NYC's 1 million public school students to practice 'mindful breathing' under new yoga program

Ommmmmmmmm ….

“Mindful breathing practices” lasting two to five minutes must be offered daily at all New York City public schools starting soon, from prekindergarten through 12th grade, Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday.

The program, which a city news release says is approved by an organization called the Yoga Institute, “aims to increase physical and mental health, enhance social-emotional learning, and improve New York City public schools’ culture.”

“Yoga and mindfulness integration into school communities addresses and supports significant social and emotional needs of the youngest New Yorkers,” the release says.

Mindfulness, with roots in Buddhist meditation, is defined by a University of California at Berkeley publication as “maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.”

Speaking Tuesday at the P.S. 5 auditorium in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, on the last day of the semester, Schools Chancellor David Banks said the program would roll out in the next school year. 

To train city school personnel in the breathing practices, the city is undertaking a “Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Preparation Program,” and “all New York City public schools will soon be required to offer all students mindful breathing practices in school every day.”

In the auditorium, Adams said the program would help students deal with stress and their feelings.

"We prepare our children to be academically smart. We teach them algebra, trigonometry and history and English and all of those things that they could be prepared to get a job," Adams said. "But we don't teach them how to be emotionally intelligent, the things that's needed to keep a job."

After Adams' announcement, three students led the assembled politicians, bureaucrats and reporters in practicing "the ocean-sounding breath" — breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth with a whisper, six times.

Tranquil music played. The mayor and chancellor and the students closed their eyes.

"One — think of positive things … two — the things that make you happy … three — your loved ones … four — your emotions … five — yourself ... no negatives — six."

The mayor's plan wasn't Zen for everyone.

Activist Joo-Hyun Kang, a self-described acupuncturist who says she believes in the power of "breathing & integrating mind/body/spirit," tweeted critically of Adams' program. Given the mayor's proposed budget cuts to the school system, she decried "mandating daily breathing exercises for NYC students instead of funding school counselors, mental health staff, school arts programs+," she tweeted.

It’s not the first health-conscious program launched under Adams, who boasts of exercising at City Hall, drinking smoothies and (sometimes) living a vegan lifestyle. In February, the Adams administration mandated that the public school system, — the nation’s largest, with more than 1 million students — offer Vegan Fridays.

Several Long Island schools offer mindfulness — yoga, meditation, acupressure, drum circles.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.