Meditation for Children
Childhood is often perceived as a period of carefree living, a period where one does nothing but play and be merry. However, studies have shown that even young children experience some form of stress. Childhood stress is usually rooted in the child’s immediate environment comprising of family, friends, and school. With the increasing divorce rates, high-stakes standardized tests, and peer pressure, it’s no wonder why the average child experiences stress. While most adults create their own coping tools to deal with stress, children need the guidance of their caregivers in helping them deal with stressful situations.
A new coping tool caregivers can teach their children is Meditation. Aside from the physical relaxation involved, Meditation allows the child to become more aware of his thinking and learning process. When a child meditates, he gains power over their thoughts through self-understanding and self-acceptance. Meditation enhances tranquility, awareness, concentration, creativity, and receptivity.
Facilitator as the role model
An important factor in child meditation is the facilitator. The facilitator is the one who guides the child through the Meditation process. The facilitator can be a parent, a teacher or a therapist. The facilitator must not only be knowledgeable in the process of meditation, but must practice it as well.
Kinds of Meditation
The mediation tools that are most ideal for children are those that require practice and awareness, one of which is practice meditation. These are the kind of meditation activities that can be practiced and later on be applied or repeated in the real world. An example of a practice meditation is the ‘safe place meditation’ where the child is asked to remember or imagine a peaceful place. After the child has imagined this place, the facilitator guides him through the place and instructs him to sit down or explore. The facilitator then explains that they can go and visit that place anytime they like or when they feel they need to. Therefore, whenever the child feels anxious or aggravated in the classroom or at home, the child can use the ‘safe place meditation’.
Awareness meditations are meditations that facilitate the thinking process of the child. It is through these meditations that a child, at a basic level, practices how to think about his thoughts and body. An example of an awareness meditation is the ‘happy tree meditation’ where the child is asked to imagine a tree with happy and sad fruits. The facilitator then asks the child to nurture the sad fruits to turn it into happy fruits. As the child describes how he/she nurtures the sad fruits both the facilitator and the child becomes aware of how the child nurtures him/herself.
Childhood meditation can seem complicated and time consuming, but in reality there are no hardcore rules. Parents and teachers can start with simple 5-minute breathing mediations or imagination exercises. Taking the time to teach children how to meditate will help them become not only well-adjusted adults, but will also create happier kids.
|
|
|
|
|
Basics & Backgrounds
in Dutch
Home
Print Article
Email Article
Comment on Article
Write New Article
Search Articles