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Meditation for Children

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Using meditation techniques for children is one of the best ways to promote concentration, enhance imagination and creativity and prevent a series of psychological conditions like low self esteem and anxiety. Thus, meditation becomes a process of relaxation which boosts their problem solving abilities. Sometimes just focusing attention on a task permits new and fresh ideas to present themselves. 

Other than reducing stress and anxiety or dealing with any other negative emotion effectively, meditation also helps in building the image of self. It has been observed that children who practice meditation regularly become more focused, register great results at school, are confident and happy.

February 10, 2012   /   children How to meditation meditation techniques teaching children    /   1 Comment

Using meditation techniques for children is one of the best ways to promote concentration, enhance imagination and creativity and prevent a series of psychological conditions like low self esteem and anxiety. Thus, meditation becomes a process of relaxation which boosts their problem solving abilities. 

Other than reducing stress or dealing with any other negative emotion effectively, meditation also helps in building the image of self. It has been observed that children who practice meditation regularly become more focused and register great results at school, develop their communication skills and sense of independency, are confident and happy.

Children might not understand the beneficial effects of meditation and how the technique works. That’s why meditation should be taught as a fun activity, something interesting that they enjoy. So the right approach is to take ten to fifteen minutes to meditate along with them at first. 

Choosing the appropriate type of meditation for kids is very important. Simple techniques which do not seem like tasks is the key to getting children to meditate. Meditation for children requires proper training to aid them in relaxing. 

The first step is to teach them how to sit / lie down in a silent, comfortable area. Next, is important to teach them the practice of breathing exercises. Breathing exercise is beneficial in calming down the angry or hyperactive child. Some of the techniques used in meditation for children are:

Visualization or mental imagery: the child is asked to imagine vividly different things. For example, you can ask them to visualize or to imagine the most beautiful garden or to take a mental walk on a sunny beach. There could be many places where their thoughts might take them, but the goal is to create for them a a safe and comfortable mental environment. 

At this point it is important to take into consideration all learning styles because some children may be visual learners. This means they will relate better to the meditation if there is a good description of what that garden looks like in their minds eye. Some children are kinesthetic learners which means they would need to know what it feels like inside that garden, and other children are auditory learners which means they respond well to words and sounds. A guided meditation is perfect for them.

The child can be taught to meditate anywhere, not necessary in a secluded area. The children can lie on the floor, carpet, on the grass, or beach or wherever they feel most comfortable. Then they should be advised to close their eyes and relax by taking some deep breaths. Later the child can be suggested to visualize and explore specific images while focusing inward and quieting the mind.

You can include in your child’s meditation routine the use of positive affirmations: together, set up a list of positive thoughts and phrases and then ask him to repeat them while meditating. 

Just like sitting meditation, walking medititation can be very beneficial and is the simplest technique you can start out with. Take the child on an energetic walk in nature and ask him to breathe evenly in and out for two or three times. To channelize the breathing, ask them to swing their arms with an alternate arm and leg movement. This is a simple exercise which will not only help them relax, but also allow them to enjoy the calming effects of nature.

Given the stress, increased competition and pressure that the kids of today face, meditation should be a part of their daily routine. Meditation is a great solution to raise happy and balanced children. Meditation for kids teaches them how to naturally become relaxed, get in touch with their true Self and activate their inner resources.