Spring Cleaning: A New Definition

Quan Yin, The Goddess of Compassion
Watches over my garden, &
reminds me to let go of past hurts

To some of us (women) spring means more daylight, warmer weather, a newer wardrobe and to others it means "spring cleaning".

As a child, the coming of spring to me was associated with the overwhelming smell of Pine cleaner as my mother scrubbed everything from top to bottom. The house was turned upside-down, windows open, curtains removed, quilts put away, old items put out for a yard sale or donation and we were expected to clear out closets and drawers of what my mom considered 'junk'. My brother and I viewed this "junk" as "treasures" and hid it all carefully away so mom would not toss it. (I still have a few little boxes of treasures put away.)

Last week, Jay & I moved my office to a bigger room in my house. It was a major move because I have almost 100 books, just as many files, programming curriculum's, art supplies, musical instruments, awards, letters, gifts and paperwork from the last 11 years of teaching. This is not including the tablets of paper with random thoughts and outlines and notes written or the other personal paperwork-bank statements, insurance and business licenses, etc. I won't even mention how many albums & boxes of photos I have. My computer its just as full with way too many e-mails coming to my inbox that I don't have time to read.

As we moved the office and I sorted through and threw out old paperwork, I thought about how much we tend to accumulate & how we attach to these things and the memories that go with them. Every item reminded me of a student or a teacher I had, or of my kids, or of experiences, both good and bad. I started asking myself if these are items I really need or if I'm just not ready to let go of the memories yet.

Could it be that our outer environments reflect what we are feeling on the inside?

Look around your classroom, office or workspace. Is it cluttered? Maybe you are feeling "cluttered" in your life & need to eliminate or delegate some tasks instead of taking them all on for yourself, rectify and  let go of old emotions or back away from  those people in your life who drain you. Is your home too clean to the point of being afraid to "mess it up"? Then maybe you are too quick to push things to the back of your memory and you need to resolve those old hurts so you can move on.

The truth is, we only really need about 20% of what we have. The other 80% of  the"stuff" we own is just clutter. We don't have to attach to anything & we can remember anything we want, anytime we want to. These excess items we hold on to are only symbols of what we want to remember on an emotional level. When we hold on to too many "things" in our physical environments, it ultimately prevents us from enjoying life as much as we could.

You can begin to teach you children and students this too, and if you make it a regular event, the "letting go of treasures" seems less traumatic.

As I've gotten older, I've adopted the habit of  engaging in a much different kind of "Spring Cleaning". Spring is a time for new beginnings. Its a good time to clear out what's cluttering & overflowing inside of us and that is where the bulk of my spring cleaning takes place. On the inside.

You don't have to wait until spring. You can do this at the change of every season, or every day, once a week or on a montly basis. Do it as much as you think you need, but make the time for yourself to do it. Its just as important as all of the other tasks you have on your "To Do" list. Time will never become available on its own. You have to make it.

I use Imagery often to help me re-focus & get rid of some of the more stubborn hurts, frustrations and memories that hold me back. Imagery is a simple process that takes about 5 minutes. It re-directs that negative or hurtful memory that you have and re-writes the painful story you or others are telling you about it. Imagery is a useful tool that anyone can use, that can help turn painful experiences and people into something more constructive, positive & less hurtful.

You can teach this method to your kids too. The more they get rid of past hurts and painful memories, the more they will understand how to live & learn "in the moment".

I've included 3 helpful imageries below for you to use for yourself or with students/kids..

Happy Cleaning!


Fish Hooks

*[For letting go of those who have hurt us. You will need about 5-10 minutes of uninterrupted time. Shut off phones and other devices until you are finished. Keep a glass of water or a water bottle nearby.]

So sit or lie down comfortably & close your eyes. For a minute just  notice the rhythm of your breathing. Now, imagine that you are in the middle of a lake, in a boat. Picture this as clearly as you can. Now picture a person who is troublesome to you, on the shore of the lake. In his or her hand she is holding a fishing rod and you can see that she/he has "hooked" you and is trying to reel you in. You may see that there are a few hooks in you and can see them digging deeper into your body as you try to pull away. You can feel the pain of each hook when you resist, so finally you grasp a hook with your hand & gently work it out from under your skin & out of your body. Imagine yourself taking that hook and tossing it away from you back into the water. Do this for each hook and tell the person to go. The person on the shore reels in the line and walks away. Wish them well. You now have wounds that you tend to by placing your hand over and imagining that they are healing. As they heal, focus on your breathing for a minute and then slowly begin to imagine yourself here, now in this room and when you are ready , open your eyes. Take a sip of water and stretch.

[You may need to do this a few times in order to feel it has minimized your conflict with this person. Do it as many times as you need.]


Ribbons

This imagery is very similar to the "Fish Hooks" one, but instead you will imagine that there are ribbon attached to both of you. You release that person by taking a pair of scissors, cutting the ribbons, and setting that person free. Wish them well. Repeat as necessary.



The Window

*[Taught to me by my Meditation Teacher. Good for stress management, observing a situation objectively, problem solving, and for remaining "neutral" about a situation. Kids respond well to this imagery and can learn to use it in any situation. ]

Imagine that you are sitting in front f a large window. You can see a conflict or a situation, you or others are involved in, taking place outside of the window. You watch this as it happens, seeing it all very clearly, but you are not directly involved in it. You observe it as a bystander, on the other sideof the window, not getting overly emotional and are able to see the situation more objectively. In your mind you see ways to minimize or solve the conflict. In some cases you decide to remain a bystander. In others, you decide to take action. You have control of when to take action and when to remain the observer. Intend that the situation is resolved for the highest good of everyone concerned.


*Our S.A.F.E Spaces™  for Learning & Living helps you create perfect environments  for any situation. 

Our R.E.A.Ch ™ Program is Relaxation Education for Adults & Children. 

To book a Consultation, workshop or class, or for a customized Stress Management program, for yourself, your staff or school, contact me: barbara@bodylogique.com


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S.M.Art Kids/Healthy Kids Top 12 Posts of 2012

As the year draws to a close, I'd like to thank you all for reading. In 2013 we plan to bring you an even more diverse variety of educational & fun activities, professional development, inspirations and more.

The links below are to our 13 top-viewed and shared posts of 2012. (I know the title said "Top 12", however 2 posts were tied for 12th, so we included them both, giving you a bonus link.)

We hope you enjoy!

And have a very Healthy, Happy New Year!

~Barbara




Dance, Cheer, Yoga!

