Mindful breathing is a very basic yet powerful mindfulness meditation practice.
The idea is simply to focus your attention on your breathing—to its natural rhythm and flow and the way it feels on each inhale and exhale.
Coupling mindfulness and breathing techniques involves cultivating awareness of your experience in the present moment, living each moment as fully as possible.
Breathwork is a key tool that we teach in our “Mindful Kids” resilience program, to all ages. In the dolphins room we are learning different types of breathing to assist with regulating emotions.
The Benefits
Mindful breathing teaches us to redirect our thoughts and focus on the breath rather than the emotional thoughts racing in our minds.
With this awareness, we observe the transient nature of thoughts. We then develop the ability to choose to pay attention to them or not. Breathing exercises can help children by:
- Relaxing the body;
- Refocusing the mind;
- Reducing stress and anxiety;
- Lowering heart rate; and
- Increasing the body’s oxygen levels, which can have calming effects.
Breathwork Practice
Every week we practice a different type of breathing. Our latest one is the Candle Breath.
We guide the children to;
- Hold up their index finger & imagine its a candle;
- Take a long breath in; then
- Blow on their candle, enough to make it wiggle; and
- Repeat 3 times before they blow it out.
The children can be seen at different times throughout the day and in different situations, practicing their different types of breathing. As they practice more, they are getting much better at using Mindful Breathing effectively.
Ways To Incorporate Mindful Breathing At Home
In simple terms, mindfulness can help children to increase happiness, decrease anxiety and live in the moment.
Start integrating mindful breathing into your day –
- At circle time;
- Mealtime;
- Transition time; and
- Drive time.
Ask your child to teach you their breathwork and support them to regularly practice the pause. You can do this by taking the time to breathe consciously, together.
Remind kids to use conscious, mindful breathing to help them manage their feelings and shift their own mind-body state.
That is all from us this month!
Miss Jodie, Miss Sabrina and the Dolphins (Gwong) children.
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