Kids and Meditation

“If every 8-year-old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.” Dalai Lama

 All children are born into nature’s innocence. They are gifted with a deep connection with the natural order of things, with the power of Existence itself. Meditation is getting increasingly popular as a modern trend in our busy lives. Many adults try to seek ‘peace of mind’ and a deeper level of satisfaction through meditation. But the truth is that an adult finds it greatly challenging to truly connect with his or her deeper self through meditation, as compared to a child.  

Many parents have started involving their children in some form of meditation, at an early stage of life.

A child surrenders more easily

Children are less affected by the trappings of the ego-state as compared to most adults. Children gradually develop a sense of ownership and possession of material things as they grow up. So naturally, a child finds it easier to let go of the external material perceptions during meditation. A child can trust the flow of existence more easily than an adult. It’s easier for children to inculcate the habits of meditation in their daily lives. And with a meditative mood, a child goes through a more balanced childhood and growing up experiences. Children find it more natural to enter into the mental realm of meditation. The level of resistance in a child is naturally very low, as the child’s mind is open and trusting.

“We cannot control our children. We can only create the conditions for them to rise.” Dr. Shefali Tsabary, The Awakened Family: A Revolution in Parenting

Children are naturally meditative

A child’s mind is devoid of the painful complications of ‘mental conditioning’ that adults experience in their growing up years. The central premise of meditation is unlearning all the unnecessary mental conditioning and psychological patterns. So that the mind can relearn the natural state of relaxation in meditation. A child is also connected with this natural state of mental relaxation and ease. A child’s mind is connected with the deeper source of joy and creativity. Through meditation, this core mental state gets strengthened and the layers of external mental conditioning are balanced by inner strength. Meditative children find it easier to relax into peace and silence.

Most parents find it a rewarding experience to practice meditation with their children. Children can even enhance the meditation experiences of their parents.

Why should children meditate?

Many philosophical leaders believe that the root of all human violence, pain, and suffering lies inside the human mind. That all external solutions are mere fabrications of the mind, whereas the key to real happiness lies within the deeper layers of the mind. In other words, most of the problems for which all humans are searching for external solutions throughout their lives can be addressed inside their own minds.

A child can learn the basic technique of turning inside, towards his inner source of peace and happiness in times of pain and crisis. A child that learns to reflect on his inner universe finds it far easier to accept the challenges of the external world. The child can learn to modify his or her attitude towards the problems of the world.

This gives the child an inner sense of control over the external circumstances of his life.

Meditative children grow better relationships

With meditation, children grow into emotionally secure and confident individuals. They feel more rooted in themselves. As they learn to love themselves more, as they get more secure with their inner selves; these children also form more secure relationships. They enjoy being with themselves and so they enjoy being in relationships too.

Many wise men believe that we can solve many problems with our world by getting children to learn meditation.  

Conclusion

Children learn from the actions of their parents more than through anything else. So if you want to teach meditation to your children, learn to imbibe meditation in your daily lives. Meditation grows like a tree. If you allow it space and time in your lives, it will find its roots and grow organically in the lives of your children too.

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