Grandfather Tells: The Wolves Within

Aromatherapy & Autism

La Befana

Games that Build Core Strength

Constructive Fidgeting

Peace Pose

Skinformation

10 Tips for Paraeducators

Learning Through Play

Building Good Posture From the Ground Up

Pool Noodles-Part 2

The Myth of Meditation






Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com

Children's Brains & Stress: Making Meditation Kid-Friendly

Photo: Barbara Gini-©2010
Serenity Health & Fitness Center

This is your brain on stress: environmental data collected by the sensory systems and interpreted by the brain reads that you are in danger or being threatened in some way. The brain quickly sends the alarm to the body as adrenalin floods into every cell causing your heart and respiratory rate to increase. Every muscle in your body is ready to spring into action, and all before you can even cognitively understand what has just taken place, or even that you are being threatened.

This is your body's "Fight or Flight" mechanism and its commonly known as the Stress Response. Its a natural reaction to stress that the body sets in motion all on its own.

The interesting thing about it, is that the brain cannot tell the difference between a real stress event (such as being stalked on a dark street at night by a group of thugs) or an artificial one, (such as watching a movie scene where someone is being stalked by a bunch of thugs.) In each case, it will react in the same manner.

While we know that the stress response is the body's safety mechanism, we also know that sustained stress, whether real or perceived, can cause a number of health problems. In fact, it is estimated that stress is the underlying reason for more than 70% of all doctor's visits.

In children, especially children with special needs, stress can be equally as devastating. In one study, 20%-40% of the children ages 8-12 reported feeling stressed or worried, yet only 8%-17% of the parents & educators in their worlds realized that they were stressed. Clearly, our children need to have support and guidance in recognizing stress and coping with it so that it does not get out of control. Un-managed stress in children causes a variety of physical, mental and emotional health problems, aggressive behaviors, isolation and illness. This does not just affect the person experiencing stress, but has a ripple effect and will impact every single person a child comes in contact with.

In addition, a stressed brain cannot learn.

Once the brain goes into Fight or Flight mode, all it can do is fight, or flee. This is why its especially important for educators and therapists to know the outward signs of stress in kids and develop plans to minimize and cope with the stress response, but most importantly to teach children how to self-regulate and manage their own stress on a regular basis, no matter where they are. They need to know when its important to react quickly, and when they need to stay calmer and respond rather than react.

Stress management, like brushing teeth, is a vital part of a child's health & learning. It is a life skill that needs to be taught in a patient and clear manner, just as we teach our children the days of the week, how to set the table, put their belongings away, and other everyday tasks. It is a skill that not only serves them in health, but in regulating behavior, relationships & academic learning, in the classroom, at home and in all of life.

One of the topics discussed in our "Calm & Connected" workshop is how to simplify stress management & meditation techniques so that kids can understand and use them independently. When presented in a fun, matter-of-fact, simplified manner, (while children are calm & having fun) using everyday language, kids will respond and actually want to do it. This gives them tools to use to, transition to a new situation, calm quickly after a stressful event occurs or to stay focused on what's important as one is occurring.

Our book, "Calm & Connected: Yoga-Based Tools for Self-Regulation" takes it a step further and draws a connection between sensory integration, stress and the yoga techniques that address both.

The key to helping kids manage stress is to make it "Kid-Friendly". Simple stories, games, props and most of all practice will help a child learn when to "Fight or Flee" and when to "Stay Calm & Keep Connected".


How do you cope with/manage stress?

What are some ways that you help your children or students cope with stress? 


Please tell us in the comments below.


Related Articles:

The Pizza Game (Sensory Based Stress Management for Kids)

Peace Garden Imagery

Pool Noodle Reflexology

Helping Children Cope with Anxiety

Three Minute Neck Massage

Calming Anxious Lives

Meditation: Children and Teens as Mindful Warriors (Roots of Action Blog-Dr. Marilyn Price-Mitchell)




Contact:  barbara@bodylogique.com


Visit Us: www.bodylogique.com 

Visit our sister site: BodyLogique-books.com 

Mindful Mantis Pose

This morning when I opened up my living room curtains, I saw a Praying Mantis on my window. I grabbed my cell phone and snapped a picture as he was sitting there, perfectly still. When I came back through the living room 45 minutes later, he was still sitting in the same spot.

After observing him for a bit, I see why some of the symbolism of the praying mantis deals with stillness and patience. The mantis lives life at its own silent, unhurried pace. This is a good character trait to emulate- especially when we are busy,overwhelmed and can barely hear ourselves think -and to model and pass down to our students, children & grandchildren.

The Mindful Mantis pose is one I use often for children's yoga classes and seems to be a favorite, especially of the 7-10 year old boys. They are quick to point out that a Mantis is a fierce fighter and hunter, and I agree, adding that the mantis only hunts when necessary, reacts with force only when threatened & always is patient. A Mantis never makes a move or reacts until he is 100% positive that it is the right thing to do. In fact, in China, the mantis has long been honored for his mindful movements. In other cultures, the Mantis is a symbol of stilless, awareness, and intuition. I emphasize these traits and as an example for us all to quiet ourselves & think before we make a choice or react in a certain way, to a person or situation.

Children's Mantis Pose can be done either sitting or standing. The posture is physically good for releasing tension, improving spine flexibility and aiding digestion. When done slowly and deliberately, it teaches children to slow down and to be aware of how their body-and Life- is flowing, either with resistance or with precision.  

1. Begin Mantis Pose by standing tall with feet together. Bend elbows and place palms of hands together.
2. Inhale and begin to bend knees-then exhale and slowly twist to right side, exhaling with the movement, until the left elbow reaches the right knee. Hold for 1-3 breaths.
3. Slowly un-twist and straighten legs & spine until you come back to starting position.
4. Take one full breath (Inhale-exhale) in standing position.
5. Repeat the above steps to other side of body: twisting to left side and touching right elbow to left knee. Hold for 1-3 breaths.

6. Slowly come back to standing position and take one full breath.

This posture can modified and completed while seated in a chair , on a therapy ball, or on the floor. If your students are seated on the floor, be sure to have then sit on folded thick blankets, (with hips on front edge of blanket and feet on floor) to elevate the hips about 2-3 inches off the floor. This allows the hips to relax while the movement is being completed.

Be sure your students move slowly and deliberately, and breathe through the movement. The breathing and slow pace of this posture helps to train the nervous system to a relaxation response and helps keep students calm & focused.

