In a recent post I addressed, through the words of Deepak Choprah, the importance and power of meditation in enhancing the lives of our children.
Through meditation- sitting in stillness, engaging and developing the frontal portion of the brain, we encourage the best in who we can be: compassion, empathy, love, and ultimately, happiness.
And isn’t that really what we want for our kids… particularly knowing that all the stuff (TV, video games, mp3′s and all the rest!) isn’t really doing it. Ironically, at least for my own kids, indulging in these pursuits as fun as they may think they are, tends to make them just plain unpleasant rather than happier!
For those of us who make a practice of sitting in meditation know what hard work it can seem. And if it’s this hard for an adult how possibly can my high energy seven-year-old son manage? Well, not on his own, that’s for sure…
“Thump… thump, thump!”
“What’s going on in there?”
“I’m meditating!”
Now, unless my child is gifted at telekinesis, somehow the school chairs came to be overturned with a cat cowering beneath for cover!
Thus I quickly came to understand meditation for kids isn’t simply requiring your child to sit in quiet. Even for a few minutes. Though this is the goal.
Ultimately, what begin as meditations carefully guided, surprisingly quickly evolve to provide new and effective strategies to assist our children with problems getting or staying asleep, during times of stress or even just to recognize when they need a moment of peace and quiet to collect themselves. Strategies many adults aren’t aware of!
Here’s an example:
Children’s Meditation Series
Relaxation Meditation
This is going to be very quick but also very quiet. And, it’s going to be fun.
You may not want to right now, but I want you to lie down.
Start out by paying attention to your breathing. Right now, are you breathing fast? Are your breaths shallow? That’s fine, but I want you to try to slow it down.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Blow all the air out.
Now, do that again and again.
I bet you feel calmer. Just think about your breathing, eyes still closed.
Think about your feet. Pull your toes up toward your face as tightly as you can. Move to your legs; make them as stiff and straight as you can.
Now your stomach. Squeeze it in.
Put your arms by your sides- make them straight and stiff too. Keep them tightly next to your body. Make fists with your hands. Tight, tight fists.
Clinch your teeth, squeeze your eyes closed. Every bit of you is tight, tight, tight. Hold still.
Now, soften your eyes. They may flutter. Let your mouth open slightly. Open your hands, let your arms go limp, your stomach is soft.
Your legs fall to the side. Your feet hang loosely open. Your whole body is now fully relaxed.
Your breathing is still slow and steady and you are completely at ease. Just stay there gently breathing- resting your body.
You may fall asleep for awhile. Notice how nice it feels to be so calm and quiet.
You can feel this way whenever you want. You can practice first tightening all your body parts and then letting them go. You can do this before you go to bed at night. You can do this just because you want to feel peaceful.
This is a gift you can give yourself.
So, do it.
And maybe teach your Mom and Dad to do it too.
In my quest to find appropriate, simple guided meditations for my three kids, ranging in age from 5 to 11, I found these wonderful examples, such as the one above, from Learning Meditation. We do a few of them and combine them as I feel appropriate. My children respond well to them as they are simple and brief, they actually entertain them, and they are so easy that the kids are able to implement the techniques themselves.
And even better… as is encouraged in the last line, they work for adults too!
