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 folks.
Even in the present day, this expertise continues to encourage me as I practice folks 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 apply with him.
At the time, mindfulness coaching within the West was primarily for adults. But Thay (as his college students lovingly referred to as him) was a pioneer and decided to encourage educators and different professionals to share these transformative abilities with younger folks. 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 convey conscious strolling abilities to the youngsters you care deeply about.
Meditation for Kids – Mindful Walking
At the retreat, many people had been obsessed with studying particular methods to use in lecture rooms. But the expertise turned rather more than buying abilities. Through every session, Thay taught us easy practices that developed our inside compass to peace.
One apply that resonated deeply with me was conscious strolling. Initially I had dismissed conscious strolling, uncertain of how I might practise it with out the additional problem of educating kids who may simply grow to be bored or discover it amusing.
Thich Nhat Hanh taught us that conscious strolling wasn’t merely a option to transport our our bodies, it was an invite to totally inhabit every second. Thay gently guided us, outdoors 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 apply, 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 stream by way of me. I felt emotional for no logical purpose and I imagined that it was the power of affection I used to be feeling because it radiated from Thay. His conscious apply 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 steerage confirmed me easy and accessible methods to attach with my very own interior peace. Walking, a seemingly strange exercise, turned a profound option to be absolutely current. As I walked with intention, I observed sensations that usually go unnoticed—the sensation of my ft touching the earth, the light rhythm of my steps, the breath flowing out and in. I felt every step as a present, realising how treasured every second could possibly be when lived with consciousness.
With every step, we might expertise the world in a brand new approach—feeling linked, grateful, and at peace. This act of strolling slowly, purposefully, turned a meditation in itself, a shifting prayer that would domesticate interior calm and gratitude.
It was humbling to understand that my inside peace was most vital to domesticate earlier than I might really share it with others – particularly kids.
Through my very own experiences and analysis I’ve since discovered that kids 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 folks.
Meditation for Kids and Mindful Walking
I now understood how transformative conscious strolling could possibly be, particularly for kids.
Till this level, meditation was seen as a seated, nonetheless apply and this was tough for younger folks (so stuffed with power) to apply.
Instead of merely instructing them to sit down quietly, we might invite them to have interaction in conscious strolling. This would assist them discover emotions and their power by way of motion. Children have an innate curiosity and might be guided to tune into totally different senses when conscious strolling. This helps it to grow to be a pure apply for them with some light steerage.
Meditation for Kids – Mindful Walking Tips
- Start with Curiosity: Invite kids to note the world round them as they stroll. Encourage them to really feel the earth beneath their ft, observe the colors, shapes, and textures round them, and take heed to the sounds. Simplify it by giving them this record and asking them to decide on what they’ll concentrate on first.
- Slow Down Together: Walk with them at a mild tempo, specializing in every step. Practice collectively, and allow them to see you taking sluggish, intentional steps.
- Engage their creativeness: To maintain 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 maintain them pinned to the earth and encourage them to decelerate their stroll as they pay attention and observe this ‘new world’ round them.
- Breathe with Each Step: Encourage kids to take a deep breath with every step, specializing in the sensation of the breath getting 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 kids have disabilities that imply they can not stroll, you may nonetheless take them of their wheelchair to expertise the world by way of their senses. If kids are unable to bodily go outdoors, take them there of their imaginations as a substitute.
- Practice Gratitude: Before strolling, invite them to consider one thing they’re grateful for and to think about the sensation turning into clearer with every step. It could possibly be feeling grateful for being alive, with the ability to use their legs/ft, being protected/heat, and even to thank the earth beneath them as they stroll. You might clarify that the timber 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 youngsters how they really feel. Encourage them to note any sense of calm or happiness they expertise.
In these easy methods, we might help kids 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 wish to really help others.
Mindful strolling taught me that caring for ourselves doesn’t require elaborate routines; it may be so simple as taking a conscious step, respiration deeply, and expressing gratitude. Walking can grow to be a sacred apply, reminding us that we’re linked to the world and one another.
Meditation for Kids and Mindful Walking: Home apply
- Invite kids 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 after they hear the bell (and their minds are distracted) they keep in mind to take a deep breath and see what’s round by utilizing one in all their 5 senses.
- Invite them to cease at one level, eyes closed and use a distinct 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 might sluggish them down to allow them to tune in to the world round them.
- Invite them to show one in all their buddy’s how one can conscious stroll.
- Invite them to show and information you how one can stroll mindfully.
Schools – Mindful Walking Practice
If you wish to be taught extra about conscious strolling practices for colleges, please join with us (under) and we’ll share a conscious strolling apply that may be integrated into faculty routines.
We’ll be releasing extra info in our subsequent weblog submit concerning the totally different methods 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 be taught extra about serving to kids be taught meditation please take a look at our Connected Kids Program.
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