A while back, I posted a bold statement on the social media interwebs:
“I do not believe that any child should learn how to meditate and be mindful.”
(The keyword to pay attention to up there is “learn.” They should not have to LEARN. Very different from it coming naturally when the time is right.)
The comments my team and I got were numerous!
Some got it. Some were confused. Some were a wee bit defensive.
So, rather than try to answer every single question and comment, I decided to do a livestream to address this.
Today’s video is the replay of this livestream.
And by the way, I rewatched it just before I sat down to write this email to you, and I honestly can say that this might be one of the most powerful off the cuff videos I’ve ever done.
In this 38 minute video, I cover:
- Why prayer and gratitude are not the same as meditation
- The danger of micro-managing (cleverly I might add) our discomforts and dark, shadow side via “spiritual” and “meditation” practices
- The harmful effects of timeouts
- Why we should never suppress fight and flight energy in kids in service of them being “calm buddhas” (much like the “good baby” who is simply shut down due to mis-attunement and finally gives up on being nurtured)
- Why I believe we are at the start of some serious “bad” behaviour post-covid (this is not just for the kids, it is for everyone!)
- How to spot a dissociated mindfulness and meditation teacher (even I creeped myself out playing this out!)
Believe it or not, meditation can be counterproductive (and even dangerous for some) when a person is not ready for it. This is especially true when it comes to the kids.
Finally, if you are leaning towards teaching your kids to meditate to help them calm down and get regulated, or if you are involved in teaching kids meditation, I sure hope you click here and have a watch.