If the student cannot yet touch opposite elbow to opposite knee, just have them go as far as is comfortable until the spine learns to relax more and a larger range of movement can be obtained.


Not sure how to adapt this or other postures for a student? Please contact me! barbara@bodylogique.com

Find more children's yoga poses here.

*See more photos of "Mindful Mantis" here.


* I am currently Working on my first children's book entitled "Mindful Mantis", due to be released sometime in 2013. Please stay tuned for updates and announcements and be sure to look at our "What's New" tab on this blog and our website.

In the meantime, we would be happy to see you connect with us on Facebook and Twitter .


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Visual Affirmation Tools for Kids

Affirmation Board

In my last post I talked about the Trouble with Affirmations.  I talked about the disconnect and confusion that can occur when you instruct a child to say an affirmation phrase while doing an unrelated activity.

For kids, the affirmation needs to be very simple, have personal meaning, and needs to make sense within the framework of the actions they are taking or need to take to reach a goal. They need to be able to relate to method you use and sometimes we need to get creative in the packaging of the things that they need to learn. We need to turn it into something fun.

As far as affirmations, children respond better to simple visual tools and are motivated by active participation rather than passive and rote learning. (For example, a photo album of childhood experiences holds more meaning than just talking about the events, and using multiplication to double or triple a favorite brownie recipe is much more engaging than memorizing the times tables.) When spoken word is added to visuals, it enhances the affirming effect and taps into the creative power of the imagination, such as looking at a photo album and hearing the stories behind the photos does.

Below are a few simple and useful visual tools for kid-friendly affirmations:

Painted Pebbles / Charm Stones

Painted Pebbles: Also called Charm Stones were used in Ancient Scotland and Iceland around 500 AD to heal illness. The stones had symbols and motifs painted on them that represented the healing energies being sent to the afflicted. In modern times, we see this concept in a variety of places, especially on accessories found in garden centers. This is such an easy way to display a word, mantra or message of affirmation to kids. Allow them to select their own rock and write or draw what they want to affirm. It does not have to be fancy, just meaningful to them. A small jewel or sticker can be added to personalize for the child. (I know one non-verbal child who kept a large collection of these painted rocks on a shelf of his bedroom. He would often hold them in his hand and softly hum to himself before he went to sleep.)

Message in A Bottle

Message in a Bottle:   A clean, empty water bottle can be up-cycled into a message in a bottle that holds positive messages, wishes or affirming thoughts for its owner. Add some sand, small shells, stickers and ribbon for personalization and a cork for the opening.   Children can add as many messages as they wish. Too see complete instructions, please go to this link: Surf's Up Photo Album.

Affirmations decorate
Mirrors & Door Frames

Mirrors & Door Frames: My daughter creates a variation of the message in the bottle by placing stickers, cards, bookmarks and trinkets around her mirror and on the frames of the pictures on her walls. She is surrounded by these positive expressions every time she enters her room.

When she was little, we started giving each other fruit stickers-the ones that come off of the produce from the grocery store. I would give her one and tell her it was for love-and she would give me one and tell me it was for hugs and so on. One day, I went to hang up her bathrobe on her door hook and on the back of her door, there were dozens of fruit stickers! She said it made her happy to look at them and know I loved her. Even now, every time we eat fruit from the grocery store, we give each other the sticker and a kiss as an affirmation of love.

Journals: Everyday journals can be used to make collage pages of affirmations, motivational quotes, fortune cookie sayings or photos of real life (or fictitious) heroes and role models.  Scrapbook accessories can enhance this process and make it more personal. The child does not need to know how to write to design one of these. The photos act as a positive affirmation, reminding the child of the qualities they love in their heros. A variation of this concept is to construct the collage on a large piece of poster or foam board. These are commonly called Vision Boards and are used to stay focused on goals and the positive things one desires in life, but can be used for many different purposes, such as affirmations. My daughter's is pictured at the top of this post. She made it when she was going through struggles at school and trying to understand the complex process of growing friendships. Each word or item she placed on the board represents a thing in her life she values. This stays displayed in her room as well, along with her message bottle and painted pebbles and of course her fruit stickers!


Contact: bg.bgini@gmail.com

Sensory Fun with Sand Gardens

Ryoan Ji Zen Garden in Kyoto, Japan
Photo: Steven D'Alu

Japanese Rock Gardens, (also Called Dry Landscape or "Zen" Gardens) are one of the world's first forms of art and have been in existence since about 784 AD. They can be found around many shrines, temples, and palaces in Japan and in the US. Each garden and the elements within that garden have a unique symbolism.
White gravel is a special feature of Japanese gardens and is used to symbolize purity, emptiness, distance and water. Rocks, moss, pruned trees and bushes, are placed in the gravel to create a miniature landscape that imitates nature rather than replicates it. The gravel (or sand) is then raked to represent ripples in the water.

These gardens were intended to be plain and to serve as an aid to help find clarity & to meditate about the true meaning of life. In modern times, miniature tabletop versions of these gardens can be found in a variety of outlets and are designed to temporarily slow down our pace, reduce stress, encourage focus, initiate an internal contemplative mood or encourage play & imagination. The great thing about these is that you don't need alot of space for them. In fact, you can make one very simply with a few items found around the home, or easily obtained. It can be stored on a desk, a bookshelf or in a drawer.

Kids of all ages love these, as it adds an extra element of sensory play and body-brain integration that helps to improve concentration, adjust to transitions and self-calming. When I made the sample in the video below, my daughter found it and claimed it. As I was getting ready to film the video, I observed her play with it on the couch (thaqt is away from her cell phone and with the TV off) for almost 40 minutes-unprompted and uninterrupted. She kept saying to me,  "Mom, this thing is so relaxing!" She did not want to give it up when I was ready to make the video-so she offered to help me with it if I would let her keep the finished item. (Of course I let her keep it!)

This version of the "Sand Garden" (or Sensory Garden)  uses natural elements for the center, (rocks, shelss, etc.)however if kids want to place small animal figures or other personal items in the sand instead I don't see a problem with that. If they are calm and engaged then it has served its purpose. What's even better is that these Sand Gardens are portable and spill-proof if you have the right container. View the video below for the easy instructions.

Have fun!







Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com





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Less is More

Photo: fox.temple.edu

From a article entitled "I Can't Think!" published in Newsweek:

"The Twitterization of our culture has revolutionized our lives, but with an unintended consequence: our overloaded brains freeze when we have to make decisions. "

The article went on to discuss a recent study conducted at the Center for Neural Decision Making at Temple University. The following 2 paragraphs stood out to me:

"As the information load increased...so did activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a region behind the forehead that is responsible for decision making and control of emotions. But as the researchers gave the [volunteers]  more and more information, activity in the dorsolateral PFC suddenly fell off, as if a circuit breaker had popped."

"The research should give pause to anyone addicted to incoming texts and tweets. The booming science of decision making has shown that more information can lead to objectively poorer choices, and to choices that people come to regret. It has shown that an unconscious system guides many of our decisions, and that it can be sidelined by too much information."

Our good decisions are sidelined by too much information. Every time I visit Twitter, or Facebook, and see the endless stream of links, promotions, thoughts, ideas, pictures, complaints, opinions & random words I want to just log out quickly; and every time I read an article such as this I put it in the framework of how it must affect our kids. How overloaded are they? How many kids endlessly text on cell phones-sometimes 3 or 4 friends at a time? How many are on My Yearbook, My Space, Meebo or Facebook for hours daily? How many go to school and are subjected to information and homework bombardment and standardized testing preparation, as their art, music and athletic programs are being cut out entirely? How many of these kids are being diagnosed with a plethora of conditions from ADHD to depression and put on medication because they can't make decisions, focus on or finish anything? Are they too suffering from information overload?

Understanding how the brain works will help us understand how to minimize some of the problems. The human brain has three forms of memory: Sensory, Long-term and Short-term.

Sensory memory is the initial contact for stimuli and lasts about 200–500 milliseconds after an item is perceived through one of the senses. The ability to hear instructions & remember them, or to look at an item, and remember what it looked like with just a second of observation, are two examples. Sensory memory is only capable of retaining information for a very short period of time.

In a study of sensory memory conducted by George Sperling (1963) the maximum capacity of sensory memory was found to be approximately 12 items, but that number drops very quickly (within a few hundred milliseconds). Because this form of memory degrades so quickly, participants would see a display, but be unable to report all of the items (12 in all) before they decayed. This type of memory cannot be prolonged by rehearsal or repetition which would explain why your child forgets the 3 or 4 tasks or commands you just rattled off to them.

Long-term memory is just like unlimited hard-drive space & can store much more information for very long durations (such as an entire life span).  We can remember social security numbers, passwords and telephone numbers for many years through repetition of use. Information retained in this way is said to be stored in long-term memory.

Short-term memory functions much like a very small RAM and is capable to hold only about five to nine (seven is an average) items at a time. Retrieving information longer than this will require it to be grouped together into seven units, or store it in long-term memory.

For example, given a random seven-digit number we may remember it for only a few seconds before forgetting, suggesting it was stored in our short-term memory. On the other hand, remembering your bank password, safe code, childhood phone number or address is somewhat easier due to repetition and commitment to long term memory.

We can use the results of the Temple Study and the knowledge of how our memory works to begin to clear out the verbal and visual clutter & communicate better with each other, especially with our kids and with our students. Its important for kids to learn this too. A good rule of thumb when giving instructions, delegating tasks, outlining steps to problem solving, or introducing yoga, karate, dance or exercise sequences to children or teens, (especially sensory or cognitively challenged) is that less is more. Aim to keep it to 1 or 2 items, (or 1-2 written or spoken words), per age of child, but no more than 7 at a time. Otherwise, you are very likely to trigger an overload and the emotions and upheaval that accompany it.

I show all of the students that I work with a very simple technique to combat this overload. Its a meditation, only I don't call it that. I call it Imagery or simply "relaxation". They can use it anywhere and anytime they feel like they need it- at home, school or anywhere. Essentially, they unplug & turn off everything electronic, and sit quietly thinking of a place (such as the beach) or an object (such as a starfish, flower or a sea shell) and I teach them to use their imagination to focus only on that one thing. (younger kids have an easier time using an object at first)

You can do this at home with your child before overload becomes a permanent problem. Keep a small collection of river stones, shells or other small toys or objects in a jar, and when a need arises for relaxation, have them take one of the objects out, sit or lie down & study it for a minute. Then, close their eyes and imagine it in detail. I've had my 'Hyperactive" students sit for up to 20 minutes doing this exercise. The kids ask for it (especially my teen girls) and they are asking for it because its something their taxed brains and emotions desperately need.

The growing human brain needs down time every day, like the lungs need air and the cells need water.

While technology can be a useful tool to bring people together and create collaborations that may not have been possible otherwise, please take care to use it responsibly and teach your kids to do the same. When it comes to communicating, less is more.


Related Articles:

The Myth of Meditation

I Can't Think!

* Use this link

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The Big Myth of Meditation

I recently was visiting at a special event and sat in on a family yoga demonstration. Towards the end of the demonstration, the teacher told the children they were going to relax and empty their minds of all thoughts so they could relax even more.

One child, sitting in the back near me, became very distressed and said,"But I tried that before and every time I try to empty my mind, I just can't stop thinking. The thoughts just keep coming and coming and they just don't stop! How do I get them to stop?"

I could understand his anxiety. Its ridiculous (and a little scary) to think of the mind not thinking. In fact, it doesn't make any sense at all.

While I know that teacher meant well, and was trying to re-assure him when she replied "Just try",  the words and manner in which she was showing them had just the opposite effect of what it should have. Although there was just one boy who asked how to empty his mind, I wonder how many others in that group wondered the same thing?

The biggest myth of meditation is that our minds need to be empty. The single purpose of the mind is to think. A more accurate description of meditation is that we are becoming aware of or directing or focusing our thoughts. We can focus on a sound, a color, a single image, our breath, an experience and that is what brings awareness, slows our racing and random thoughts down, reduces stress and allows us to function more efficiently.

We have to keep in mind (pun intended) that there are several styles of meditation, and, when teaching children, we have to be mindful of the type and manner in which we teach them. Sometimes we say meditation when we really mean relaxation which is related, but not the same thing. These useful techniques must be taught in a kid-friendly step by step manner or they will not be able to be understood and utilized effectively. Children will not have the same experience as an adult will so we have to break it down and help them have their own experience and understand what uses these techniques have.

Right now there is a huge push for mindfulness in schools. But we need to first understand exactly what it is we are teaching and for what purpose before we start doing it, or we run the risk of:

1) no one taking any of it seriously
2) of causing more anxiety as I spoke of at the beginning of this post
3) giving the impression that the techniques don't work or cannot be taught to children, (and we know neither of these are true!)

