting it go, and journal about how it felt.

Session 7

The Power of Acceptance and Self-Compassion

Guiding teens the importance of accepting themselves and their experiences with compassion.
dark-skinned woman in loose yoga clothing sitting on a rock. she is facing a scenic mounta

Activities

  • Introduction to self-compassion: understanding that it’s okay to feel difficult emotions and make mistakes.

  • Guided meditation focused on self-kindness, sending positive intentions toward themselves.

  • Group discussion on what self-compassion means to them and how it can help in difficult times.

Homework

Practice self-compassion by writing down one positive or kind thing about themselves each day.

Om Pose

Session 8

Integrating Awareness into Daily Life

Encourage teens to carry forward the practices they’ve learned to live in a more peaceful and present state.
dark-skinned woman in loose yoga clothing sitting on a rock. she is facing a scenic mounta

Activities

  • Review of key practices and insights from the past eight weeks.

  • Discussion on how they can continue observing their thoughts, letting go, and practicing self-compassion.

  • Closing visualization: Imagining a future self who lives with a sense of peace and ease.

Take-Home Guide

A summary sheet with mindfulness practices, journaling prompts, and reminders for living untethered.

Key Techniques and Tools

  • Mindful Observation: Learning to observe thoughts and emotions without judgment, creating distance between themselves and their inner world.

  • Surrender and Letting Go: Practicing letting go of the need to control or understand everything, creating space for acceptance and peace.

  • Present-Moment Awareness: Focusing on the breath or the present experience to stay grounded, reducing stress and distraction.

  • Self-Compassion Exercises: Cultivating kindness toward oneself, even when they feel challenged or insecure.

  • Emotional Release: Recognizing when fear, insecurity, or other emotions arise and allowing them to pass without clinging to them.

Suggested Daily Practices

  • Morning Mindfulness: Take a few minutes each morning to observe thoughts and set an intention for the day.

  • Letting-Go Practice: Identify one thought or worry to consciously release during the day.

  • Evening Reflection: Write in their Thought & Emotion Journal about moments they practiced letting go, staying present, or self-compassion.

Measuring Outcomes

Potential outcomes for this program include

  • Improved emotional resilience and a stronger sense of self-acceptance.

  • Enhanced self-awareness with a greater ability to observe thoughts and emotions without attachment.

  • Reduced stress as they learn to let go of control and stay present in the moment.

  • Positive changes in self-compassion and emotional regulation, as reflected in their journaling and self-reports.

Daily Schedule Example

5:00am

Self Remembrance Meditation as soon as you wake up

7:30am

Self Abiding while engaging in daily activities 

8:30am

Self Abiding while engaging in daily activities 

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