Listen For Guidance, A Meditation For Children Or Anyone

This guided meditation is from the African Kids Yoga adventure created by Integral Yoga Teacher, Nitya Griffith. Listening is one of the most direct ways for us to learn at any age the importance of connecting to the Self, expanding awareness of that Self, and tapping into higher conciousness living. Through mindfulness we slow down, become tuned in and are so much more aware of our inner landscape as well as the world around us.

Transcript

Hi this is Nitya with Nitya Living. Welcome to this deep relaxation guided meditation. Find yourself seated or lying down comfortably, Maybe with a favorite stuffed animal or cozy blanket, Lots of fun pillows, Closing your eyes. Let's take two big breaths. Breathing in, Open your mouth and let it go. Deep breath in, Let it go. So good. Let's first tense and release to make sure we've let go of all of our wiggles and giggles. So with your eyes closed, Focus on your legs. Take a deep breath in and squeeze your legs tightly as you hold your breath. Hold, Squeeze, Let go. Put your hands on your tummy. Breathe your tummy into a big big big big big balloon and let it go. If you have that stuffed animal you can put it on your belly. See if you can rise it up high high high high high with a big big big breath. Let it go. One more time. Big breath, Big belly, Let it go. Now we're gonna do a three-part breath. We're gonna breathe into our belly, Lifting it up big big big. Now bring that same breath to your chest all the way up to your shoulders. Hold, Hold, Let go. It's like you're floating on the exhale. Now stretch your hands wide and breathe your hands into fists. Squeeze into your arms. Tight tight tight. Let go. Inhale as you shrug shoulders up. Exhale push your shoulders down. Inhale give yourself a big hug and exhale let your arms go. Loving yourself just the way you are is the beginning of loving your this world just the way it is. Now just let your head move side to side. Still your head let your jaw wiggle side to side. Let's do a dragon roar. Drop your mouth open and stick out your tongue. Roll your eyes up as if you had a dot in the middle of your forehead. Roll your eyes and towards that dot on your forehead and make a hissing sound. It's like a silent lion roar. Now we're gonna take a deep breath and squeeze our face like we just bit into a lemon. Squeeze your forehead, Eyes, Nose, Mouth. Hold your breath. Hold hold. Ah let go. Let go. Let go. Oh your body is so heavy you cannot move. Your mind is so heavy and maybe sleepy. You can't think another thought and you are so peaceful in this now moment. Breathing in breathing out long slow breaths. So we're going to imagine that we have found a meditating friend in a hut. A hut is kind of like a tent that's made of grass and sticks and leaves. So our friend he has a long white beard and beautiful reddish brown skin and his robes he wears robes. And there's saffron just kind of a beautiful shade of peachy orange. And he's sitting in the corner of this meditation hut. Have you ever meditated before? Oh it's when we're very still and quiet and focused on this now moment. Yeah I think you're gonna do great. So easy. Just keep telling yourself stay still, Stay quiet and listen. Because when we listen in meditation we come home to ourselves. Yeah there's like a little house or maybe if you want it could be an animal or maybe a crystal. There's lots of things that you can put in your heart. Whatever it feels right for you but always know that that's home. That's where we come home to when we're still and quiet and we're focused on just ourselves. And it's in that home space at your heart that you always find the right answers. You're never alone. You're always loved. You're always celebrated. Yeah. So the meditating person in this hut he smiles when we come in and it's the room is kind of the space inside is kind of dark but the light from the outside is coming in and this hut is on a beach that's by a big river and we go inside it's cool and refreshing so we're in from the heat of the day. And the man smiles with his eyes closed. He says welcome friends I'm so glad you are joining me today for meditation. Have a seat. So we sit down. He says sit up long with your spine so we sit up a little straighter. Oh yeah. Now close your eyes and as soon as we close our eyes something happens. All of a sudden we begin to hear so much more clearly what's happening around us. We're not distracted by all the things we might see but we tune into our hearing. Mm-hmm. You hear the river? Yeah. You hear some of the breeze? It's moving the leaves and the trees outside and I hear birds singing. What do you hear? Hmm? Yeah. It's so peaceful in this space and a cool breeze comes in through the opening of the hut. The man says listen. So we listen. We're gonna be so still and so quiet. It's time for silence. Listen for guidance. Listen for guidance. Listen. Listen. Listen for guidance. In the rattle and the roar your mind wants to explore but resist distractions listen. Resist distractions listen. Resist distractions listen. There's a hum in your heart. It's where you end. It's where you start. Listen to the hum. Listen to the hum. Listen. Listen. Listen to the hum. It's the sound of the universe glowing. It's the energy around you showing. In the silence is you. In the silence is you. In the silence is you. Breathing shining beautiful spark breaking out of the dark. Hum. Hum. Hum. Om. Om. Om. Hum. Hum. Everything got very very quiet. All we hear are the sounds of nature outside of the hut and the sound of your own breathing. A peaceful calm washes over you and maybe you drift off to sleep. Breathing in breathing out long slow breaths. Since meditation gives us a peaceful feeling I'm going to sing a peace chant. Om Shanti. Shanti means peace. Om Shanti Om Shanti Om Shanti Om. Om Shanti Om Shanti. Om Shanti Om. Om Shanti Om Shanti. Om Shanti Om. Om, Shanti Om, Shanti, Om, Shanti, Om. Om Shanti Om Shanti Om Shanti Om Om Shanti Om Shanti Om Shanti Om Shanti Om Shanti Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om, My friend. Peace be with you. Be well.