Find a comfortable position either sitting or lying down. If you are sitting, sit with your spine straight, your shoulders relaxed, your feet resting gently on the ground and your hands resting comfortably on your lap. If you are lying down, feel the weight of your body resting gently on the earth and melt into the ground. When you are ready, you can gently close your eyes or gently soften your gaze downward. You may hear sounds in the room, just hear them. Simply listen to them.
Now bring your attention to your breath. Take a few deep breaths. Take a deep breath in and release a deep breath out. As you breathe, feel your chest and your belly filling with air and rising. As you exhale, feel your chest and belly falling.
Now, breathe normally. As you breathe normally, notice where you feel your breath in your body. Is it in your nostrils? Your lungs? Your abdomen? Simply feel it, one breath at a time.
(pause and allow the child time to experiment with this feeling)
You may find your mind wondering a bit. When you notice that you have forgotten about your breath, simply bring your attention back to the feeling of your breath.
Remember that there is no right or wrong way to do this.
Simply bring your attention back to your breath and breathe normally. Continue to pay attention to where you feel your breath in your body.
How does it feel as it enters your body?
How does it feel as it fills your body?
How does it feel as it leaves your body?
Don’t try to control the breath. Don’t do anything to it. Just be aware of your normal, natural breath. See if you can be aware of the beginning of each inhale . . . The feeling between your inhale and your exhale. . .the feeling of each exhale.
See if you can feel the beginning of your exhale. Feel the rising and the falling, the in and the out.
You may get distracted. It’s OK. Simply return your attention to the feeling of your breath.
(You can pause or repeat these instructions as you feel is appropriate with your child and adjust the length of the meditation accordingly.)
Now, feel your body on the chair or on the ground. Feel the earth beneath you. Feel your feet touch the ground, your hands resting gently on your legs or on the earth.
Simply be here. In this quiet moment.
As we end our meditation, you can bring your attention back to any sounds in the room. You can slowly wiggle your hands and your feet. When you are ready you can gently open your eyes.
