Meditation Program
What is the Meditation for Kids Program ?
Meditation for Kids was created for those who have a hard time sitting still but would like to start a meditation practice!
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When our founder and teacher, Emily Curran, started practicing meditation at age 18 she had immense difficulty sitting still. She would feel uncomfortable in her body and her mind would be racing. When she first started meditating this discomfort prevented her from practicing as much as she would like to. Luckily for her the Tibetan Buddhist meditation practices Emily was learning encouraged her to meditate anywhere, anytime! She was taught that you don't have to sit still in order to meditate! So instead of sitting still Emily would mostly meditate while biking, talking, walking, dancing, creating art and playing or listening to music. She would sit and practice formally with a group every week but her personal practice was often what they call an informal practice which is when we practice meditation throughout our daily activities and chores. We can cultivate the same inner wisdom and compassion through meditating informally as much as sitting formally. Meditation for Kids incorporates a balance of practices both formally sitting still (with the option to move around and stand or walk etc) and informal practices while participating in games incorporating art, music and inner expression.
Meditation Misconceptions
A common misconception about meditation is that you have to clear your mind and somehow get into a peaceful open state without any thoughts. This is not possible. Our minds naturally think! If we try to erase our thoughts, our minds can get very agitated. Instead, in awareness meditation, we allow anything that comes and goes in our awareness. Allowing everything to be as it is without judgment or expectation, with just the knowing aspect of the mind to observe whatever is occurring in the present moment. Meditation allows us to explore the present moment with curiosity, non-judgement and acceptance. Meditation provides an avenue to explore ourselves and be open to new possibilities.
Meditation Benefits
Meditation has become widely researched with respect to its benefits for our wellbeing. Research conducted by Richard Davidson and other Neuroscientists studying long time meditation practitioners and well-being have stated that well-being is a skill we can teach ourselves just like learning an instrument, it takes practice. We can learn how to cope with difficult emotions and life experiences through the effective techniques of Meditation. Meditation allows us to find space between ourselves and our thoughts enabling us to foster a healthier relationship with our thoughts. Our thoughts don’t have to be who we are, our thoughts are just thoughts that come and go in the space of our awareness.
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Awareness meditation practice harnesses our consciousness to actively change our brain to experience a higher sense of well-being and resilience. This practice encourages positive changes to the brain by bringing our awareness to the neuronal patterns being created in real-time. When we observe our habitual mind we gain insight into our experience and can grow and change based on conscious decisions rather than allowing habitual thinking, patterns and stories to rule our every decision, mood or experience. Having more control over your mind patterns and how you relate to your thoughts and experiences creates more confidence and resilience to move through anything that happens in your life, be it positive or negative
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All children can learn to meditate. We can meditate while playing, dancing, painting, breathing, singing and more!
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Using games, art and creativity is perfect for introducing meditation to children in a fun, exciting way. Book me for a session with your child or recommend me for your local day-care and let your child explore, play and express their creativity through Meditation!
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For booking please contact!
Meditation Games!
The Meditation for Kids Program includes over 100 meditation games to choose from! Each game is represented by a magnet with a cute colourful drawing on it representing the game. Each participant will have the opportunity to choose what game they want to play!
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Here are just a few of the games that participants could choose during a session:
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Let it out
If the kids choose this activity then they get to listen to Emzy perform some original songs live on ukulele while singing!
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Main Character
During this game we imagine ourselves as the main character of your own life story or movie! We then draw the cover of our own life story book and give it a fun title that represents our life so far.
Cranky Pants
In this game we ask ourselves when we felt cranky last and to reenact how we looked and felt in our bodies and what we might have said or thought.
Blast Off!
Count down and blast off by jumping into the air with your arms over head. This game allows us to be present with the sensations in our bodies.
Soft Snow
This game is an imagination game that helps you calm down when things get overwhelming. We close our eyes and imagine our favourite place outside slowly being covered by a blanket of soft snow.
Big Picture
Hold your finger out and close your eyes. Emily will hold something up to your finger and you guess what it is! Difficult? Nearly impossible! We then discuss how it is difficult to make judgments about something with little information.