Amazing: The Benefits Of Meditation For Children
Is meditation practice good for children? The answer is definitely yes. It's excellent! And here is why.
Living in a fast-changing world with few prospects for the future and no authentic reference points, today's children and adolescents are under more stress than ever before.
Many children say they are very worried about things going on in their lives, and many have stress-related symptoms such as sleep disturbances. In the long run, some develop learning difficulties, attention difficulties, insecurity, anxiety, depression, violent behavior, etc.
Perhaps many of us think that meditation is a practice only for adults who want to relax or follow a spiritual discipline. Indeed, relaxation and meditation exercises help us to move beyond the stresses of everyday life, but more than that, to access the treasure trove of wisdom and creativity that is within each of us. This is also true for children and adolescents.
Today's education system in many countries focuses more on the accumulation of knowledge, and memorization, but does not offer children the opportunity to expand their ability to learn, develop their mental potential, creativity, attention, memory, and awareness, ultimately, the elevation of consciousness. The students' mind is like a container in which only notions and information are stored.
Several studies have highlighted the benefits of meditation in children: it reduces impulsivity, improves learning and concentration, emotional competence, and relationships with others.
At the University of California, research has shown that second-and third-graders who practiced meditation techniques for 30 minutes twice a week for eight weeks improved their behavior and performed better on tests requiring memory, attention, and concentration than those who did not meditate.
Another study involving more than 3,000 students from the San Francisco Unified School District found a significant improvement in math test scores and overall performance during the school year among those who practiced meditation. The study also found a decrease in expulsions and dropouts.
And other studies have demonstrated the ability of mindfulness techniques, particularly those used in meditation, to reduce impulsivity, in controlling emotions, and relieve stress.
"We teach kids to give their brains a time out, because every brain needs a break, and because we know that meditation builds a stronger brain," the actress told ABCNews.com. "They start these mindfulness and relaxation techniques at a young age, so they can carry them with them throughout their lives."
To create the program, the actress has spent years studying how the brain works and was advised by neurologists and psychologists. For children who can't get to study directly, she wrote a guide "Let's give our children - and ourselves - 10 minutes of well-being, social and emotional skills to reduce stress and anxiety, for good health and a happy life," which is aimed at parents and educators, for a step-by-step meditation practice suitable for children of all ages.
Filmmaker David Lynch created a foundation that provides scholarships for school-age children to study meditation, and Tim Ryan has supported the Skills for Life program, which teaches deep breathing, meditation, and problem-solving exercises to children as part of the elementary school curriculum in various school districts in Ohio.
Aside from piquing the interest of Hollywood actors, children's meditation is primarily a grassroots movement that is slowly gaining support from schools as well as parents.
Falun Dafa Meditation Practice For Your Children
In the East, the technique of meditation has been known and used since ancient times and is known for its miraculous effects.
In ancient China, people regulated their breathing before starting an activity, and at school students meditated and practiced breathing exercises, a habit that provided inner and therefore social balance. People thus lived in harmony with the rhythms of nature and those around them, and society was more inclined to cultivate moral virtues and ensure the well-being of all.
Practiced consistently and regularly, meditation can benefit any brain at any age. It can be a natural remedy for stress and also a great way to teach people to take responsibility for their own well-being.
If you want to truly discover a life-changing meditation practice for you and your children, we warmly recommend you to try Falun Dafa. It's free of charge and it does wonders to those who practice it!
Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are the principles that stand at the core of this ancient meditation practice, which is now practiced in over 100 countries on all continents.
Falun Dafa refines or cultivates the mind and the body simultaneously, and its health and spiritual benefits are recognized around the world. It has already been introduced in schools in India, as well as in Europe.
Falun Dafa and its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi, have received more than 3000 awards and proclamations from all over the globe. Mr. Li Hongzhi has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and the Sakharov Award for Independent thoughts.
Living in a fast-changing world with few prospects for the future and no authentic reference points, today's children and adolescents are under more stress than ever before.
