May 29, 2018

Deep Relaxation for Children – The Plum Village Program

Eyes closed works best.

  • Breathing-in, I feel my two eyes. Breathing-out, I smile to my eyes. Breathing-in, I let all my muscles around my eyes relax. Breathing-out, I send my two eyes my love and care. My two eyes are a gift! With my eyes, I can see, I can see, I can see! I can see you and I can see me. I can see birds flying in the bright blue sky. I can see the yellow moon up above, so high. I can read, write and watch television. I can watch ants build and do long division. When I’m sad, I can cry and let the tears flow. My eyes let everything inside of me show. Breathing-in, I squeeze my eyes tight. Breathing-out, I release them and let them relax. Thank you eyes for letting me see, there is so much beauty around me.
  • Breathing-in, I feel my lungs grow bigger. When I breath-out, I feel them shrink. Breathing-in, I feel so happy to have two good lungs. Breathing-out, I smile to them with kindness. My lungs are so incredible. They help me breathe-in and out all day and night, even when I sleep. They bring oxygen into my body and give me the power to speak, to sing, to shout, to whisper, to giggle, and to grumble. When I was just born, the first thing I did was take a deep in-breath. And ever since then, my lungs have been there for me, every minute of every day. I breath-in the fresh air into my lungs and breathing-out, let them rest and relax. Thank you lungs for helping me breath!
  • Breathing-in, I know my heart is beating on the left side of my chest. Breathing-out, I enjoy my heart and let it rest. With my in breath, I send my love to my heart. With my out-breath, I smile to my heart. My heart keeps me alive and it is always there for me, every minute, every day. It never takes a break. My heart has been beating since I was just a four-week-old fetus in my mother’s womb. It is a marvellous organ that allows me to do everything I do throughout the day. Breathing-in, I know that my heart also loves me. Breathing-out, I promise to live in a way that will help my heart to be healthy and strong. With each exhalation, I feel my heart relaxing more and more, and I feel each cell in my heart smiling with ease and joy.
  • Breathing-in, I feel my stomach. Breathing-out, I let my stomach relax. As I breathe-in, I enjoy my stomach, and as I breathe-out, I smile to my stomach. I know my stomach works so hard for me. Each day it digests the food I eat and gives me energy and strength. Now I let it rest totally. As I breathe-in, I feel my stomach feeling happy and light. As I breathe-out, I feel so thankful for my stomach, that is always there for me.
  • Now, I bring my attention to a place in my body that may be sick or in pain. I take this time to become aware of it and send it my love. Breathing-in, I allow this area to rest, and breathing-out, I smile to it with kindness. I know that there are other parts of my body that are still strong and healthy. I let these strong parts of my body send their strength and energy to the weak or sick area. I feel support, energy and love of the healthy parts of my body penetrating the weak area, soothing and healing it. As I breathe-in, I know that my body is a miracle because it can heal when it gets sick. As I breathe-out, I let go of any worry or fear I might hold in my body. Breathing-in and out, I smile with love and confidence to the area of my body that is not well.
  • Breathing-in, I feel my whole body lying down. Breathing-out, I enjoy the feeling of my whole body lying down, very relaxed and calm. I smile to my whole body as I breathe-in and send my love and compassion to my whole body as I breathe-out. I feel all the cells in my whole body smiling joyfully with me. I feel gratitude for all the cells in my whole body. I feel the gentle rising and falling of my belly.

Now that the practice of Deep Relaxation is over, you can wriggle your hands and feet and slowly stretch. Then roll onto one side. When you are ready, you can open your eyes. Take your time to get up, calmly and lightly. Enjoy carrying the calm and mindful energy you have generated into the rest of the day.