Mantra and Mudra for Kids

peace begins with me

Give the monkey something to do

For generations, there has been this idea of the mind as a monkey: restless, unfocused, and constantly keeping us distracted. This is very typical in these modern times with all the information we have access to and with our busy schedules. Momlife by definition means being pulled in many different directions, and there’s just too much to keep up with!

Sometimes the best solution is brief, portable practices that bring us back to balance. That’s where this practice comes in: it’s a combination of mudra and mantra, tailored to kids, but also effective for yogis of all ages! You can do this with your kids or on your own, spontaneously or during a planned pause in your day.

It’s a wonderful way to engage and calm your monkey mind, giving just enough sensory stimulation to keep your focus. 

Mantra and mudra: two tools for creating calm

“If you can’t explain it to a 6-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.”

-Albert Einstein

In 2013 I had the good fortune of completing a kids yoga training through Kidding Around Yoga. After that, I began teaching kids yoga, gymnastics, and creative movement to kids in schools all around the San Francisco Bay Area and it really put a spin on my understanding of yoga. It’s true what Einstein says: if you can’t communicate something to a young mind, then you don’t quite grasp it yet.

In that training, one of the key practices we learned was a mantra called Peace Begins with Me. It’s super simple and you can modify the four-word phrase into a different one to suit you (for instance, “I am very strong,” “I love my body,” or “My life is abundant”). When I do this with a group of kids I usually fade it out to silence like this:

Does it work when we’re worked up? The tactile and vocal aspects of this practice are helpful for bringing tangible calm, but there might be days when you can’t just go straight into this practice and expect it to erase your stress. On those days, if you can fit in a little walk, a short sequence of yoga poses, a handful of jumping jacks, a brief journaling session, or something that helps you burn off your stress, anxiety, or frustration, then it can be easier to sit for this practice.

It also works well to do this practice when you’re not stressed on a regular basis so it becomes second nature. The more familiar your body and mind are with it, the better it works in times of stress.

But what about the mantra? Does it really work even if you don’t feel in the moment that peace begins with you? It might seem like spiritual bypassing if we’re truly not doing well mentally or emotionally and that is something very important to pay attention to. It might mean you need more support or that you have something bigger to work out. It doesn’t mean that peace doesn’t begin with you - it just means that you need a little help accessing that peace.

If you’re interested in learning in more detail what mantras are within the bigger picture of the tradition of yoga, here is a clear, simple article on the topic as well as a more in-depth article. Also, here’s some explanation of mantras from the field of psychology. Of course, if you want to see some actual studies on mantra, here is one and another. 

I hope you try this simple practice and it gives you a moment of calm, even on the most stressful of days. If you’d like a similar practice that doesn’t use the hands, you can try Dr. Aviva Romm’s Quickie Meditation here.

if you like the looks of these yoga cards, check them out here.

Inner peace, outer chaos

“I know for sure what we dwell on is who we become.”

-Oprah Winfrey

There will always be chaos and tension in the world - I believe that is the nature of things. It doesn’t mean we should stop striving for world peace. But maybe world peace starts small, with one person, and then the next, and the next.

In some ways, it’s easier to make things peaceful around us (unless, of course, you live in a war-torn region, then it’s not an option). But many of us can change the ambience and energy in our surroundings to a certain degree. 

On the other hand, learning to notice and modify our internal chaos can be a lifelong process. No one is perfect and we all have moments where we are overtaken by our emotions. Throw the big emotions of kids into the mix and you have a lifestyle punctuated with chaos, even if you live in the most safe, peaceful community.

Wherever you live and whatever your struggles, it can be so empowering to have a simple, portable practice like this one to use in times of stress. It might not seem like a hugely transformative action to take, but we’re not looking for sudden, drastic change here. The transformation that comes with yoga is often more gradual and cumulative.

Besides, the easier and more feasible a practice is, the more likely you’ll continue it. Add a layer of fun by sharing it with your kids and it will make the practice more appealing and therefore, easier to maintain over time!

Connecting to our seasonal theme: curling inward

Curling inward, or turning our attention inward, has been our focus since I wrote about this as a seasonal theme in early February. Peace Begins With Me is a way to go inward that helps bring quiet to the body and the mind. It provides just enough sensory stimulation to keep our minds focused and quietly active and reminds us that there is so much power that lies within. 

Let’s not rush too quickly into spring! This theme of going inward is the gift that winter has to offer. Take a moment, spiral your attention in, bask in the stillness and silence of a moment of pause. You totally deserve it. And of course, if you share it with your kids, think of what a wonderful tool they’ll have for emotional regulation! I hope you try it and let me know how it goes.

Stay tuned for a new seasonal theme next Friday!