Meditation is, generally defined:

"Meditation refers to a family of self-regulation practices that focus on training attention and awareness in order to bring mental processes under greater voluntary control and thereby foster general mental well-being and development and/or specific capacities such as calm, clarity, and concentration..."

For our purposes, this can be broken down further in to two main categories:

• Concentrative Meditation: (Focused Attention):  Voluntarily being attentive to and focusing on a particular object
• Mindful Meditation: (Open Monitoring (OM) ):  focusing on moment to moment experiences, and learning how to be aware and not react to them 

In either type, the observer is fully aware and participating in the process. Each type has a specific purpose & will have specific effects on the brain and body.

So how do you know which one to teach and use with children? The answer is that it really depends on the children.

The first thing to remember is to keep it simple and not too serious. It needs an element of fun to be effective with kids. Make it a game. I call it "Imagery" or the "Imagine Game" or the "Concentration Game".

Meditation & mindfulness, are big, fancy words for little kids and its doubtful that they will have any school teacher that will tell them to "please be mindful of your behavior" or to  "meditate on these math problems..."  They will however hear a teacher tell them to concentrate; focus; pay attention. So we need to define why we want to teach them the techniques and then teach them in simple common language so they can understand what it is that they are learning to do.

 Don't rush the process and allow children to come to conclusions and realizations on their own. I've listed 4 basic steps and some activities below that I have found effective. Give each step as much time as needed for each child to grasp the concept before taking it up to the next level. Some children may stay at one level and that is fine too.

Consider the outcome you are intending, along with the age, maturity level and abilities of each child before selecting and doing these or any other mindful/meditation activities:

1) Children relate better to tangibles rather than abstract concepts, so the first step is to teach them to focus on an object. I like to use natural objects such as shells, stones, leaves, flowers, etc. Have each child select one from an array and then have them really observe the color, shape, unique qualities and other details they can visually identify about it. Do this for a few minutes. Then have them place all the objects in a bowl, and mix them up. Pass the bowl around and one by one, see if they can retrieve their own object again.

2) You can then have them focus on sounds, sensations or smells in the same way: (sounds) instrumental music, ocean or rain forest, their own breath; (sensation) a feather brushed across their arm or leg, the feeling of a sea shell in their hand; (smell) spearmint plants, coffee beans, cookies baking or chamomile tea bags.  Have them describe how that sound, sensation, or smell makes them feel,or what it reminds them of (A place or an experience.)

3) Next try some simple guided imagery, of a place where they feel happy and safe, such as grandma's house, the beach, playground, zoo, aquarium, garden, amusement park, etc. Allow them to form an image in their mind and imagine it as detailed as they can for a specified amount of time (ex: 5 minutes) Then have them share their imagery with the group, verbally or by journaling.

4) Then have them work on thinking of an event that made them feel sad, such as an argument with a friend or a favorite toy that broke. Have them imagine that they are watching the experience or event from inside a big window and the event is taking place outside of the window. Take them through the experience and have them imagine how they would like to see the situation resolved. Have them 'see' that resolution happen outside the window.

In my experience, it is only after a progression of steps, such as those described above have been introduced and practiced, does a child start to understand how to use these techniques in the present moment.

Its not difficult to teach meditation techniques to children-all children, no matter what their abilities- but it does need to be taught patiently and in a thoughtful practical manner, (and always in the spirit of fun), so they can retain and apply the techniques independently whenever they need them the most.

Would you like to help your child recognize the signs of stress and teach them how to address it independently?

Calm and Connected is a step by step resource for parents and educators with dozens of class and kid-friendly meditation games activities & techniques to use for teaching children how to improve their sense of self calm & maintain better focus.

 Learn more and order your copy here.



For Further Discussion:


Do you think mindfulness & other forms of meditation is beneficial to kids and should be taught in schools?Why or why not?

At what age should children start to learn these techniques?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.






Related Articles:


 Self Calming in the Peace Garden

The Art of Engagement

Sensory Scavenger Hunt

Labyrinth Adventures




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Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com

Sensory Scavenger Hunt: Nature Sounds

My daughter had  a friend stay over this weekend. Being 12 & 13 respectively, they spent most of their time sitting next to each other, TV on, texting friends. I kept kicking them out of the house as it was a nice outside, but it seemed like they kept going back to the electronics.

Usually, I just tell my daughter to give me her phone for a specified amount of time and do her homework, read or do some other activity, but I can't take away the phones of her friends.

So I enlisted their help with dinner and I gave them a challenge as we sat outside, husking corn on my patio.

I challenged them to a 'Sensory Scavenger Hunt' to see who could identify the most sounds.

They were not terribly enthusiastic as I had gotten them up off the couch and outside, away from cell phones & iPods and from watching "Soul Surfer" (an outstanding movie) for the 3rd time.

They blandly asked what the winner got. I told them that the winner got a 'free pass' for cleaning up the dinner dishes. They were slightly more enthusiastic at this point.

So I explained that all they had to do was sit (outside) and listen for 10 minutes and identify every natural sound they could hear. The phones were away at that point and phone sounds did not count. They agreed. They closed their eyes even though I didn't ask them to.

I began by identifying a woodpecker. My daughter said "Oh, is that what that is?"

My daughter's  friend identified a lawn mower in the distance. Even though it was not a 'nature' sound, I allowed it-the point of the activity was to get them to tune in with another sense other than their eyes.

The friend started naming sounds: a dog barking, a loud fan belt, someone emptying trash...my daughter noted that she would be able to play too & could hear better if her friend would stop 'blabbing' and just be quiet. The friend pointed out that my daughter has a 'bigger mouth' & louder voice then her, so she shouldn't be talking either....

So I suggested that they both just listen and they could write the sounds down later. They finally quieted and sat perfectly still. About 15 minutes later when I finished husking the corn, I told them they could open their eyes, and they asked if they could sit a few more minutes.

What?! Did they just ask to sit quietly a little longer?! Why of course they could! I actually did a little happy dance as I went inside to start dinner.

So 10 minutes later they came in the house and asked me for paper so they could write their lists.

Here is a partial list:

• mom husking corn
• the chair creaking
• loud radio (from passing car)
• birds (7 different calls that they imitated for me)
• a dog whining (next door)
• kids laughing
• wind chimes
• leaves blowing
• water running ( neighbor watering garden)
• roosters
• more dogs (hounds barking down the street)
• a church bell
• my breath
• my stomach growling
• peace

I noticed that the list got more introspective as I hoped it would. The girls started out noticing generic external sounds and ended up where I wanted them: listening to their own internal sounds. This skill is not merely about listening. Its also about introspection & understanding ourselves: who we are & what makes us tick.

