Rooting Like A Tree—A Practice For Kindergarten To 2nd Grade

A short, guided imaginative practice for children to cultivate peace and calm. This practice is brought to you by the Flourish Foundation, a social profit dedicated to inspiring systemic change through heartmind cultivation, promoting personal well-being, benevolent social action, and environmental stewardship.

Transcript

Hello,

Today we're going to do something that uses your imagination,

And I know you're good at that.

Let's start by going to your peaceful place.

Find a quiet spot and lie down.

And when you're ready,

Close your eyes.

Begin relaxing by taking a deep breath in and breathe out.

Breathe in through your nose and breathe out.

Breathe into your belly and breathe out.

Breathe into your lungs and breathe out.

Now,

Bring your awareness to your feet.

Imagine that the soles of your feet have roots,

Roots that reach deep into the earth.

Feel yourself being deeply rooted to the earth,

And at the same time,

Tall and strong.

Now imagine a tree.

You can pick any kind,

Either from your imagination or one from your experience.

And like you,

The tree stands tall where it is rooted.

The tree stands solid as it watches the days pass.

Sunny days,

Stormy days,

Cloudy,

Rainy,

And also at night in the light of the moon.

The weather may change,

Rain,

Lightning,

Thunder,

Wind,

And through it all the tree stands rooted and tall.

As the days and nights pass,

The leaves begin to dry,

Changing colors,

And still the roots of the tree go deep.

Some of the leaves blow away in the winds.

Even in the mighty wind,

The tree stands tall.

A part deep inside stays still and calm.

Eventually the tree lets the leaves go.

Then winter storms come and go.

The tree does not move.

It may bend and sway in the storm,

But it does not break.

The winter fades and blue skies return.

The tree begins to have little buds,

And the buds grow into new leaves.

And the cycle begins again.

Like the tree,

You stand tall and rooted in whatever comes your way.

Some days may appear stormy and overwhelming,

And yet like the tree,

You stay still at your core.

You grow deeper,

Higher,

And stronger with every passing day.

Take a few more breaths down to your roots,

Feeling your confidence grow.

And then gradually,

Gently open your eyes and come back into the day.

Have a good one.