Fandom High School

The lights were low and soft music was playing as class began today. "Please, make yourselves comfortable," Raven said, guesturing to the usual assortment of chairs, cushions, and bean bags. "Today we will be discussing -- and attempting -- meditation. This is obviously not a good solution for in the middle of a stressful situation, but doing so may help you be better prepared if you know you are going to face one. Meditation is the practice of intentionally spending time with your mind. You remove your focus from the world around you and achieve a state of emotional calmness. Many religions practice forms of meditation, so if you are already experienced with one, please, share with the class."

Raven sat cross-legged on a cushion on the floor, placing her hands on her knees, palms up. "Many traditions will have your sit in a way such as this, but it is not absolutely necessary. It is more important that you are comfortable and in a stable position. When you are ready, close your eyes." She waited a few moments until she felt everyone was ready, then continued. "Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it slowly out of your mouth. Follow the sensation of your breathing. It is only natural that your mind start to wander, but if you notice it is doing so, return your attention to your breathing and the sound of my voice. I want you to visualize a happy moment from your past. Try to remember every detail you can, the people who were there, what the weather was like, what you were wearing, the sounds you hear. Pay attention to the little details as you slowly begin to notice how this memory is making you feel. Focus on the feeling and wrap your arms around it, as if in an embrace. Hold the feeling tight as you continue to breath. Allow it to morph into you, so that you can take this happiness with you wherever you may go. Do not stress if your mind continues to wander; simply return your focus to your breathing and the sound of my voice."

After spending time on the initial exercise, Raven reached for a remote control near her and turned on the audio of a guided meditation. "Now we will try again with this guided meditation. Do not be overly hard on yourself if you have a difficult time focusing; it is not always easy. If you find you cannot do the meditation, please sit or read quietly until the class is done. Or, if you would allow me to do so, I can also enter your mind to observe and help, but this is certainly not required if you are not comfortable with the idea."

Raven had arrived early to her classroom to get things set up properly. She wanted the students to feel comfortable, physically and mentally, so she had arranged for a variety of places and surfaces to sit upon. There were more traditional chairs and desks, but also several squishy bean bags and pillows on the floor, all of which could be easily moved if the students wanted to sit closer together or apart.

When it seemed everyone arrived, Raven stood up and began to speak, though not without a hint of nervousness to be teaching her first class. "Good afternoon," she said, radiating calm as she gave all the students a smile. "Welcome to How to Deal with your Dark Side. My name is Raven, and I was once a student here at Fandom. During that time, I struggled a great deal with my own dark side and...almost destroyed the world one or two times in the process." Details. "I thought perhaps that I could now help others with their own struggles, and make their experiences less traumatizing than mine.

"This class room is a safe space," she continued. "Anything you say in here or to me will be kept in complete confidence if you wish. The squirrels have been warned." She glanced sideways out the window, trying to see if there were any reporters lurking there. "Please introduce yourselves and tell me why you have taken this class. You may tell me that privately if you wish; please do not feel pressured. My hope is that I can offer help tailored to your particular situations. And if you have any questions about my own experiences, feel free to ask."

[Wait for the OCD, please! OCD is up! And label any threads NFB if you don't want the squirrels reporting on it. At work, busy with systems change, so will likely be SP.]