Although younger children are more enthusiastic to play this game, I know that teens need it more. They are growing and transitioning and need to learn how to get control of their emotions instead of the other way around. This exercise gives them permission to examine themselves, their dreams and desires and the choices that they are making for themselves.

Encourage your teens to do this exercise for 10 minutes a day. They will most likely resist at first, but then will ask for the 'down time' and finally, just take it for themselves.  You can adapt this activity to have them listen to a classical (or popular) instrumental music piece and identify all the instruments they hear. Have them write for 5 minutes a list or a brief description of what the music did & how it made them feel. Or let them listen to a 'nature sound' track and identify what they can hear from that.

In all of my teen yoga classes, this is the activity the girls ask for the most, followed by the "Massage Train" (which I will discuss in another post) If they are asking for it, then it must be something they need. If they are not asking for it, then introduce it to them and they will.

Some of us call this by different names: mindfulness - meditation - stress management. Whatever you call it, and however you teach it, it is an important skill that serves many purposes, personally, socially, academically, profesionally and in all other aspects of Life.

Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com



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Rice & The Art of Engagement

Sea Turtle Mandala
Photo: ©2011  B.Gini

A few years ago, I was asked by Greenshire Healing Arts Center to provide a community art project for a Youth Peace Summit that reflects the theme of "Peace". What is better as a symbol of unity than a community Mandala?


Mandalas are circular, symmetrical designs that have been used for centuries as a tool for meditation & reflection, and in more modern times by Sigmund Freud as a tool for psychoanalysis. I have drawn many mandalas over the years and find them to be a great tool for engagement in self-reflection, peaceful, focused thought and creative problem solving.


I was not sure how to proceed at first, and after a few ideas that I rejected, I finally envisioned a design: The Earth encircled by a rainbow-(the symbol for Hope as well as a symbol of diversity) two Doves with olive branches (symbolizing Peace) A Heart at the base is for Love, Friendship and Acceptance, and Lotus petals framing all 4 corners, represent the progress of working towards Peaceful interactions. (A lotus grows up through the mud to blossom into a fragrant, perfect bloom. I have observed & known many people with that same ability.) I drew the design on brown paper that painters use to cover surfaces when working.


The Mandala was made with colored rice-a technique I became familiar with through my Friend Ritu who who also does the most amazing Henna and Batik you have ever seen! She has been doing this beautiful ancient art for many years. She was my inspiration for the building of this project & this was my first time doing such a large piece.


Each grain of rice, being placed on the design by at-risk teens of all ages was the epitome of Peaceful interaction not just with each other, but within themselves. I noticed that as each area of the design emerged-one small spoonful at a time- the kids became fully engaged in the tiny colorful grains. One remarked that she felt as if she had become part of the design itself.

That is the beauty of this process. As each individual works on a part of the design, and as it emerges, it brings self- reflection to the individual, to the group & to the larger community. It helps us realize that even though we are individual and unique, we are all part of something much larger than ourselves. The mandala making process becomes the Art of Engagement which is the basis of all peaceful interactions.

When the design was finished, it was displayed in the gallery for a week, then dismantled, much as Tibetan Mandalas are. To me, this represents impermanence & non-attachment. It reminds me of the fragile nature of Life & affirms that any positive change begins with a single thought from a single person-just as this design began with a single spoonful of rice.

Being who I am, I have adapted this activity to use with my younger groups & my students with sensory challenges. From their perspective, it is a fun, calming, multi-sensory activity that helps them learn to focus, share, engage & follow through with a project to completion. For the younger kids, I use simple terminology & call the designs 'mosaics', or 'rice art' and I make them permanent by using a little bit of white glue before the rice is added.

So many Life & Social skills can be learned through this activity! Its a perfect activity for outdoors and is the method I prefer. If you are going to do it inside, let the kids assist through the entire process by helping color the rice, set up the area & clean up at the end. If rice spills, gently guide them to help clean it up. Wherever you decide to set up the activity, be sure to allow plenty of time. It’s counter-productive to rush children through the process.It may even be helpful to set it up at a 'sensory station' and let the kids work on it at intervals during the week.

Supplies are simple: Plain, heavy duty paper plates, round or square (not Styrofoam) OR shoe box lids. (You can also use aluminum pans or plain color plastic trays) rice, food coloring and hand sanitizer. There are literally thousands of ideas and patterns online. Start with simple geometric shapes and build more intricate designs as the skill and attention level increases.

To see an instructional video of how to color the rice, click here: Colored Rice Technique.

 To find our e-course on designing mandalas for stress management go to:
10 Minute Mandalas

I know there are hundreds of other ways to use colored rice. Tell us your ideas in thecomments below!


To see some photos of the activity in progress, watch the video below.



Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com

Lighting A Fire

One of the most challenging aspects to being an educator is getting (and keeping) students engaged in learning. We have all had it happen: we walk into a studio or classroom, ready to teach a unit that we find exciting & interesting, and our students are only lukewarm and barely paying attention at all. This can dampen that enthusiasm we felt as we put the materials together.
 
W.B. Yeats said that : "Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire." So the question to ask is how do we do that? How do we make our lessons more interesting and 'light a fire'?
 
For many years, I have been able to use stories as a versatile medium to keep younger kids interested in science, world cultures, health, nutrition, yoga and creative movement. We "tell" the story together by using the postures in a sequence. I use interactive movemment games that mirror the story themes, and imagery of the characters they can relate to and these characters overcome challenges and solve problems just like we all do in real life. They identify with those qualities they want to emulate and remember the lesson better this way.
 
As they get older, I have have noticed that they want time to 'zone out', so I place them in a relaxed but active listening state and give them time to 'zone' on a specific imagery that I lead them through verbally and musically. They come out of the imagery relaxed, full of creative ideas and insights, and fully aware of their inner and outer worlds. (This is also known as meditation.)
 
