What if we learned meditation at an early age? Could that possibly help buffer the inevitable stressful events in childhood as well later in life?
This morning I was thinking, what if a mindfulness practice came as natural as say, multiplication tables or spelling? What if it was taught in schools?
Is there a chance that if children learned meditation it would be helpful for them in dealing with those “you’re so not-cool” messages from other kids?
I’ve been hearing and reading a lot about Mindful Schools – a non-profit organization based in Oakland,CA that teaches mindfulness to children in schools.
Mindful Schools’ mission is to integrate mindfulness into education through in-class instruction and other resources to promote and support mindfulness in education.
A mindfulness practice can help children deal with stress, improve their ability to focus, resolve conflict, and improve their attention spans.
How would things have been different in elementary school, high school, college and graduate school if I had been practicing mindfulness meditation since second grade?
Dr. Emma Warnecke and her colleagues from the Menzies Research Institute in Australia showed that a mindfulness practice reduced stress and anxiety in medical students even through a simple self-administered intervention – a daily audio CD with a guided mindfulness practice.
Participants in the intervention group demonstrated significant reductions in scores on the Perceived Stress Scale and the anxiety component of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. And, follow-up at 8 weeks post-trial revealed that the effect was maintained.
So, what do we do if we didn’t learn meditation in elementary school?
While younger brains are certainly more malleable, beginning a mindfulness practice at any age is showing positive effects.
A mindfulness meditation practice can help you out of this “something’s wrong with me” complex that so many of us fall into when we’re dealing with stress, anxiety and fear.
If you want to learn some mindfulness meditation techniques to use in dealing with this “trance of unworthiness”, check out our courses on mindfulness.
If you’d like to learn more, you can find out more about Mindful Schools here.
When did you start your mindfulness meditation practice? Please leave a comment below.
Practicing mindfulness has proven itself to be one of the best remedies for depression and PTSD. When I was struggling, I read Catcher in the Rye and went to Tooly’s website to publish a paper because this way, I could comprehend the book in a more efficient way. Another practice that worked for me is keeping a journal but the key for this is consistency. You must teach yourself to write there everyday in order to create a new habit, and also to be able to track your progress.
Much to my amazement I wrote a Connecticut Higher Education Consortium grant on Mindfulness Practices and Contemplative Practices in Higher Education. It has been funded and our program will be held at Central Connecticut State University on Friday, March 30, 2012. I would be very interested in knowing whether there is a way to connect with two online participants: Mary Shuman, adjunct instructor at George Mason University and Dorothy McCarthy with Mindfulness in Schools (working in New Britain and New Haven).
Also, is there some way I could make use of your program to announce this first time event in Connecticut and ask for proposals???
Hi, October 28/11
I’m a counsellor in an inner-city school in the poorest postal code in Canada. I have been practicing yoga for 30 years and meditating regularly for about 5 after reading all of Kabat-Zinn’s books and taking a MBSR program. As a counsellor I have found that I just naturally use mindfulness methods in my practice, because I have been using it so much in my own life. I have been trying to learn more about how to use mindfulness in counselling and haven’t really found anything. I just found out about the teleseminar, but it’s almost over. Is there anyway I can just buy the CD’s? I’d really be interested in finding out about training for therapist, but not a degree program as I already have a master’s degree.
Thanks,
Karen
Hi everyone,
It was great reading all the comments from people re: mindfulness. I currently teach MindBody Wellness at a university in Australia and am also analyzing mindfulness and wellness programs in school.
A large number of schools are practising meditation techniques. For example,in one area the whole Catholic schools sector (11,000 students) have been practising Christian meditation for about 5 years.
It is quite popular here and many of my students coming into my course have practised meditation in high school.
I’m doing further research in this area in about a year’s time – interviewing teachers so if anybody is interested in sharing information about their pogram, I wouls be happy to here your story – nikki.albrecht@rmit.edu.au
All the best,
Nikki
P.S. I love Donna Eden’s execrcises too – great that you are using them in schools!! We have come such a long way.
Hi. I am the chair of the mindfulness committee at my school and would love to find out which New England states (or even those nearby such as NY or PA) are using mindfulness techniques or programs at their schools. This information would help me so much in getting more momentum going in my own school. It would also gain more credibility with some faculty and parents. If any of you could let me know who is using this or how, I would be very grateful –
Kathy
I began a mindfulness practice six years ago at the ripe old age of 47. Jon Kabat-Zinn’s book ‘Wherever You Go, There You Are’ introduced me to the concept and I am eternally grateful for that introduction. Realizing the power a mindfulness practice can have in helping children live happier lives inspired me to write a book on the subject and Myla & Jon Kabat-Zinn have supported my efforts with a glowing endorsement.
