Mindful Sparks

🎉 What an incredible gathering we had at the Lionesses of Siam networking event on Wednesday, August 21st, at the Marriott Sukhumvit, Bangkok! It was a morning full of sisterhood, networking, and meaningful connections among women entrepreneurs. 🌟 At Lionesses of Siam we come together to uplift one another, share stories, and grow as a community of business owners and leaders. We kicked off the event with an exciting ice-breaker session led by Jenn Weidman, which instantly set the tone for openness and collaboration. The room was vibing with energy as played a little game that not only increased our energy levels but also woke up our minds! Our first keynote speaker, Davina Liisa Pickering, shared insights into her newly launched holistic wellness business. She inspired us with her vision of promoting health and balance through wellness practices that nurture the mind, the body and the soul—something every entrepreneur needs to prioritize! 🧘♀️✨ Jenn Weidman, our second keynote speaker, took the stage with her powerful talk on resilience. With the launch of her new book on the topic, she delivered impactful advice on how women entrepreneurs can cultivate resilience in their everyday lives. The stresses of running a business can be immense, but Jenn showed us all how to handle challenges with strength and grace. 💪📚 Event was led by our president Suchitra ( Rimi) Siriamornsarp. The energy in the room was absolutely uplifting and motivating, and we left feeling more connected, empowered, and ready to tackle whatever comes next. Thank you to all the incredible women who joined us and contributed to the positive vibes! 🔜 Look out for our next meet and make sure to follow us here on LinkedIn to stay updated on future events! #WomenEntrepreneurs #Networking #Sisterhood #BusinessGrowth #Resilience #Wellness #LionessesOfSiam #BangkokEvents

Last week, Mindful Sparks had the pleasure of leading two staff workshops at Aster International School in Bangkok, Thailand. Compassionate Classrooms (part of our Classroom Management Series) brought together 40 staff members from EYFS and KS1 to explore how our thoughts, emotions, and responses influence our words, actions, and interactions. We delved into how these factors shape our approach to different situations throughout the day and impact how we show up for our students, peers, and ourselves. Conflict Resolution (from our Safeguarding & Support Series) was attended by 30 staff members from KS2 to KS4. In this workshop, staff learned how to apply The Sparks Approach to acknowledge, navigate, and move on from conflicts. They gained practical tools for using this approach as a reflective practice and for teaching these valuable skills to their students. ---------- Interested in bringing these transformative workshops to your school? Contact us today to learn how Mindful Sparks can help your staff and students create a more mindful, compassionate, and resilient school community.

At Mindful Sparks, we've been thrilled to partner with Dwight School Seoul over the past few years, supporting their journey to weave mindfulness into their school community. Last academic year, we kicked things off with our 'What is Mindfulness?' workshop for all staff, and this year, we've helped Dwight School take even greater strides. Under the leadership of Bora Rancic, the newly formed Mindfulness Steering Group completed our 5-week Mindfulness Meditation Course earlier this month. This beginner-friendly course is designed to give participants the tools and confidence they need to build a meaningful meditation practice, both inside and outside the classroom. Last week, we had the pleasure of training their EYFS & Elementary teachers in our Mindful Moments curriculum, further reinforcing their commitment to the Mindfulness Steering Groups's vision of "be mindful, teach mindfully, teach mindfulness..." Mindfulness is more than just a concept; it’s a powerful practice that can truly elevate teaching and learning. As educators, we have the chance to create environments where mindfulness isn't just taught but lived. "Many thanks again for leading the training, which seems to have been received very well indeed. It was very clear, and informative, and has given us a great foundation on which to build." If you are curious about bringing mindfulness to your school, we’d love to chat! Visit our website or reach out to learn more about our programs and workshops. Together, we can create a mindful and supportive learning environment. #MindfulnessInEducation #MindfulTeaching #MindfulSparks

As I wrap up the Mindful Sparks 5-week meditation course for the teachers at Dwight School Seoul, I am drawn back to last week's focus, "Words Matter". We spoke about how, with heightened self-awareness, we can notice when our inner landscape (our thoughts, emotions and responses) has been influenced by the words we are reading, hearing or saying and how this can impact our outer landscape (our words, actions and decisions). We spoke about it on a small scale, an argument with a partner, a disagreement with a work colleague, a misunderstanding with someone. As much as I value my mindfulness practices and the impact they can have in these situations, I am under no illusions that mindfulness is the only answer. Mindfulness can be a powerful tool to allow people to approach challenging situations from a more grounded, calm and compassionate place but systemic change can only come about when an understanding of both points of view can take place... - Why do the different parties involved feel this way? - What has led them to hold their beliefs/values as right? And that can be a hard conversation to have. One thing we practised in the session was a Loving Kindness meditation, where we practise engaging with ourselves and others from a more compassionate place. This meditation is not a one-stop shop to fix the disconnection, anger, fear or ignorance we are seeing in our lives on a personal level or a global level, but it is a tool that can help us strengthen our self-awareness and notice how we are choosing to engage with ourselves and the world around us.

