Alternate Activity 1: Journey Meditation
Activity time: 10 minutes
Materials for Activity
- A copy of Leader Resource 2, Journey Meditation
- Optional: Mats or rugs for children to lie on
- Optional: Tape or CD of gentle, instrumental music and the equipment to play the music
Preparation for Activity
- Read Leader Resource 2, Journey Meditation so you will be able to smoothly lead the meditation
Description of Activity
This meditation can help children learn that both material items and thoughts can produce positive memories to comfort and sustain us in the future. Ask the children to choose a place (and a mat or rug, if you have them) and lie down comfortably on the floor. Make sure they are spread apart so they cannot touch one another. If children will be seated at worktables, help them space their chairs apart and invite them to lay their heads on top of their folded arms.
Start playing gentle music, if you have brought a tape or CD. Invite the children to close their eyes. Expect giggles and wiggles. Tell the children you are going to read them a story to imagine, and you want them to listen to the words and imagine with you what is happening.
Read aloud Leader Resource 2, Journey Meditation.
When you have finished, invite the children to sit up and talk about how it felt to be on a pretend journey. Ask if they felt safe on their journey when they did not know what was going to happen. Ask them if some of them felt like going back instead of going down the road. Ask them what they thought the road might lead to. Talk about how it feels to be part of a group of people that they know and trust.