Inside the dance room before the start of first period lies a place of solace from the hustle of the hallway. Under the dim lights, Mrs. Santoriello shares her intentions for this Wednesday morning relaxation.

“Some have called this session a giftful time. This got me thinking – what do we give ourselves?” Mrs. Santoriello questions to begin this relaxation session. “Will it be the gift of rest? For you can do anything, but you can’t do everything. The gift of love – to allow yourself to love and be loved by those around you? What will you give yourself?”

Santoriello’s calming voice guides the breathing of those sitting cross legged on the floor, while each focuses on their own thoughts for the session. Though individual, a strong sense of unity remains between everyone as they share the gift of breathing, something very special to Santoriello: “Breathing is something were always doing, but we’re not always aware of.”

“I recently finished my 200 hour yoga teacher training this summer and I noticed on the days where I made meditation a part of my morning, I had a better day,” Santoriello describes. Taking the time in the morning to collect one’s own thoughts is a gift Santoriello seeks to share with the EBHS community; “The gift of breathing is something I can easily share with anyone – kids, faculty, really anyone who wants to take a minute to just breathe.”