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Children Learn to Meditate by Example

Susan Helene Kramer

 

The most useful legacy you can leave your children is imparting the knowledge that their spiritual nature is part of their whole being.

 

Meditation practices scaled down to child-size begin to open the pathway to their expansive nature which is beyond though inclusive of body and mind.

 

Taking into account a child's life experiences so far, use examples a child can relate with to explain and practice meditation.

 

For example, a resting dog or cat is being very still just as we need to be when meditating. Explain that for us, the stillness, while remaining awake, gives us a chance to reflect on and work through problems in a quiet and thoughtful way. We are giving ourselves time to think about different ways to act to get to the needed results.

 

Share with children that quiet time, without fidgeting, gives their body a chance to calm down and rest when feeling agitated. Demonstrate even and regular breathing. Inhale and exhale evenly and in a natural way without holding the breath. Just this practice alone calms us down. Children can watch the body of a resting dog or cat as its belly rises and falls in a regular and relaxed pattern.

 

A minute is long enough for a child to reap mental relaxation. And if in school or doing homework, a few minutes contemplative reflection can help resolve stumbling blocks.

 

And all along the way the parent can instill the spiritual aspect of deeper meditation by first having the child see examples of your acts of kindness. Modeling virtues gives children first-hand experience in their esoteric spiritual nature of being connected with others and all of creation.

 

As with ourselves, spiritual growth is a process that grows over time and practice and the more exposure we give our kids on their expansive nature, the more they will carry meditation practices into their adult life.

 

Meditation is useful at all stages of our life, revealing greater joy with maturity of practice. Give your kids a solid start in meditation, step-by-step into their practical and spiritual nature, both.

 

A Thank You

 

I wish to thank Laura Shovan, who wrote an article for "Baltimore's Child Magazine" that included some of my tips for teaching kids meditation. In the article the paragraph about my teaching methods is under the subtitle: Resources for Meditation for Kids. Laura also pointed out that I am a Baltimore native.  The url is http://www.baltimoreschild.com/articles/index.cfm?fuse1=detail&ArticleID=731#

 

Ebooks and books for teaching children:

 

- Meditation for All Kids

- Yoga for All Kids

- Meditation and Spiritual Stories for Kids

- Meditation and Spirituality for Teens

- Rhythms and Dances for Toddlers and Preschoolers

- Rhythms and Dances for School Age Kids

- Classical Ballet Beginning to Advanced

Translations

- Danse pour les enfants - French

- Fundamentele bewegingen voor kinderen met dansjes, meditaties en yoga - Dutch

 

Email     Copyright © 2015-2017 Susan Helene Kramer

Page created May 14, 2015; updated August 11, 2017