Kids | Kindness, Ages 9-12
A visualization exercise that teaches kids about openness and generosity.
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Hi, my name's Andy. So you can do this exercise either lying down or sitting upright, whichever you prefer. In this exercise, we're gonna practice kindness. We're gonna begin by being kind to ourselves. Then we're gonna be kind to somebody in our family. Then we're gonna be kind to a friend. And then finally, we're gonna imagine being kind to the entire world. So it's as though we had the ability, the power to be kind to every single person in the world. So that everybody is happy, has what they want and what they need. To get comfortable, you might find this easier if you close your eyes. So to begin with, just imagine that you can give yourself anything at all. Absolutely anything, whatever you want, whatever will make you happy. Can be a thing, present, toy. Can be your favorite place, your favorite experience. Maybe it's just being with somebody in your family or being with a friend. You can have anything you want. Just imagine giving yourself that thing. How does it make you feel? So just noticing that feeling how it feels when we give ourselves something nice and we're then gonna practice that same idea but by giving something to somebody else, by being kind to somebody else. Wanting them to feel the same the way you just did. So imagine somebody in your family, think about what they would most like. And in just the same way, we can now imagine giving that person that thing, whatever it is. And in your mind you're just watching, you're seeing their reaction. Perhaps they look surprised at first and then they look very happy. Maybe they even give you a hug to say thank you. Then notice how that feels when you see somebody else happy like that. And then next we're going to imagine doing that same thing but for a friend. So think which friend you'd like to be extra kind to today. And in just the same way take a moment to think of what their favorite thing is. Can be anything at all, their favorite thing. And imagine giving them that thing or that person or that experience whatever it is that you know makes them happy. Imagine them looking surprised at first and then very happy. Perhaps they even say thank you to you. And notice how it feels when you see that that person is happy. Now, imagine that you had the ability to bring that same happiness to everybody. So imagine everybody in your class at school is that happy. It's like they all have everything they want, everything they need. Imagine everybody in the entire school is that happy. So it's as though you can give them everything they need. And then the entire village or town that you live in or city perhaps that you live in, is that happy. And then take it even bigger. Perhaps it's your entire country that's that happy. And...
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- More about Andy
A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.
- More about Eve
Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.
- More about Dora
As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.
- More about Kessonga
Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.
- More about Rosie
Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.
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