Through my work with second graders, I have come to realize that one of the most important functions of my role as a yoga and meditation teacher is to create an opening to imagination. It's amazing to see where the children take an idea once a seed has been planted.  It's just so easy, natural and alive to them. 

We've been practicing "be like a frog". The frog, who occasionally jumps about, but mainly spends his time sitting on his lily pad, perhaps eyes closed. He sits with total stillness as he focusses his attention on the space around him. As if my magic, he knows when a fly moves past, and as quick as a wink, he shoots out his tongue for a yummy snack. Here we practice alert and restful stillness. The frog sits proud, the master of his domain as the lily pad gently takes him down the river.

By setting the scene and some neutral prompts such as "who else is at the river?", "what do you see and hear?, "what do you feel?", "what is the weather like?", the children create a rich, imaginary world. Today, we had fish of every color, diving birds, dragonflies, human's fishing. We had rain, sun and wind, and the sounds from monkeys nearby. By encouraging the children to share their experiences these worlds become more vivid, along with the feelings they associate with them which today ranged from feeling calm, happy, peaceful to sleepy.

Fortunately, we never lose our ability to imaginate! Even as adults! So for once each day, imagine the life you dream of! 

References:

"Sitting still like a frog, mindfulness exercises for kids" by Eline Snel, 2013.

Photo © 2018 Jess Lakin, Connecting Heaven and Earth