Green Child Magazine Fall 2014 | Page 75

guided relaxation “Cool at School ” with Mellisa Dormoy of Shambala Kids In this issue, we will help your child remain cool at school with calming breathing and feel good techniques that brighten the days. Simply read the following imagery slowly with a relaxing voice before bedtime or in the morning upon waking: comes so easy and fun! You can imagine how each day you are learning more and enjoying each and every moment. Think to yourself how happy you will be when you meet up with your friends and learn from your caring teachers. Get comfortable, and let’s focus on our breath. Breathe in very slowly and then, breathe out. Continue breathing calmly and evenly for five long breaths. This gets our bodies very relaxed and feeling good. When we take the time each day to imagine a wonderful day, you might be surprised to know that we do end up having a great day! This is called setting our intention for the day. An intention is what we intend or desire to happen. If you intend for positive things to happen, they almost always do! That’s called a positive attitude. It’s fun and makes life so interesting and exciting! Positive things are always happening to positive people because they always look for the good. We all want to be very positive in life! As you breathe in, allow your tummy to inflate like a balloon. Fill up your tummy with your breath. Imagine that the air going down into your tummy has a color. I wonder what color it is. Exhale now and feel how your tummy gets smaller and smaller, until it’s flat again. The magical thing about breathing this way is that anytime you feel stressed, upset or even a little nervous. It feels so good and it signals our bodies that everything is okay, no matter what is going on around us. From now on, every morning before school, I’d like you to focus on your breathing while you imagine having a really wonderful day, all day long. Take time to imagine yourself listening well in class, learning new, interesting things, having fun with friends and remembering everything you learn. Learning be- There is just so much to see, do and explore. You can do all of it! You’ve done a wonderful job listening and imagining today. You’ve learned how deep belly breathing can calm you at any time during the day. You’ve visualized yourself being successful at school and enjoying each moment. And you’ve learned the very important skill of setting your intention for each day. Take in a deep breath now and when you’re ready, open your eyes, stretch your body and know how fantastic each day at school, and at home, is going to be. For more meditations and guided relaxation audios, visit Shambala Kids online. 75