Over the summer I held a few meditation sessions for teens.
It actually began very organically...one of my sons friends approached me and asked if I would help him meditate. For the sake of privacy I will call him "Sam". "Sam" is 19 years old and suffers from depression and anxiety. He has low self-esteem and has struggled with self-love and self-worth.
"Sam" would see me hold sessions with my clients and he and I would sometimes talk about things that were happening at home. One day he asked me if I could teach him to meditate, he had been reading up a lot on it...and he was curious. He wasn't sure he could do it because he didn't think he could clear his mind. First, I was impressed that he took the time to research meditation and its benefits...but then I thought this is the Age of Information. The one advantage this generation has is information literally at their fingertips. Secondly, I was more impressed he wanted to take a step to his own health and healing, whether he saw it that way or not. "Sam" knew he needed and wanted help, and he reached out to me. I was so moved he trusted me...because did not come easy for him.
After the second session "Sam" asked if I could teach his cousin. I, of course agreed...and next thing I knew I was holding my first teen meditation session. With 6-8 teens, mostly all at or over 6ft tall, they come in for the sessions one by one and lovingly give me a hug and call me "Ma" lol.
Recently I thought how impactful it would be to teach mindfulness meditation to the younger groups. School children would benefit so much from this practice. I did my research and there are practices all over the country, privately as well as in some public schools already teaching meditation to children and the results have been positive and incredible.
Children are learning self-discipline, learning how to be self-aware, self regulate, identify their needs and emotions and are even having better concentration at school during test. They are learning how to identify their anxiety and more importantly how to effectively manage those moments.
I believe working with the younger group we can help them become more aware, empathetic, proactive, and self-aware young adults and ultimately, positive healthy adults. I believe we need to be more proactive in the wellbeing of our kids mental and emotional health. Our children deserve this.
Blessed be.
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