Having visited classrooms and spoken with children on the subject using my book I have seen the hunger and need for this type of education.
I titled my book ‘You Are Not Your Thoughts’. Feedback on my book is amazing and I am on the verge of a second edtition for anyone over eight years old.
I wrote my book to provide a way for parents to introduce/share a practice with their children and it has far surpassed that goal.
Warm regards,
Brian
Hi, thank you for your sharing. I’m convince with the benefits of mindfulness practice and I would like to know how i can obtain a copy of the daily audio CD (with a guided mindfulness practice) that you mentioned here? Can I get from amazon? If so, may I have the titles?
Hi Evelyn,
I’m not sure of the exact meditation CDs they used in the study, but Tara Brach and Jon Kabat-Zinn and many others have CDs you may be interested in. I think their websites or amazon would be a great place to start.
Best!
Christina
As a therapist who was anxious and ADD as a child, I learned to manage my emotions through mindfulness. 10 years ago I vowed to develop a mindfulness program for schools so that every child would have the opportunity to learn to manage his or her stress and emotions. My colleague and I developed “Grand Ideas From Within” a mindfulness and mental health program for the middle and high school classroom. Our studies show that the program (which is all on CD’s played by the teacher) improves grades and behavior. Grand Ideas, along with 29 other researched mindfulness programs will be featured at the Garrison Institute’s Symposium, “Advancing the Science and Practice of Contemplative Teaching and Learning” November 4-6.
If you wish to connect with others who are working to get these practices into schools and families google “mindfulness in education”. There are a number of organizations to help and support you….both in and outside the US.
If you want more specific information about these groups you can email me at relaxtolearn.com
Thanks to Ruth and to all of you who are encouraging this important work.
I am a therapist in private practice in Vancouver BC, Canada, but worked for many years as a school Counsellor in a suburb of Vancouver. The Vancouver School District has implemented a wonderful mindfulness training program called MindUp, which was developed by the Hawn Foundation. It is a fabulous program, and teaches children about their brains as well as about mindfulness in all aspects of life. It has also been researched and it’s effectiveness validated by Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichl, a prof at UBC.
As a therapist working in the elementary school setting, I was just thinking out loud today about how anxious and stressed so many of our little people are these days. Mindfulness is a wonderful skill to teach these kiddos, and they report that it is very rewarding for them to be able to take these skills home and share with their family! They love coming up with their own mindful techniques and making their own recorded versions to take home. Mindful eating is always fun and helps kids appreciate their food and learn healthy eating habits.
I am so thrilled to read comments from all of you in different parts of the world. I teach yoga and meditation as an elective in the Phys Ed dept (called “Wellness” at our school). This is my 12th year so I have had the pleasure to watch children learn, go off into the world and come back and tell me how they still use what I taught them. I incorporate now Energy Medicine Exercises from Donna Eden and these are EXCELLENT quick and easy and effective tools to do with kids in the classroom. My vision is that we could teach teachers so that they can teach their students. And also, just as parents being calm and mindful is such a great place to start with a child, also if the teachers are calm and energetically coherent this inevitably supports this state for the students. I am about to launch a telesummit, “Messages from the Children”. If any one reading this would like to speak on this series, or has someone to recommend, please leave a comment here and I will send you my contact info. Thanks everyone! Megan
There is hope. Happy that I’m invited to hang out in school classrooms pre-K -12, offering resilience based, multi-sensory active learning programs.
Recently my state’s DOE, School Security Unit, allocated funds from a Pandemic grant for consultation to provide statewide training and resources to strengthen capacity in schools by offering a holistic and pragmatic understanding of resilience and trauma with strategies, tips and tools. The School Security now moving the impact forward and have included PDF’s in a password protected area of their website with actual scripts so that teachers, admins, crisis counselors, and student support staff can utilize with students. It was with great pleasure, and a giggle, that we often reflected it is likely there are not many in the history of state contracts with a deliverable that included Comfort Cues&The Gentle Hands Anchor©. And from a workshop yesterday, I complete this comment with “I AM”, workshop words of one student, “I am Beast!” (means GOOD).
