The concept of meditation for children evokes a curious response for many people. While many can conceive the potential value of it, there is often the question – what is the necessity? Children already exist in a state of innocence, closer to their true nature, more free in their expression, more in touch with their bodies, and unburdened by the ideas, beliefs, judgments and impositions of the world. In a sense, children are already naturally meditative.

On the other hand, we may think of meditation as a practice too deep or complex for a child to understand. As adults, we may develop a concept or idea in our mind about the practice of meditation – an idea which is actually superfluous to the experience of meditation itself.

In our stressful modern society, meditation teaches children how to slow down and connect with their inner silence from an early age. Children can do this easily and naturally. With a little guidance, they can learn to listen to and connect with their bodies and breath, and to draw their attention within. Greater awareness of themselves gives rise to a sense of empowerment, self-esteem and self-acceptance. As they develop the habit of ‘looking inside’ to understand their thoughts and feelings, children learn to take responsibility for their own experiences.

Children who meditate develop inner discipline, and the ability to gain access – when they choose – to their own true essence and creativity, self-love, stability, and inner peace. With such a strong foundation, meditative children grow to become sincere adults with respect, care, trust and love for themselves and others. They become a blessing to our world, which is in desperate need of healing from our painful past.

Children love to practice Active Meditations because they are fun to do. Active Meditations incorporate activity, movement, free expression or joyful play, allowing a growing child to release the built-up stress from his or her body and mind, exhausting his energies, and preparing him to relax deeply inside himself in the silent stages. Since the structure of the meditations – activity followed by silent observation – is consistent, Active Meditations are easily adjusted in length and style to suit children of different ages and interests. The different Active Meditation methods offer variety, providing a diverse number of activities to keep things fresh, interesting, and engaging to young minds.

The Indian mystic Osho, who devised Active Meditations for adults, felt that meditation was absolutely essential to the upbringing of a child. He states, “If we can help children to be meditative we can change the whole world – its energy, its consciousness. But we teach them something else, never meditation – geography, history, and all kinds of nonsense which is absolutely useless.”

Osho further adds, "Children should be taught to meditate -- how to remain calm, serene, silent; how to reach the state of no-mind. Children can learn to accomplish this very, very quickly. Every home should have a scheduled program to help children move into silence. And that will only be possible, when you, as parents, also practice with them. A daily hour of sitting silently should be compulsory in every home. One should even do away with a meal if necessary, but an hour of silence must be observed at all costs. It is wrong to call that house a home where an hour of silence isn't observed daily. It can not even be called a family".

These meditations are short and fun to practice. They can easily be incorporated into your schedule and enhance the quality of your and your child’s life. It is good to practice with these meditations regularly. Let your child choose the one he or she likes to do most.

Before starting this meditation show the child the location of the seven chakras in their body. (See illustration) Ask the child to stand with feet shoulder-width apart. During the meditation, guide the child to breathe (or make sounds if you are doing the Chakra Sounds Meditation) into each chakra while keeping their attention focused on the breath. Breathing should be done rapidly and with mouth open. They can move their arms and body as they wish.

1st Stage: – (7 minutes) Breathing
1 minute breathing into each of the chakras one through seven.

2nd Stage: – (1 minute)
Gradually breathe back down through each of the chakras seven through one.

3rd Stage: (5 minutes)
Lie down and rest.

1st Stage: – (5 minutes) Gibberish
Tell the children to close their eyes and start speaking gibberish. Let them make any meaningless sounds they like. As they gibber they can let their hands and bodies move – swaying or jumping up and down. They can be as loud as they like.

2nd Stage: – (2 minutes)
Sit silently and watch the breath.

3rd Stage: (3 minutes)
Lie down and rest.

“Children enjoy this very much because they get a great kick. Parents never allow their children to whirl. It is not good: they should be allowed – rather, encouraged. And if you can make them aware of inner whirling also, you can teach them meditation through their whirling. They enjoy it because they have a bodiless feeling. When they whirl, suddenly children become aware that their body is whirling but they are not. Inside they feel a centering which we cannot feel so easily, because their bodies and souls are still a bit apart; there is a gap.” –Osho

1st Stage: – (4 minutes) Whirling
With eyes open, let the child begin whirling in whatever direction he or she feels comfortable. Arms could be stretched out or slightly open to the sides. Let the whirling begin slowly and then increase in speed. You can use the same whirling music as on the Whirling meditation CD, or play any music you like.

2nd Stage: – (2 minutes)
Get down to the floor and roll onto the stomach. Keep the eyes closed and remain still and silent.

1st Stage: – (2 minutes) Shaking
Let the body loose and start shaking. Move your arms, hips, shoulders, head.

2nd Stage: – (2 minutes) Gibberish
Move into gibberish. See instructions for Gibberish meditation above.

3rd Stage: – (2 minutes) Laughing
Begin laughing for no reason at all. Just laughing!

4th Stage: – (2 minutes) Sitting silently
Sit silently and watch the breath and whatever is happening inside and outside.

5th Stage: – (5 minutes) Relaxing
Lie down and relax.