Every time meditation is gaining ground in a world that is going faster and faster, and stress and anxiety are the bread and butter. Its benefits are becoming more and more known and its interest is increasing. The benefits of meditation can also be used by children. Let's see what they are.
What is meditation?
Meditation is often confused with reflection, But it has nothing to do. The meditation consists of learning to listen to oneselfIs a attention exercise in a world where there are many stimuli that capture it but where we miss the signals of our own body. It is directing our attention in a sustained and full way to something in particular. It can be towards ourselves to listen to our emotions, our sensations, our being. Or you can also keep your attention towards a specific object such as a fire. It consists of being present here and now.
The breath is very present in meditation. This is where attention is usually directed during meditations. Simply focus on something we do naturally and unconsciously.
Although meditation is related to the Buddhist religion, it can be practiced regardless of your religious beliefs.
Why teach meditation to children?
Well, for the same reasons that older people should meditate. We live in a world where everything is for now, we want everything quickly and at the moment. In such a world We must learn to stop, to observe ourselves, to breathe consciously, to become aware of ourselves.
If in adults it has benefits, in children with their brain in full expansion it is pure gold what they can achieve.
Benefits of meditation in children
Parents and children can take advantage of the many benefits that meditation has for physical and mental health. We review below the benefits of meditation in children.
- Helps reduce stress and anxiety of children, which helps them calm down. It is an immediate effect that meditation produces.
- Improve your emotional intelligence. In the calm state, it is easier to manage emotions without being carried away by them.
- Improves concentration. By working on mindfulness it is strengthened and it is easier for them to pay attention in a directed and conscious way to where the child wants.
- Activate imagination and creativity. In the alpha state of our mind that is reached during meditation, it is the best time and place for creativity. The best ideas usually appear in this state, which is the state in which we are just before falling asleep.
- It will improve your self-esteem. They will learn to know themselves and accept themselves, to gain security and self-confidence. They will grow internally.
- Su immune system will improve.
- Improves your cardiovascular and neurological capabilities.
- Their cognitive habilyties are developed: attention, logic, calculation ...
- Develops capabilities such as empathy, compassion and assertiveness, which improves their socialization.
- It will better carry the frustrations with which you will find.
- It will be a healthier and happier adult.
From what age can children practice meditation?
Young children are already beginning to do behaviors that can approximate meditation, but at 6-7 years they can fully practice meditation. Children already know that they learn by playing, so you have to introduce them to meditation as a game to make them interested.
All these benefits are great, but if the child does not want to, it cannot be forced. We can explain it to them and do it with them but if they don't want anything we can do it. We can only make them see by our example and have a lot of patience.
There are specialized books on meditation for children that can take you into this fabulous world, although it is best to go to classes where a specialist can give us the guidelines individually according to our case.
Because remember ... the benefits should not be the end of meditation but one more reason to practice it.