As promised in my recent blog post discussing the benefits of introducing children to meditation, here is a progressive relaxation exercise to share with your child regardless of his age and stage of development. In fact, feel free to join in and reap the benefits yourself.
This simple routine frees the body of all tension, from head to toe. It is very useful not only to start off meditation, but to help your child relax at any time, before a difficult task or test, and especially at night in order to fall asleep.
This progressive relaxation exercise will be used as part of many other activities I will describe in future blog posts. Much like the basic chicken stock recipe that forms the starting point for a variety of more complex soups, it is the first exercise that your child will do in order to prepare for many others.
How to begin this progressive relaxation exercise
* Ask your child to lie down with his hands resting by his sides, to close his eyes, and to think about how it feels to be in his body. This gives him a minute to quiet down. Next, say to your child "Listen to my voice and follow my instructions."
* Now, "Squeeze your toes (by pointing your toes) - squeeze, squeeze, squeeze," so he sustains the tensed muscles for a few seconds. Then instruct him to let go and relax.
* "Squeeze your calves (by flexing your feet) -- squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Then let go."
* "Then squeeze your thighs -- squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Then let go."
* "Squeeze your buttocks -- squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Then let go."
* "Now, put your hands on your tummy and breathe in, so it fills up and gets very big - hold it, hold it, hold it. Now blow the air out - blow, blow, blow - and feel your tummy go down." Note: with older children you can use more accurate words such as "abdomen" and "inhale" and "exhale." But it is still useful to suggest holding the breath and blowing the air out on the exhale saying blow-blow-blow, so he is reminded to breathe in and out, deeply and slowly.
* "Next, put your hands on your rib cage, feel the air fill it up as you breathe in, and breathe out. Now put your arms back down by your sides, and then breathe in and out again... slowly in, slowly out... noticing that the air is cool on your in breath and warm on your out breath.
* "Now, feel your chest rise as you breathe the air in - hold, hold, hold - then let it go as you blow, blow, blow the breath out."
* "Stretch your fingers out towards your toes - stretch, stretch, stretch. Then let go."
* "Squeeze your fingers in a fist - squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Then let your hands relax."
* "Squeeze your arms (biceps) - squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Then let go."
* "Now lift your shoulders to your ears - squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Then let go."
* "Then move your head very gently from side to side, as if to nod YES, YES, YES, then NO, NO, NO. Then come back to stillness."
* "Open your mouth as wide as you can - hold - then let go."
* "Scrunch up your nose - hold - then let it go."
* "Squeeze your eyes tightly - squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Then let go."
* "Squeeze your forehead - squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Then let go."
* LAST BODY CHECK: "Finally, lie still. Your whole body should feel relaxed. Check for tension by checking in with your body by asking "toes, are you relaxed?", "fists, are you relaxed?", "arms, are you relaxed?", "shoulders, are you relaxed?". If any muscle group still feels tense, go back and tend to it again. Then lie still, and enjoy the relaxation."
I will continue on with the next progressive relaxation exercise in my next blog post. If you would like more resources to help guide you and your child through meditation, please visit my website, where you can download several audio recordings and read more articles about the benefits of meditation for children.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.