Maybe none of these methods will work in your specific environment, however there are some other techniques that you can use. The key is observing and knowing your students. Below are some ideas that can be adapted to a traditional classroom or therapy setting:

• Develop a Unexpected Introduction: A riddle, a joke, or an effective warm-up activity that can draw interest into the class content is one key to keeping students engaged. The first five minutes are crucial and should draw students into the lesson and set the tone for the rest of the class. 
• Incorporate a Variety of activties: Use varied activities to meet the diverse interests, sensory & cognitive levels and learning styles of your group. Think of the sensory systems and use visual, auditory and movement based activities or props and imagery to keep the group engaged. (Example: one student loved challenges & she also enjoyed video games-so I created a yoga set based on her favorite, "Zelda" .)
• Find the element of Fun: Find anectdotes and the element of fun in what you are teaching and infuse it into the lesson. I like to use modified games and stories. For example, if you are learning about dinosaurs, play "Freeze Dinosaur" (variation of "Freeze Dance")  or have the children go on a "Dinosaur Dig" in some sand; or have them create their own dinosaurs out of clay, sidewalk chalk or colored pencils. Games bring learning to life, reduce stress, encourage cooperation & are more effective in teaching lessons.
• Remain Flexible:  Always allow some flexibility in the lesson plan. If you planned for 3 objectives, but you only got to one, and the students are enagegd and having fun, that's okay! Children are spontaneous and energetic when we create the right environment for learning. Let them lead you sometimes.
• Link activities to the topics in a meaningful way:  Incorporate multi-curricular and multi sensory activities, such as reading stories while practicing yoga poses or journaling or doing an art project while listening to relaxing music. This will not only add variety and interest but will help concentration, attention span & overall success.
• Allow Full Participation: Let your students take attendance, select a topic (within reasonable choices) for the next class, and lead the class in a portion of the content.
• Gather Feedback: Listen to your students! Learn about what they like to do for fun, what interests they have, who they look up to, what music they like, sports they play etc. Ask them to assess your lessons with a informal survey so you can see what's working and what's not.

*What are some ways that you "light a fire" & make your classroom or therapy room more engaging for students? Please tell us in the comments below!

Where the Mind, Body and Technology Meet

Those of you who know me know that I would rather be outside than anywhere else & that I am a big advocate of outdoor movement for children.

When I was a kid you couldn't pay me to stay inside. (Unless it was snowing out. I did not like the cold much and still don't.) 4 years ago, I moved myself and my daughter to an area with plenty of parks, rocks to climb, biking & hiking trails and lakes. I am surrounded by the beauty of the woods & 'out doors' is a large part of my life.  But as much as I advocate movement, sensory integration and art & nature being vital for children to learn & thrive, I want to also acknowledge that there are many places where the mind, body & technology meet and can live in harmony.

For many of us, ironically, it meets in the studio, right on the mat. How many of us who practice yoga will listen to our 'yoga music' using a portable media player instead of the sounds of nature (or silence)? The music that we play can help mentally transport us to a distant peaceful land, or to that meditative quiet place inside of ourselves that we are looking for.

I was at a wedding not long ago where in the church, hanging on the back was above the alter was not a crucifix, but a very large plasma TV. (I have to admit, being raised in a religious familiy as a child, this one messed with my head for a few days!)

Technology is everywhere-in offices, schools, yoga and even in church- and its not going away.  However, some resist change, or have had bad experiences or cannot keep up with all there is to learn & have gotten the mistaken idea that technology is a bad thing. Its not. Its the overuse and over dependancy on technology that is bad.

We hear everyday that our kids are spending way too much time on computers, internet and game devices  texting on cell phones, sending innappropriate photos of themselves to complete strangers and that they are lacking in social skills. Some will blame technology. I don't. I don't think it means technology is bad so much as we are failing our youth by not guiding them and not being vigilant enough to show them how to use it properly.

Hippocrates  said that "Everything in excess is opposed to nature." This includes yoga, technology, nature itself, and everything in between. We need to find and teach balance. We should do this by words and by example. We still need to move, create, write & to be connected with nature, but also to recognize that technology can help us-and our kids-in so many ways!  And we need to help them learn how. We cannot just give young children these electronic devices unsupervised and set them loose in the world. Its as irresponsible & dangerous as just handing them the car keys before they have passed their driver's exam.

One of my favorite uses of  technology are the iPad assistive communication programs. (See article:  Top iPad Apps for Children With Autism) We have heard so much about this great technology for so many children & families who have not been able to communicate with each other. This is just one way that technology can enhance quality of life. There are many others that are being used in classrooms, therapy centers and homes everyday. (The Wii Fit is another example of a great use for technology. It brings wellness and movement to those who may have limited access to outdoors. )

We don't need to be afraid of technology and we should not keep it from our kids entirely. What we need to do is to step up as parents and educators & teach our kids how to use it properly, safely & responsibly. Use it with them and keep an eye on how much they are using it.  Balance technology time with other pursuits: sports, music, art, outdoor, creative play, (and of course, yoga) to keep them well rounded, well educated and just well.

Read about some other great ways technology can help our kids:
How Technology Helps Students Learn


*What are some ways that technology has helped your students (or your children) learn?
 Contact Barbara: barbara@bodylogique.com

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For the Grownups: Breathing In Calm

Its been a busy week for those of us on the east coast. Not only are we preparing for a new school year, but now also a huge hurricane. This followed by an earthquake a week ago. Nerves are being rattled as Mother Nature seems to be testing us at every turn.

Tempers are rising and stress is increasing as thousands are evacuated, businesses are boarded up, ball games and outdoor events are cancelled, gas stations run out of fuel and long checkout lines and empty shelves greet us at the grocery store. We are emptying out our basements and ground floors of valuables & family artifacts in case of flooding. We are glued to the TV, radio and Internet weather channel. Fear & panic sets in deeper with every news report. We are told to prepare & stay calm...

Stay calm?! You've got to be kidding me!!

There are many tools for creating and maintaining calm in the midst of chaos, but one tool in particular is by far the simplest, the most effective and the most overlooked: your breath.

As adults, we take on average about 22,000 breaths a day. Within all of those breaths is tremendous potential for creating a relaxation response that will not only physically relax the brain and body, but will empower you mentally & emotionally to handle any situation with a calm, deliberate demeanor. The 3 tricks are to practice daily, practice often and practice before chaos strikes. I know what you are saying: you  are saying that you are way too busy & stressed & don't have time to practice anything.

If your & your family's well-being and quality of life depended on it, would you make time? It does, and you will.

We tell ourselves (and others) about how busy we are and that we have no time to learn anything-even relaxation techniques that will help us-we can't make 15 minutes a couple times a day-but this just the story we tell ourselves. If you are telling yourself this story, then you need to learn this technique.

