You are listening to the Motherhood Unstressed Podcast and I'm your host Liz Carlisle.
Thank you so much for joining me for another guided meditation.
And today is a special day because my sons are home on spring break and so I thought it would be a great way to bring them into the meditation practice to show you how possible it is for you to meditate with your children,
How beneficial that is for them in growing their prefrontal cortex,
Even in them understanding what the prefrontal cortex is and what it does,
That emotional regulation,
That empathy,
That decision making versus the amygdala,
Which is a different part of the brain,
Which is the reactivity,
The barking dog as we like to call it.
So Nash is my oldest.
Nash,
Welcome.
Hello.
And DC,
Say hi.
Hello.
You guys have meditated with me before so this isn't really new,
But what have you discovered about meditation?
Why do you like to do it?
How does it help?
I've done meditations before,
Just like you said,
And they really do calm me down.
So if you're saying it doesn't work,
It really does work.
What about you?
What do you like about meditation,
DC?
It works.
All right.
So we all know it works.
It's a good thing to do.
Let's get started.
Now you can do this meditation lying flat on your back,
On your yoga mat or sitting cross-legged on the floor with your hands gently resting on your knees.
The point is to be relaxed,
But also alert.
So guys,
Let's all take a deep breath in together for a count of eight.
Deep breath in.
Hold.
Release.
Hold.
Deep breath in.
Hold.
Release.
Hold.
Deep breath in.
Hold.
Release.
Hold.
Last one together.
Deep breath in.
Hold.
Release.
Hold.
All right.
Return now to gentle rhythmic breathing.
Just breathe normally and start to become aware of the sensations in your body.
So like I just cracked an egg on the top of your head and the yolk is trickling down,
I want you to bring your awareness inch by inch down your body.
So I'll guide you through.
So starting at the top,
Creeping past your eyebrows,
Your eyes,
Your nose,
Your lips,
Your chin,
Down your throat,
Into your shoulders,
Relaxing every muscle with each breath.
Down into your arms,
Past your elbows,
Your wrists,
Into your fingertips.
Coming back now into your heart space.
Feel the energy emanating out of your heart.
Feel it beating.
Bringing it down lower into your belly.
Your second brain down into your hips,
Releasing tension,
Releasing tightness,
Moving down into your legs,
Softening your knees down your shins into your ankles,
Healing,
Relaxing,
Strengthening with every breath.
Down to the tops of your feet,
To the tips of your toes.
Fully now in your body,
Relaxed,
Centered,
In love with every cell.
Now I want you to take the next minute or two to fully relax into your body.
And when thoughts arise,
Which of course they will,
Just notice them.
But don't become attached.
Imagine your thoughts are like clouds in the sky or fish in the creek.
And every time they come up,
Just bring your attention back to your breath and let your thoughts slip away.
Begin.
Friend you you you you you you Come back now into your body You can take a deep cleansing breath together with me now deep breath in And let it all go Let's do that one more time and really hear it deep breath in And let it all go Good job.
Good job.
How do we feel boys Nash?
How do you feel after that?
I definitely was like Okay,
Like I was calm before it but now I'm like Very calm.
What about you DC?
How do you feel in your body?
Relaxed good Thank you for doing this meditation with me on your spring break and thank you to everyone out there listening my hope is that you are inspired to do this with your child and You might be surprised how well they take to it So until next week boys Namaste
