| Traditions
from far away continue to surface across America and are enjoyed
by anyone seeking something different. These days, it’s
common place to catch a yoga class before supper or spend
your weekend Feng Shui-ing your living room. Yoga is the new
aerobics with over 15 million Americans (including children)
practicing. And meditation is gaining popularity by the decade.
Schools in Connecticut, Georgia, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles,
and Ontario, Canada are already teaching meditation. Even
more encouraging, some of these programs are funded by organizations
such as the American Heart Association, the National Institute
of Health, Chrysler and General Motors.
Meditation
helps children improve upon almost any skill they are working
toward mastering. Meditation offers a perfect forum for practicing
these new skills, whether it be athletic, academic or simple
centering. Meditation also helps children better understand
and process their emotions, which lead to better relationships
with others – siblings, parents, and classmates. When
children become more comfortable with their emotions they
also improve their relationship with themselves, heightening
their self esteem. And lastly, meditation helps children become
more aware of who they are, their gifts, interests and embrace
their multi-dimensional selves.
Sensational
Meditation, based on the five senses, is as easy as closing
your eyes and imagining what a tree looks like, noticing a
physical feeling or emotion or even listening to a soothing
bell tone. This simplistic approach makes Sensational Meditation
a perfect practice for children.
I push
no dogmatic concepts or strict disciplines. Instead, I teach
straightforward skills using meditations from all over the
world. Higher self esteem, improved focus, closer relationships
and better health are just a few of the benefits parents,
therapists and teachers who use these techniques are raving
about. - Sarah Wood Vallely, Author of Sensational
Meditation for Children
Since
1999, Sarah has been teaching meditation techniques to children,
helping them not only to cope in today’s world but to
thrive in it. Contrary to what one might think, kids love
to meditate. Sarah's students tell her, “That was better
than my video game,” “When can we come back to
meditate?” and “I didn’t know meditation
was so easy.”
Read a
short yet informative article
about teaching meditation to children. More articles at the
bottom of this page.
Take advantage
of the sample meditations
offered on this site.
____________________________________________________________
Child
Meditation Facilitators Training (with optional
Certification)
Two
Day Workshop January
17 and 18, 2009
Atlanta
Hilton at the Atlanta Airport (Location has
been changed from Philadelphia)
Register
Online Space is
Still Available Accepting MasterCard,
Visa, Amex and Discover
Hotel
reservations can be made for a discounted rate of $99 by
calling 404-767-9000 and asking for the "Child Meditation
Training" rate.
No
CMF tele-course is scheduled at this time. Please sign up
for our newsletter
to be notified when a tele-course will be scheduled.
____________________________________________________________
Description:
A
course for those interested in teaching meditation to children
- learn time tested techniques children love and easily
integrate into their lives. Whether you are a parent, teacher
or other professional, you will become completely prepared
to teach meditation to children.
Certification is offered through Satya
International.
Topics
Covered During the Course
|
•Creating a safe and comfortable teaching environment.
• Bringing children and meditation together
- what to expect
• Helping children use their five senses to
enjoy and enhance their meditation experiences.
• How to incorporate art into their meditation
experience.
• Healing our bodies with meditation.
|
•
How meditation benefits the mind. •The spiritual
body - working with auras and chakras and understanding
subtle energy.
• Meditation for improving relationships.
• Using meditation to help children better understand
themselves and their relationship to the world.
• Creating meditations for special issues. Learn
steps to creating original mediations. |
Cost
Two
Day Workshop: $275, includes lunch both days
plus Sensational Meditation for Children text
by Sarah Wood Vallely for $13.95 if you do not already
have a copy.
Six
Week Tele-course: $125
each for part 1 and 2 ($250 total) plus Sensational
Meditation for Children text by Sarah Wood Vallely
for $13.95 if you do not already have a copy. You
are not obligated to sign up for part 2. All tel-course
participants will also need to pay for telephone calls
to a U.S. number. International callers, look for calling
cards with inexpensive rates.
