The Dalai Lama says that "If every child in the world is taught meditation, we would eliminate violence in the world within one generation. At this trying time on our planet, his philosophy is music to my ears. When natural feelings of helplessness arise within our children in the face of endless trauma and fear in the news and media, we need to remind them that they can do their part to spread peace and positivity on an individual level. Like all things, what we hope to see in our world, we must first create within ourselves. Meditation is one of the most powerful tools we can introduce to our children not only to help them through feelings of confusion and fear, but also to empower them to live in an internally peaceful and happy state regardless of external circumstances.
Join in:
The single most significant way that you can ensure that your child has a great meditation experience, is if you join them. You can create a practice of taking five minutes together in the morning and/or the evening to come together, release and recharge.
Just Breathe:
If you do nothing else in your meditation practice , make sure you breathe. I love the 5/5/5 sequence in which you take in one deep breath for five seconds. Hold the breath in for five second and then slowly release it for five seconds. The breath is our life force and is available to us at all times to recalibrate our energy.
Customize It:
Although in classic meditation there certain guidelines that are recommended for an optimal experience, my belief is that meditation should be comfortable and meaningful for you. Do it in a way that resonates with you and your child. Play soft music, choose your own posture, make it your own.
Keep it Real:
The first time you do this with your child, acknowledge {to yourself and to your child} how funky it may feel to be doing something out of the ordinary. Communicate that this is a totally natural feeling whenever you try anything new. Reassure them that there are so many benefits to creating this type of practice that it's well worth the time, effort and temporary discomfort of stepping outside of your daily routine.
Mantra:
When starting a meditation practice with your child, it's always helpful to have a powerful mantra to repeat together to hold your focus. One of my favorites
Mantras that I use with my own kids is "Peace Begins With Me". This statement emphasizes the influence of our personal power and gives a feeling of peace and victory over our own circumstances, whatever they may be. We get to choose how we want to feel in any situation and furthermore it's up to us how we respond to the events of our life.
Do it:
Healthy practices are only as successful as the effort we put into doing them. Be willing to make mediation a daily habit. Even if it is only for three minutes of your day, put that time aside to actually make it happen. Your participation and commitment to creating new healthy habits with your child is the best gift you can give them. Always know that even if they don't always acknowledge it, your child is observing you and watching your words and your actions. With this in mind, set a healthy example by nourishing your own mind and body and set your child up for a future of emotional fitness as well.
Giving your child the gifts of meditation and mindful living will empower them to have access to a peaceful and loving state whenever they choose.
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Melody Pourmoradi is a Women's Life & Wellness Coach at Life Evolutions. She thrives on supporting women to nourish themselves mind, body & soul to become the best version of themselves. She currently lives in NY with her husband and her beloved twin daughters. In her newest passion project, she is creating a GiRLiFE Empowerment training for mothers, coaches and others who are on a mission of empowering young girls to live a life of happiness, peace & success.
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