When you take time to explore other languages you learn that there are untranslatable words. Words that in English are full phrases. One such word is the German word Vorfreude.
Vorfreude in German can be broken down into Vor, which means before and Freude, which means Joy. When you place them together the German word Vorfreude means Joyful Anticipation.
This time of year our students are filled with vorfreude. We too experience vorfreude. As the end the school year draws near we are filled with joyful anticipation; vorfreude.
This can lead to distractions, a longing to be outside and done with school, and a desire to do little to no work.
Mindfulness can help us with experiencing anticipation in a controlled way. There is a mindfulness practice called; Anticipation Meditation.
This mindfulness practice helps us recall a previous time of anticipation and the fruition of that anticipation.
Perhaps you observe your students becoming increasingly unable to focus due to vorfreude. Take some time to acknowledge this feeling. Mindfulness teaches us to not ignore a feeling in the hopes that it will go away, but rather to accept the feeling, experience it without judgement, and then let it pass.
Acknowledge the joyful anticipation of summer vacation. Ask the students to relate this feeling to another time they joyfully waited for and wanted something. Then ask them how it felt when that joyful moment finally came. Take some time to explore this in a mindful way.
Start with a calm, quiet, and peaceful environment. Maybe dim or turn off your lights. Ask students to sit and listen to their breathing as they relax their bodies in their chairs or on the floor. Then ask them to bring to mind a time of anticipation. Ask them to recall how it felt to wait for something great. Get the students to feel it again and notice the sensations in their bodies. Ask if their breath quickens, if they feel elated, and if they can bring to mind that excitement. Encourage them to deepen the connection and take their minds back to the time the anticipated moment arrived. Was the moment as good or greater than the anticipation? Did the moment fill them with immeasurable joy?
Give the students a few minutes to live in the moment. This type of mindfulness is called Savoring. Recalling and relieving a moment of great joy and happiness.
After a couple of minutes encourage your students to take a deep breath and release the moment back into the space of memory and time. Let students know they call recall joyful moments again later.
After practicing this mindfulness, using it to recall a past event, talk with students about how to use it to stay in the present moment.
Our vorfreude fills our bodies with endorphins and helps to enhance our physical and mental wellbeing.
We do not need to deny our students' anticipation and longing for the end of school, instead we can use it as a mindful moment.