Many children say they are very worried about things going on in their lives, and many have stress-related symptoms such as sleep disturbances. In the long run, some develop learning difficulties, attention difficulties, insecurity, anxiety, depression, violent behavior, etc.
Perhaps many of us think that meditation is a practice only for adults who want to relax or follow a spiritual discipline. Indeed, relaxation and meditation exercises help us to move beyond the stresses of everyday life, but more than that, to access the treasure trove of wisdom and creativity that is within each of us. This is also true for children and adolescents.
Meditation Is Perfect For Children. Here Are Some Benefits
Children's innate qualities can be effectively cultivated through relaxation and meditation techniques, which allow them to recover this potential often unexpressed and insufficiently stimulated by traditional school curricula. They will develop a correct way of thinking, their actions will naturally be in harmony with the people around them and the environment.Today's education system in many countries focuses more on the accumulation of knowledge, and memorization, but does not offer children the opportunity to expand their ability to learn, develop their mental potential, creativity, attention, memory, and awareness, ultimately, the elevation of consciousness. The students' mind is like a container in which only notions and information are stored.
Several studies have highlighted the benefits of meditation in children: it reduces impulsivity, improves learning and concentration, emotional competence, and relationships with others.
At the University of California, research has shown that second-and third-graders who practiced meditation techniques for 30 minutes twice a week for eight weeks improved their behavior and performed better on tests requiring memory, attention, and concentration than those who did not meditate.
Another study involving more than 3,000 students from the San Francisco Unified School District found a significant improvement in math test scores and overall performance during the school year among those who practiced meditation. The study also found a decrease in expulsions and dropouts.
And other studies have demonstrated the ability of mindfulness techniques, particularly those used in meditation, to reduce impulsivity, in controlling emotions, and relieve stress.
Teaching Children How To Meditate
Teaching meditation to children has attracted some renowned advocates, including actress Goldie Hawn, whose MindUp program has shown more than 150,000 children around the world how to find a happy place inside their brains."We teach kids to give their brains a time out, because every brain needs a break, and because we know that meditation builds a stronger brain," the actress told ABCNews.com. "They start these mindfulness and relaxation techniques at a young age, so they can carry them with them throughout their lives."
To create the program, the actress has spent years studying how the brain works and was advised by neurologists and psychologists. For children who can't get to study directly, she wrote a guide "Let's give our children - and ourselves - 10 minutes of well-being, social and emotional skills to reduce stress and anxiety, for good health and a happy life," which is aimed at parents and educators, for a step-by-step meditation practice suitable for children of all ages.
Filmmaker David Lynch created a foundation that provides scholarships for school-age children to study meditation, and Tim Ryan has supported the Skills for Life program, which teaches deep breathing, meditation, and problem-solving exercises to children as part of the elementary school curriculum in various school districts in Ohio.
Aside from piquing the interest of Hollywood actors, children's meditation is primarily a grassroots movement that is slowly gaining support from schools as well as parents.
Falun Dafa Meditation Practice For Your Children
In the East, the technique of meditation has been known and used since ancient times and is known for its miraculous effects.
In ancient China, people regulated their breathing before starting an activity, and at school students meditated and practiced breathing exercises, a habit that provided inner and therefore social balance. People thus lived in harmony with the rhythms of nature and those around them, and society was more inclined to cultivate moral virtues and ensure the well-being of all.
Practiced consistently and regularly, meditation can benefit any brain at any age. It can be a natural remedy for stress and also a great way to teach people to take responsibility for their own well-being.
If you want to truly discover a life-changing meditation practice for you and your children, we warmly recommend you to try Falun Dafa. It's free of charge and it does wonders to those who practice it!
Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are the principles that stand at the core of this ancient meditation practice, which is now practiced in over 100 countries on all continents.
Falun Dafa refines or cultivates the mind and the body simultaneously, and its health and spiritual benefits are recognized around the world. It has already been introduced in schools in India, as well as in Europe.
Falun Dafa and its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi, have received more than 3000 awards and proclamations from all over the globe. Mr. Li Hongzhi has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and the Sakharov Award for Independent thoughts.
