meditation

How can children practice stillness and quiet?

I have a class of fourth and fifth graders who practice meditation with me every day. It is not easy to get a whole group of students completely quiet and still. In fact, it is impossible if I think that I am the one doing it. Only they can do it, which means they must want to do it.

There are many ways that children can want to meditate. They feel the challenge of controlling their bodies. They relax more. They notice sounds in the environment. These rewards are enough for many of my students. For everyone to really become focused, however, I need more support.

I began dropping little paper clips into a jar to mark off the minutes. The sound would become a rhythmic source of concentration in the silence. I also offered a reward: one extra minute of recess for each minute of real stillness. It amazed me how much that little minute mattered, especially to the ones with restless energy! They were willing to work very hard for it, and the whole group benefitted.

Some children take naturally to the peace that they feel in meditation. For others, just knowing that such an activity is possible can give them greater awareness of themselves. Meditation is the art of sitting in this world. It is the discipline of acceptance.

: : : You can teach calmness with a sensory focus, in small steps.