Calm is our natural state. The truth is, we tend to get used to and then even begin to like our stress. It makes us feel temporarily 'important', and gives us something to identify & connect ourselves to others with. We try to outdo each other with how much more busy & stressed we are than the next person. I like to call this the language of  'stress-ology' and its really odd & illogical behavior  if you think about it. But we all do it to some degree, even if you are denying it to yourself at this very moment.

But if you have time to read this post, or time to update your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter status then you have time to learn this.

I want you to think of a color. The first one you think of is the right one.

Now imagine on your next breath, as you breathe in slowly, your whole body fills up with this color-starting down at your feet. The color is carried into your entire body on your breath. Picture this in your mind.

Exhale slowly and release this colorful breath into the air.

Repeat 14 more times.

If you start thinking of all the stress you have, 'breathe it out' with your next exhale. Keep 'breathing it out' until you can inhale-exhale 10-15 times and just imagine that colorful air filling up your body and the atmosphere.

When you can do that, Imagine you are breathing in 'peace' or 'calm' or 'strength', etc. and exhaling the thoughts & stress you don't need in the colored air.

Practice 3 times daily in a quiet place and as needed. (sometimes the quiet place is the bathroom or in your car. This will work.) Practice until you can do this for 10-15 minutes. After one full day of conscious effort, you will start to feel calmer about everything going on around you. After one full week, others will act more calmly when they are around you, especially your family. After 2-3 weeks this will become your new habit. After a month, you will know instinctively when and how to apply this technique in every situation.

We cannot help our kids or those who need our support, through rough situations unless we know how to stay calm & cope ourselves. Take the first step now to lead by example, by making the time & committing to practice 'Breathing in Calm'.

For yoga-based stress management techniques for children and adults visit: http://www.bodylogique.com/



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Mind Over Body

This weekend I was out with my daughter looking for a baby shower gift. In our travels we came across one of those blood pressure machines you see in pharmacies. (She has always been fascinated with those for some reason! ) She asked if she could take her blood pressure and told me in a very authoritative way,  "You should check yours too mom!"

I decided to use this as a teaching moment.

Although my daughter (soon to be 12 years old)  is a fun loving free spirit, on occasion she tends to get stuck on memories of upsetting situations. I have taught her imagery techniques to help with this, but as she gets older she is becoming resistant to my help. I don't think she really 'believes' that these techniques can really help or that they have any scientific validity and that I'm just another grownup trying to gain 'compliance'. I decided I would show her how well imagery works so she could see it with her own eyes.

I let her go first, (Her reading was 'normal' but her heart rate was slightly high, most likely because we had been walking for a while. )

Then I sat down and told her that I could control my blood pressure with my thoughts. She laughed. So I  told her to push the button and start the reading. First I just sat there quietly & did a regular reading - 120/75. (She understands what 'normal' blood pressure is.) I told her this is a 'baseline' reading. (120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure; 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure.)

I removed my arm, sat still a moment & told her to repeat the test. This time, I talked about every person who irritates me & every upsetting memory-past and present- I could think of off the top of my head, like she does sometimes when she comes home from school. (She started laughing because apparently I was making my angry face too which she finds not only unnatural to me, but hilarious!)

The machine finally stopped. The reading was 146/90. She knew this was high & she was concerned. (Side note: I am 46 years old and going through biological changes and have been working to maintain a healthy weight. She was concerned because she hears other people & family members taking about 'getting old' and she associated this high reading with me getting 'old'. She has lost close family members when she was very young & now at the age she is this is all very scary. When someone says 'old' and she hears 'sick/death'.)

I reassured her and told her that I am not 'getting old' - and that I was not sick. I made my pressure go high with my thoughts. I told her to remember the first reading & compare.

I took my arm out, walked around for a moment and sat down again. This time when she started the test I spoke in a quiet voice about all the fun things I've done-many with her-and I imagined our favorite place-the beach and resting in the sand (Much like my Starfish Imagery.)

When the test was finished, the reading was 111/72. A significant drop. She was speechless.

I realize that this was not exactly a controlled experiment or ideal environment, but for my purposes, my point was made. With daily practice, you can feel calm and relaxed, and keep your body's reactions under control no matter what is occurring around you. Most children can learn these same relaxation techniques and how & when to apply them when they need to.

Your mind-your imagination- is the most powerful tool you have. It can and does have control over your body.

The good news is, you have control over your mind.


Find the Starfish Imagery  here to start practicing!


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Labyrinth Adventures

Labyrinth & mazes are found all around the world in many cultures and civilizations. Designs have been found carved in rock, clay tablets, mosaics, manuscripts and pavements. The significance of them for the various cultures they were part of and the story of how they developed from one place to another is often mysterious and hard to grasp.
The labyrinth has long been associated with the legend of the Minotaur, the monster half-man half-bull which resided in the heart of a labyrinth on the island of Crete. Theseus was able to get to the center of the labyrinth, slay the Minotaur and find his way out again by following a thread he had trailed behind him on the way in.

A labyrinth differes from a maze in that it has only one path that weaves its way to the center and back out again. There is only one entrance and exit: no dead ends, and no choice of which way to turn. In recent years, labyrinths have seen a resurgence as an interactive tool for spiritual reflection, meditation and focus.

Several weeks ago at the Summer Connections Camp at  Teamwork Wins (a local camp for children with Asperger's and other hidden challenges) I created an outdoor labyrinth using some colored rope. The theme of the week was "Treasure Hunt" or "seeking & finding that which is hidden". I thought this would be a good time to introduce labyrinths to the kids.

I first gave each camper a printable labyrinth to use on the tabletop (Find "Printable Labyrinth Activity" here) and showed them how to use it. Then I told them that there was a large labyrinth in the yard that we were going to use topractice concentrating and relaxing. They were excited!

It was a very hot & humid day so I didn't keep them outside as long as I wanted. Had it been cooler I would have allowed them to do a relaxation & guided imagery when they got to the center.

Some of the feed back I got was great:

"It took longer than it looks."

"Its really hot out here, but I feel calm and relaxed anyway."

"That was COOL! Can I do it again?"

and my very favorite: 

"You MADE this for us?"

I thought the best way to show you what we did was with a photo album journal. You can view the
album here:

Labyrinth Day

I'd love to hear about how you have used labyrinth activities on the playground, in therapy or in the classroom!

Here are some other links to learn more:

http://www.labyrinthresourcegroup.org/manual.html

http://kidsrelaxation.com/2011/03/21/labyrinth-activities-to-calm/






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