Two Valentine's Day Gifts for you and Your Kids - Sweet Story & Loving Kindness Meditation
My first gift is to teach you about the Buddhist practice called Loving Kindness or 'Metta practice'.
This short audio goes into the basic instruction and covers how you could do it with children. It's kind of like a sweet well-wishing prayer/bedtime blessing really that reminds us we are ALL (big picture all) in this together. It's a visualization type meditation which is part of why our children who think in images tend to enjoy it. A beautiful way to connect and fill our own hearts up and send that warmth out to our world.
Check it out here : a 7 minute audio on the how to...♥️
FYI - Metta is a great practice to cultivate self-love (yes please) and compassion and the research is showing incredibly positive effects on many other areas such as physical health and immunity and on happiness scores in general.
Doing this practice regularly shifts the body's chemistry to contentment --- to a 'happy for no reason' state of being. It has helped people overcome depression and anxiety and feelings of loneliness.
Meditation and childhood - some thoughts ...
When children are young (before 6/7 years old) they are in a primary imitative learning mode and take in everything around them without the filters we have. Seeing us meditating or take a couple long deep breaths when we're stressed and feeling our state change is pretty powerful for them! They are so attuned to us that what when we care for ourselves and our inner state, the good vibes ripple out to them. 👌
Now getting children to sit and meditate when they are young is a beautiful thing to do together no question but there's a timing for everything and young children are in the movin' and shakin' prime time … they are physical.
WE need a mindfulness practice - informal or formal - more than they do. Children are already in the present moment and benefit more from daily non-structured opportunities to enter into "deep play"(you know when there's almost a hum and the kids are fully engaged in imaginative play - ahhh … love that.)
You see it turns out that deep play is actually essential to help our children integrate their experiences and decrease sense/stimulation overload. It's how they make sense of everything for themselves.
A fascinating research report I read several years ago discovered that in deep play the same areas of the brain light up as in monks who meditate (how cool is that and don't asked me how they did the testing!) AND these centres are associated with qualities such as COMPASSION. Super cool.
The take home for me was that before 6/7 years of age creating time and space for imaginative deep play to emerge is most important as it's essentially how children in this stage of life reap the benefits of meditation! Hurrah for play!🤸♂️
The second gift I have for you LOVERS out there is for your younger children (and the kid in you!). It is a simple kind-hearted story from Suzanne Down (master storyteller and puppeteer)!
Great for children 3 - 7 years old. Nice one to do as a puppet play or just tell by heart (it's easy) in these Valentine days. 5 minute audio of the story here ...
Much love ♥️ xo, Dr. Monika
Hello, this is Dr. Monika Herwig ND. 🦋
I am a Naturopathic Doctor and Wellness Coach for women who are change makers, healers, coaches, teachers, leaders; women who love to learn ad grow and who do not want to settle/numb out of the juiciness of life but instead are ready to be supported in stepping with confidence into who they came here to be. The women I work with desire to create a life that is deeply aligned with themselves and that they and their families are nourished by and proud of and that has a positive impact in the world. I help them get connected deeply to themselves so they can be navigating their path from within and from joy and with their health and relationships thriving.
I offer 1-on-1 naturopathic + life coaching, international restorative retreats and a yearly 9 month empowerment, joy and well-being transformation journey for women who are really ready to get the support to create a shift in their happiness and well-being. To book an appointment or inquire about upcoming programs call (403) 609-8385 or send me an email inspired@opentowellness.ca.
xo, Dr. Monika ❤️
