Origins Curriculum Meditation For Your Kids: Mirror Reflection

This meditation is intended for 8+ years of age. In this meditation, we learn about the power of self-reflection and shifting our attention, both mentally and physically. We’ll use a mirror to look at ourselves and contemplate who we are and where we come from. We’ll be directed to note our features and characteristics (without judgement or focus on “looks”), and we’ll practice shifting our visual focus to strengthen our mental focus.

Transcript

Welcome to Origins Curriculum Guided Meditation. We are so glad you are here. Before we begin, We invite you to find a quiet space to settle your body. We suggest a space that is peaceful and grounding, One that creates a calming environment. Before we come to rest, We'll need to locate a mirror for this meditative and self-reflective practice. This can be a big or small mirror as long as you can see your whole face. Feel free to pause this meditation. Now, We'll find a comfortable seat where we can allow our minds to slow down and our bodies to find a rhythm with our breath. We inhale through our nose and exhale through our mouth. We take some time to tune in with ourselves, Relaxing our legs, Our arms and shoulders, Our neck, Face, Jaw, And forehead, Releasing further with each breath. This week, We will learn about the power of self-reflection and shifting our attention both mentally and physically. We'll use a mirror to look at ourselves and contemplate who we are and where we come from. We'll be directed to note our features and characteristics without judgment or focus on looks. And we'll practice shifting our visual focus to strengthen our mental focus. We have a choice in what we focus on. And as we exercise our mindfulness muscles, We become more aware of our power in our choices. We'll use mirror work to explore our perceptions about ourselves and our attention to focus. The goal is to untether ourselves from the thoughts and perceptions that we hold on to and which may be limiting us in order to see ourselves more for who we truly are. Let's begin our practice. We'll breathe steadily and slowly as we close our eyes, Breathing in and out. Inhale and exhale. Expand and contract. We take a moment to envision ourselves. What are we wearing? What color is our hair, Our skin and our eyes? Who is around us? Who pops into our minds first? What is their relation to us? How many people surround us? Is it just family or are our friends there? As we think of who supports and loves us, Thank them for how they help or teach us, Or maybe how they provide for and love us. What does it feel like to be surrounded by all of these people? They could be our best friends, Strangers who are kind to us, Our teachers or coaches, Our families. This is what makes up our support systems. And as we grow and change, Our support systems evolve along with us. Now we'll gently flutter our eyes open and come back to the space we're in. We'll pick up our mirrors and face them towards ourselves. And we'll begin by staring at the top of our heads. As our eyes scan down, Observing our reflection, We note how we envisioned ourselves in our minds and what we see now. We see the color of our hair, Our skin and its texture, Our eyes and eyebrows, Our lips, Our teeth, And our facial expressions. We take time to explore the physical attributes of this person that we are, And we try to do so without judgment. Judgment comes from comparison and expectation. And one way that we can let go of our self judgment is through shifting our perspective and adjusting our focus. As we look at ourselves, We choose where our eyes are focusing. We choose to zoom in on parts of our face. Maybe we get hung up on a blemish or an imperfection that we see. And then boom, We're quickly and automatically judging ourselves again. Judgment can often be a way of distracting or preventing ourselves from loving and appreciating who we are. Increasing awareness of our own judgment is an opportunity to actively shift our focus. As we stare into the mirror, We pull our attention and our focus back closer to our eyes so that we are no longer focused on the mirror surface and the reflection we see. Instead, We might just see the outline of our nose, Or maybe our eyelashes. This shift in our visual focus, In turn, Strengthens our ability to shift our mental focus. This makes it easier to adjust our perspective when we want or need to, To help improve or change a situation, And also to see what is there that we can be grateful for. Next, Take a moment to again adjust your attention and focus on the space in between your face and the mirror. There's just air here. But again, Because we choose our focus, We may not notice this air, Yet we have every opportunity to pay attention to it. As we turn our attention again to the surface of the mirror, We can see the texture, Sort of silvery and smooth, And any dust or fingerprints on it, Shifting our focus once again and choosing where we want it to land. Then we look into the mirror, And we see ourselves once more. This is an example of the multiple perspectives that exist simultaneously within each experience or situation. It just depends on how and what we're focusing on. We are multifaceted human beings, And when we can expand and adjust our focus and attention, We can see and understand a whole lot more. Just as we shift our physical focus on what we see, So we can shift our mental focus on how we think and perceive. We can take this mirror meditation further by working with a partner and acting as a mirror for each other, Verbally sharing what we see. Or we can continue to explore ourselves and scan down our faces, Stating gratitude for each characteristic and trait. Gratitude is another way or tool that we can use in shifting our focus. We can see a blemish and get upset, Or we can see a blemish and thank our bodies, Our skin, And biggest organ for trying to naturally regulate and heal us. There are so many lessons for us all, Each and every day, And they are there for us if we're willing to shift our perspective to see and acknowledge them. To conclude our meditation, We'll state our affirmations and gratitudes about ourselves and our support systems. We can repeat these aloud or in our heads. We can also write these down on paper or on the mirror itself. As we reflect, We learn more about ourselves and we choose to grow and evolve. If you need any support or help in writing these affirmations, Please ask those around you. Namaste. The light in me sees the light in you. We thank you for meditating with us.