Meditation for Kids and Mindful Walking
Seeds of Peace with Thich Nhat Hanh
In 2012, I used to be lucky to fulfill the Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh at his educator’s retreat. This retreat was devoted to serving to adults make meditation accessible for younger individuals.
Even at the moment, this expertise continues to encourage me as I practice individuals to show meditation. I might come to consider Seeds of Peace with Thich Nhat Hanh, as a second that modified my life as a result of I had the privilege to stroll, breathe, and observe with him.
At the time, mindfulness coaching within the West was primarily for adults. But Thay (as his college students lovingly known as him) was a pioneer and decided to encourage educators and different professionals to share these transformative abilities with younger individuals. Fortunately, this pioneering idea has now grown globally in colleges and houses.
In this weblog, I share the influence of this expertise on me and my work whereas bringing you extra seeds of peace and sensible steps to carry aware strolling abilities to the kids you care deeply about.
Meditation for Kids – Mindful Walking
At the retreat, many people have been keen about studying particular strategies to use in lecture rooms. But the expertise grew to become way more than buying abilities. Through every session, Thay taught us easy practices that developed our inner compass to peace.
One observe that resonated deeply with me was aware strolling. Initially I had dismissed aware strolling, uncertain of how I may practise it with out the additional problem of instructing youngsters who may simply grow to be bored or discover it amusing.
Thich Nhat Hanh taught us that aware strolling wasn’t merely a method to transport our our bodies, it was an invite to totally inhabit every second. Thay gently guided us, exterior within the streets of London, reminding us to “walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
Mindful Walking with Thich Nhat Hanh
As I started to observe, I felt foolish and barely amused however my ego was decided to ‘keep up’.
Then one thing modified.
I felt this surge of peace, and gratitude circulation by me. I felt emotional for no logical motive and I imagined that it was the power of affection I used to be feeling because it radiated from Thay. His aware observe was supporting mine by creating the house for me to tune into the colors, the birds, the sounds, nature and this second of life.
I felt a pleasure stand up in me that was unstoppable. I felt tears nicely up as I continued my stroll, overcome with a way of interconnectedness and gratitude. It was a second I might carry with me lengthy after I left the retreat—a reminder that peace is all the time only a step away.
Nurturing Seeds of Peace: Mindful Walking Practice
I had practiced meditation for years, but Thich Nhat Hanh’s steering confirmed me easy and accessible methods to attach with my very own inside peace. Walking, a seemingly abnormal exercise, grew to become a profound method to be absolutely current. As I walked with intention, I seen sensations that usually go unnoticed—the sensation of my toes touching the earth, the mild rhythm of my steps, the breath flowing out and in. I felt every step as a present, realising how valuable every second might be when lived with consciousness.
With every step, we may expertise the world in a brand new approach—feeling linked, grateful, and at peace. This act of strolling slowly, purposefully, grew to become a meditation in itself, a transferring prayer that would domesticate inside calm and gratitude.
It was humbling to grasp that my inner peace was most essential to domesticate earlier than I may really share it with others – particularly youngsters.
Through my very own experiences and analysis I’ve since realized that youngsters sense our stress and can mirror it again to us. Cultivating peace inside was a precedence so as to grow to be a mannequin of peace for younger individuals.
Meditation for Kids and Mindful Walking
I now understood how transformative aware strolling might be, particularly for kids.
Till this level, meditation was seen as a seated, nonetheless observe and this was tough for younger individuals (so stuffed with power) to observe.
Instead of merely instructing them to take a seat quietly, we may invite them to interact in aware strolling. This would assist them discover emotions and their power by motion. Children have an innate curiosity and might be guided to tune into completely different senses when aware strolling. This helps it to grow to be a pure observe for them with some mild steering.
Meditation for Kids – Mindful Walking Tips
- Start with Curiosity: Invite youngsters to note the world round them as they stroll. Encourage them to really feel the earth beneath their toes, observe the colors, shapes, and textures round them, and hearken to the sounds. Simplify it by giving them this record and asking them to decide on what they are going to give attention to first.
- Slow Down Together: Walk with them at a delicate tempo, specializing in every step. Practice collectively, and allow them to see you taking gradual, intentional steps.
- Engage their creativeness: To hold their focus, you may information them to think about they’re an astronaut who has simply landed on earth. They are carrying heavy house boots that hold them pinned to the earth and encourage them to decelerate their stroll as they hear and observe this ‘new world’ round them.
- Breathe with Each Step: Encourage youngsters to take a deep breath with every step, specializing in the sensation of the breath coming into and leaving their our bodies. One step is an ‘in-breath’ and one step is an ‘out-breath’.
- Adapting the Meditation for SEN: If youngsters have disabilities that imply they can not stroll, you may nonetheless take them of their wheelchair to expertise the world by their senses. If youngsters are unable to bodily go exterior, take them there of their imaginations as an alternative.
- Practice Gratitude: Before strolling, invite them to consider one thing they’re grateful for and to think about the sensation changing into clearer with every step. It might be feeling grateful for being alive, having the ability to use their legs/toes, being protected/heat, and even to thank the earth beneath them as they stroll. You may clarify that the bushes round them give them the air that they breath. This brings a way of connection and appreciation.
- End with Reflection: After a couple of minutes, collect and ask the kids how they really feel. Encourage them to note any sense of calm or happiness they expertise.
In these easy methods, we may help youngsters nurture their very own seeds of peace in each step they take.
Mindful Walking in Gratitude
Thich Nhat Hanh’s message was clear: we should first take care of ourselves if we need to really assist others.
Mindful strolling taught me that caring for ourselves doesn’t require elaborate routines; it may be so simple as taking a aware step, respiration deeply, and expressing gratitude. Walking can grow to be a sacred observe, reminding us that we’re linked to the world and one another.
Meditation for Kids and Mindful Walking: Home observe
- Invite youngsters to decide on the place you stroll. Mindfully chat about how we’re lucky to have a wholesome physique that simply takes us from one place to a different.
- When you attain the house, set a timer with a bell in order that once they hear the bell (and their minds are distracted) they keep in mind to take a deep breath and spot what’s round through the use of certainly one of their 5 senses.
- Invite them to cease at one level, eyes closed and use a unique sense to expertise the world round them.
- Use their creativeness as advised above, or ask them to think about alternative ways they might stroll that may gradual them down to allow them to tune in to the world round them.
- Invite them to show certainly one of their good friend’s the way to aware stroll.
- Invite them to show and information you the way to stroll mindfully.
Schools – Mindful Walking Practice
If you want to study extra about aware strolling practices for colleges, please join with us (under) and we’ll share a aware strolling observe that may be integrated into faculty routines.
We’ll be releasing extra info in our subsequent weblog publish in regards to the completely different strategies shared on this retreat. Please subscribe to our mailing record or comply with us on social media to be saved knowledgeable.
If you want to study extra about serving to youngsters study meditation please take a look at our Connected Kids Program.
Learn to show youngsters meditation
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