Jody, Take Good Care Kids!
My vision is for mindfulness to permeate every age, so that babies are born to mindful parents. Being parented mindfully as an infant makes deep and permanent brain development changes, that in turn support parenting a toddler free of “terrible two’s” and other behavioral challenges.
Mindfulness is a valuable quality at any age. However, the most dramatic results can be seen when it’s incorporated in parenting babies and toddlers.
We are a nonprofit in Connecticut teaching Mindfulness in Schools with Mindful Schools’ curriculum and trainings. Our organization is the Mindfulness Collaborative for Youth and Schools. We are teaching these simple, effective practices in schools in CT (New Britain, New Haven, Hartford), and trying especially to reach inner city youth who live in high-stress, often traumatic environments. The work of Mindful Schools is wonderful with children and youth in classrooms and we are finding it very effective in helping the students to find a sense of calm, sit still and pay attention – something it is difficult for many of these children to do. It does not matter how good a school’s curriculum mandates are if the children cannot sit still, pay attention and learn. We are developing research and studies, to try show the noted benefits, as well.
I am part of a faculty learning community (part of the Center for Consciousness and Transformation) at George Mason University, where I teach psychology as an adjunct faculty. We have been studying mindfulness and contemplative methods for use in the college classroom. This semester I am teaching Sports Psychology to undergrads and incorporating mindfulness practices at the beginning of each class. It has been really interesting and I believe fruitful.
I live in Australia and though I feel things are changing slowly here, there is still a long way to go.
I first discovered meditation ten years ago, initially through a Reiki model. I have also practiced Vipassana and other forms of meditation and found them invaluable. I began as a very angry person (basket case!) and became a much clearer and calmer individual. My sense of self awareness is so much greater than I ever thought possible and I can’t rave enough about how this practice has changed me for the better. Hence why I now teach it!
When describing to others the benefits of a sustained practice I find that they are either disbelieving or open but skeptical. They find it hard to see how sitting/mindfulness can effect any serious change, particularly when the alternate option is a seemingly quick-fix pill. I agree with your take on big pharma in that respect Carol, though pharmaceuticals can be helpful, generally where there is little belief in mind/body connection or will to change from within.
What I love most is telling people how old I am (as I look at least 10yrs younger.) When I say that meditation, and it’s lessening of stress hormones within my body through mindfulness practice, is a big part of it then I usually get some raised eyebrows and people wanting to know more!
Hi Sarah,
I can feel your frustration with the NHS in the UK. They are SO into treating everything with medication.
I too am english, though i currently live in france(for 2 years now). It’s the same here too, though prescriptions are even more abundant than in the UK!!!!!!
I was introduced to EFT, meditation etc only in the last year or so —what a difference it all makes to one’s wellbeing—why are they so blind to studies that show it’s worth. I blame the pharmaceutical companies for much of this—far too much money involved- too much influence. After all if we all used alternative therapies they would go bust!!!!! Sigh also.
I have been teaching for over twenty years and totaly got frustrated with the Education system as they are only worried about reading and artithmatic because the scores can be measured at the end of the year. The system is failing our children because it is not teaching them the life and relationship skill needed to become succesful in this world. I then spent three years developing and testing and Emotionl Intelligence program for teens which had massive possitive results. However,it was a hard sell. Selling the benfits to parents first, then the teen and the schools have no budget. So it was back to private sessions. Mindfulness and EI is the key to our chldren’s success moving forward in this highly competative, face paced world. Good luck with it all. I would love to hear how it is going and how you are getting it into schools.
I have now moved to educating their mothers so hopefully they will become role models for thier children to think and behave differently.
To health, love, happiness and abundance to you all.
Awesome work Ruth.
Cheers
Sophie
I first was taught a form of mindfulness when I was six years old, by a teacher at my school – that was 1967. I was then trained in the Jon Kabat Zinn model in 1989 which is 22 years ago. I have been a teacher of the 8 week proramme for a long time but I find where I live in Derbyshire,UK the NHS and the Mental Health system does not seem to know of it, so will not make any attempt to make it available. I have even offered to teach it for free for the Mental Health Services but they do not get back to me. I feel like we are ten years behind everybody else here. It is such a shame. I have offered also to teach in local schools for free but they see it as something ‘weird’ even if you give them the links that prove it is something well respected. Sigh.