The Mind Body Awareness Project is another example of the way Mindfulness meditation is being adapted to work with different populations and in different settings. It was set up in the year 2000 to work with at-risk and incarcerated youth. It was founded in the belief that these young people have the potential to take control of their actions and fully transform their lives. It focuses on empowering them with the tools and competencies to overcome trauma, transform negative behaviors, and find real freedom from the inside. It was recently described as a “new national model for the rehabilitation of incarcerated youth".
The slogan of the MBA Project "We are literally one breath away from making better decisions" is based on the key role that breath awareness has in Mindfulness meditation and emotional intelligence exercises. Their programme aims to help helping teenagers to develop empathy, gain impulse control, and equip them with the tools they need to live meaningful lives. It tries to response to common issues seen in disaffected teenagers today - lack of contentment, meaning and motivation - which can lead to destructive behaviours and a disinterested "whatever" attitude.
This ‘whatever’ attitude has another side. It is the statement ‘whatever’ that can express their ambivalence towards everything they don’t like. ‘Whatever’ is how today’s youth express their extreme apathy towards teachers (and other adults) that cannot relate to them, and classrooms and institution that do not engage their interests. Breaking through this ‘whatever’ is the educator’s biggest challenge.