I'm excited to share that I'll be representing Mindful Sparks and will be presenting at the 21st Century Learning Conference in Hong Kong next year! This will be my first overseas education conference, and I can't wait to share the amazing things we're doing at Mindful Sparks.

Education Talks is back! Big thank you to Stephanie Lill (she/her) for dropping in for a chat about her career pathway from teaching to Mindful Sparks! You can watch the interview, premiering right now, on the EdEvents Community YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/gMZBPx4t Please subscribe to the channel for Education Talks plus more to come through EdEvents. #EdEvents #internationalschools #mindfulness #education #wellbeing

🎉 Mindful Sparks is now listed on EdEvents! 🎉 Mindful Sparks cultivates connected and compassionate school communities through evidence-based mindfulness practices. 🌟 ✅ Responsive training and workshops for students, teachers, and staff ✅ Strengthens self-awareness and improves communication ✅ Fosters compassion and community in schools Learn more ➡ https://lnkd.in/gaBGs4ju Join innovative solutions like Mindful Sparks! Create your free profile listing on EdEvents and showcase your educational services within our community. 🌐 Get started: https://lnkd.in/gPcvqxJU #EdEvents #education #Mindfulness #Wellbeing #SchoolCommunity #Compassion #LifeSkills #TeacherTools #internationalschools #ProfessionalDevelopment David Burke Stephanie Lill (she/her)

I often get asked where the inspiration for Mindful Sparks came from. To be honest, it wasn’t just one thing—it was a culmination of many experiences over many years. Having worked in education since 2006, these experiences began to cultivate an idea that has grown into Mindful Sparks. As a teacher, I know how important it is to have effective classroom management techniques that support students' well-being and cultivate a sense of community. This led us to develop a curriculum, training, and workshops that don’t require extensive resources or major classroom changes, making it easier for everyone to feel seen and heard. In my roles in Pastoral Care and Child Protection, I learned the importance of working hard across the entire school to set respectful foundations. To help schools, teachers, and students do this now, we’ve created frameworks and training to establish a common language and develop age-appropriate skills for noticing, acknowledging, and navigating tough conversations and conflicts, building a more connected, compassionate, and inclusive space. When I discovered meditation and yoga, I didn’t expect how much of a positive impact they would have on my professional life. Now, as a meditation and yoga instructor, I’m excited to bring these practices to schools and classrooms to support everyone's well-being. So wherever you are in your educator journey, we are here to support you!

What are your thoughts on meditation? At Mindful Sparks, we value meditation as a key practice for living more mindfully. By intentionally making time to check in with ourselves, we can better understand our inner landscape—our thoughts, emotions, and responses—and how they influence our interactions with ourselves, others, and the world around us. Whether you're new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, we invite you to join us for this 10-minute guided meditation. ❤

Gratitude is an important mindfulness practice, it helps us to cultivate a positive mindset by appreciating what we have and strengthens our connections with others. Today, I want to express my gratitude to Mark Renie, a colleague, mentor and friend who has been a key part of the Mindful Sparks journey since the first conversations in 2019. Our paths first crossed in 2014 at Shanghai United International School, where Mark was my PGCE Mentor and Advisor. His holistic approach to education had a significant influence on the path I am on today. I am incredibly grateful for his mentorship during those formative years. When I first had the idea for Mindful Sparks, Mark was one of the first people I turned to - he was my boss as Head of Primary at Ascot International School. I knew he truly understood the importance of practising mindfulness, and his insight and support were invaluable. Today, Mark sits on the Mindful Sparks Advisory Board alongside his role as Principal of Delta Global School in Hanoi, Vietnam. With over 20 years of teaching and administration experience across five Asian countries, he brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to developing the whole child—both cognitively and socio-emotionally. His commitment to mindfulness in education, having introduced it in his last three schools, continues to inspire me. I am truly grateful to have Mark as a member of the Advisory Board at Mindful Sparks. His ongoing guidance and support are invaluable as we strive to integrate mindfulness into educational settings. Thank you, Mark, for your mentorship and continued support. #MindfulSparks #MindfulnessInEducation #Mentorship #Gratitude