Mindfulness for Ukrainian ????Teachers

with Support from the Regional English Language Office (RELO) at U.S. Embassy, Kyiv, Ukraine, the WorldLINK Foundation in Krakow, Poland and Professor Luis Javier Pentón Herrera, Ph.D.

I was recently invited to teach mindfulness to 60 incredible Teachers of Ukrainian nationality (95% of which are currently living in Ukraine), who were selected by the U.S Embassy in Kyiv to participant in this conference. The venue would be in Kraków, Poland from the 21st-25th?of June 2023.?

While I am confident in my mindfulness practice, skills, and teaching, have Oxford Mindfulness Foundation accreditations and training, and have already taught over 50k people… I still felt like I wouldn’t be able to truly emphasize with this audience and respond in a trauma sensitive and compassionate way.

So, I decided, privately, to visit Kyiv at the beginning of June by midnight train. Scary, inspiring, adrenaline raising and insightful are some words I would use to describe my 5 days in Ukraine. From military checkpoints to running into a bomb shelter as the air raid sirens went off, to witnessing the mourning and the resiliency of the people, to the horrific stories I heard to the beauty of the city. While it was just a few days it did feel like weeks.

Not only did this allow me to better relate to the Teachers, but I also got to spend time with my dear friend Elena Vysotskaya Sushko and Olexander Polyanchuk , who are both mindfulness teachers and gave me additional insights into their world. Plus, I bought a traditional Ukrainian outfit and felt ready to teach mindfulness to these resilient yet traumatized group of teachers.?I learned from the organizers and some of the teachers later that I built the necessary “street credit” in order for the teachers to pay attention and be curious with what I had to teach???

Fast forward two weeks and I am in Krakow standing in front of 60 Ukrainian English Teachers, representatives of the US Embassy and the WorldLINK Foundation about to introduce myself. I took a deeper breath out, felt my feet on the floor, connected to the hear&now and spoke from my heart. The four days were emotional, challenging and rewarding. Laughter, excitement, tears, frustration and joy were all experienced. I taught Oxford Mindfulness ’s Introducing Mindfulness course with additional exercises like mindful movement, eye contact, befriending and mindful eating.

They group had lots of questions, powerful heart-breaking stories and left me with so much gratitude, love and confidence in what I do. I connected with some many amazing people, not only during the sessions but also during the breaks, meals, night-time cultural activities and even now online. I am forever grateful to the US Embassy Regional English Language Office, the WorldLINK Foundation, Kyndryl, the amazing Teachers from Ukraine and Luis Javier Pentón Herrera.

Some feedback I got from the participants:

“Dear Patrick, I would like to express my gratitude for your sessions personally, not in group because there are too many people with very different backgrounds…?

I’ve came to Krakow with hope to experience something new … and I guess I did… thank you for that… first I felt hesitant whether I should write about it… but the last 3-4 years were very difficult for me … I’ve lost my mom to cancer, then in a month my grandma and being robbed at almost the same time… then in 7 months because of head injury we couldn’t save my dad ( who was only 57)… then my mother in law… and as we say it the last bullet in my head was that my husband who was a military, performing his duties, was killed during the missile attack in the east of Ukraine in March of 2022 when the full scale invasion started )…and now I’m alone with two great kids and lots of memories… I’m not writing this for you to feel sorry for me but because I want to describe the condition I’ve been for some time now…?that’s why I guess I was pretty skeptical about mindfulness and all the things you’ve shown us… but I promised to try them and enjoy little things in life … well I thought I would be short??but I can’t… all in all, thank you????I’m very glad I’ve heard the things and ideas and I will try to practice mindfulness to feel better ( or at least to keep sane)… thank you again?????“

"It’s a magic tool for sure!

I flew to the summer school in Great Britain and our plane got into severe storm inside the black clouds with intense lighting, hailing and showering. The plane dropped and pitched, shattered and turned nearly over, the lightings were glimmering all the time! People were scared stiff, praying and sweating.?

I also did at first, but then found grounding with myself, and it magically released all fear and the storm ended abruptly!

Thank you @Patrick Kozakiewicz??for these strategies!"

"I am so grateful for these 5 days of communication, care, exploration and mindfulness. This transformative experience has changed my attitude to life, filled it with inner peace, showed the way to myself. Thanks everyone for kindness??????? "

"@Patrick Kozakiewicz you have my deepest thanks for clarifying and demonstrating what exactly Mindfulness is. To tell the truth, I was just scared of this term )) Before that I mostly concentrated on content and pedagogy itself. Those practices and techniques will help me to slide into a mindful presence and pay more attention to my students ‘ needs. And, I will make an effort not to control what I cannot)) “ Oxygen Mask” and “ Stop” I’ll leave for myself?????"

"Back to England, the day today has been filled with mindfulness, we forgot to pick up Iryna to go to the airport, had to get back to the hotel, no worry about probably being late, jokes, smiles, your taxi driver is amazing!????Good practice for "inside peace" and giving the right fuel to our "Ferrari" (thanks Patrick???). All if you enjoy the rest of this beautiful day and all days ahead?????????"

"I love the words @Patrick Kozakiewicz said:

may you all be safe and we’ll, peaceful, and live with ease and kindness!

Looking forward to seeing you again!??????"