Tele-course
Certification Participants: Certification Participants
will have the option to become certified after completing
both Part 1 and 2. Certification Participants are required
to participate fully in class exercises and discussions.
In addition they will need to keep their line un-muted
and call from a quiet location with minimal distractions
(this includes arranging childcare).
How
the Tele-course Works
To
participate in our tele-classes all you need is access
to a telephone and you can participate from anywhere.
This is very helpful if you are scheduled to be out of
town during one of the classes. Participants are provided
with a phone number and access code to join the weekly
calls. While on the call, participants can listen to the
training facilitator, converse with fellow students and
ask questions whenever they come up.
Registration
Register
Online Accepting MasterCard,
Visa, Amex and Discover
Accepting Visa, Master Card and American Express.
Here
is what Certified Facilitators have to say about our training.
|
My
daughter Madison has been medication free since I
began practicing meditation with her. Prior to that
we were treating her every month! She talks about
feeling that her mind is more powerful than her body
and that she can tell it to do whatever she wishes.
Meditation is part of our morning routine. Sometimes
it lasts 5 minutes and sometimes 30, but no matter
what it looks like, it is benefiting all of us by
centering us and allowing us all the space to set
our intention for the kind of day that we want. I
want to thank you again and again for gifting us with
meditation!
Michelle Browning, Torrance CA
The
Child Meditation Facilitator Training combined a comprehensive
overview with extensive experiential learning opportunities
to bring together a wonderful understanding of the
practice of meditation with children. Upon completion
of the training, I felt confident and competent enough
to apply this learning experience in my own practice
with children. Every aspect of the training experience
was worthwhile, informative, and personally rewarding.
I highly recommend this workshop for anyone working
with the intent to make profound, positive shifts
in the lives of children.
Sheri Hardcastle Child Therapist/Social Worker, Ontario
Canada |
|
The
Child Meditation Facilitator course opens doors to
creative simplicity that touch the hearts of adults
and children alike. I recommend this class to all
who want to provide children with tools of empowerment
they can use throughout their life.
Nancy Brady Healer/Intuitive Orange County, California
USA
This
workshop is a double blessing; it is a workshop to
become a Certified Child Meditation Facilitator, as
well as a gentle healing weekend retreat. Not only
did Sarah provide me with tools with which I can provide
my own classes and workshops, she also created a safe
environment in which I was able to heal and clear
the fears that had been preventing me from moving
forward. I am now ready to take my place as a teacher
and a healer.
Angela Moore Mother/Healer Pasadena California USA
I
loved the class. I learned a lot in a short amount
of time, not only about teaching the children, but
I also gained some great personal insight. The group
was very dynamic with like minds sharing support and
wisdom.
Mary Albright Neo-Natal Nurse, Redondo Beach California
USA |
Becoming
Certified
The
Child Meditation Facilitator Certification is made up of three
parts:
1. Participation in Child Meditation Facilitators Training
(either a weekend workshop or tele-classes)
2.
Essay
A short essay based on information in the text Sensational
Meditation for Children by Sarah Wood.
3.
Teaching your very own meditation class for children.
After completion of your training you will set up and teach
your very own class. The minimum number of students is three
and it is not advised to exceed ten. Students can be any age
between and including 5 to 16 years old. Your own children
can participate, however you should also have other children
in addition to your own. A specific teaching outline is provided.
This class will need to be video taped and sent to your instructor
for review. You will have 60 days after completion of the
training to teach this class.
Suggested
Articles
Meditating
with your Child – A Practice Based on Our ‘Ten’
Senses Sarah Wood, CNE
Magazine, 2004. Read
In
the Classroom, a New Focus on Quieting the Mind Theodore
Rigby for The
New York Times June 12, 2007
Neurofeedback
and Children Sarah
Wood Vallely Newsletter Summer 08
Young
Meditators Make a Journey Through Time Sarah
Wood Vallely Newsletter Fall 07
Read
More Articles |
