Tag-Archive for » meditation for children «

Jan
18

Guided Meditation for Children

Time spent in meditation is, by far, one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves.

Many of us as parents, even those of us who appreciate meditation in our own lives, are hesitant to introduce it to our children.

We are intimidated by the prospect, knowing how difficult it is ourselves to find that often illusive place of quiet.  ’If I struggle in quieting my own monkey mind, how can I possibly help my child do it?’

In truth, it can actually be easier.  Consider how rapt your child is during story time. In that spirit, children are remarkably receptive to sitting in quiet and in peaceful attention.  The perfect beginning.

Through guided meditation to start with, the child is better able to connect with that peaceful place within, losing themselves in the comfort of your voice or that of a recording, and the urgings of gentle instruction.

The benefits of meditation are immeasurable.  As with adults, meditation is shown to reduce stress while enhancing self-esteem.  It also offers a healthy means of relaxation during doctor’s visits, exams and in preparation for various sports events and performances.

According to Sarah Wood, a facilitator in child meditation, and author of the book Sensational Meditation for Children, teachers who build meditation into lesson plans report their classroom environments being more peaceful and attribute this to their students’ ability to express compassion to each other.

“The transformation we as adults experience when we become partners in learning with our children” is exhilarating, says Wood, who also observes “learning a meditation practice is a journey in growth, whether it is spiritual, emotional or mental.”

To help you get started with your own child, have a listen:  childrengettingstarted

While it may take several sessions, any practitioner of meditation will agree that there can be no down-side to offering a child such an experience and the knowledge of how to acheive it themselves.  Any time, any where.  There is such valuable power in that.

For more ideas and resources, please visit Children’s Meditation.

For more information, read more at Suite101: The Benefits of Child Meditation: Giving Children Tools to Nurture Their Bodies, Minds and Spirits http://www.suite101.com/content/the-benefits-of-child-meditation-a22687#ixzz1BOorGkMd

Category: gratitude, health, instruction, Kids, Meditation, Spirit, strength, surrender  Leave a Comment
Nov
16

The Farmer’s Luck… Maybe. Words to Live By

zenshortsI’ve raved written in the past about this wonderful book of stories before.

In Jon M. Muth’s Zen Shorts, Stillwater, the serene and friendly Giant Panda of a neighbour to three children, siblings Karl, Michael and Addy, offers his own brand of Zen guidance and advice.

Through ancient stories infused with traditional Buddhist teachings, Stillwater provides solutions to the childen’s various individual conflicts.

These stories provide such tangible messages through simple yet engaging narrative along with wonderful artwork, moving between the full colour drawings of Stillwater and the children, and black & white sketches of the various ancient tales.

And while, yes, this is another plug gentle encouragement to give this book to your child, or your neighbour’s child, or your sister’s husband’s mother’s child… or yourself for that matter, it’s really one of the stories I’d like to specifically address here.

It’s the tale of an old farmer and his son.  In short, and without infringing on copyright(!), the story has the farmer’s son buying a horse (good luck?), horse running away (bad luck?), horse returning with two other wild horses (good luck?), boy attempts to ride one of them and is thrown, breaking his leg (bad luck?), shortly thereafter visited by military recruiters who won’t accept him due to his injury (good luck?)….

And so it is.  With each new circumstance the ever-sympathetic neighbours qualify it with either judgement, “such good luck”  or conversely, “such bad luck”, to which the wise old farmer consistently and simply replies, “maybe’.

The message, as summed up by young Michael to the gentle Stillwater, “Maybe good luck and bad luck are all mixed up.  You never know what will happen next.”

Hmmmmmm.  Wonderful messages and a certain must read for any child… or adult….

Category: Kids, maybe, reading, Spirit, surrender  3 Comments
Nov
09

Children’s Meditation… Life Strategy.

meditation-kids_01

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!

more »

Category: health, Kids, Meditation, Spirit, strength, surrender  Leave a Comment