Beverley Pugh

Mastery Practice Tool

Tree Exercise for Children

During The Laughing and Breathing Belly workshops I taught an exercise for children called Standing Like a Tree. The children really enjoyed it. This is a great calming activity. You can have fun teaching them to stand like a rooted tree. They will feel good and steady.

Stand with them with feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend their knees. Their arms go out like they are hugging the tree. Ask them to close their eyes and bring in the feeling of being a tree. Describe for them how they can feel their roots going down deep into the earth and then spreading. Their awareness is going down deep into the earth too. This is grounding for them. They can feel what it's like to be the strong big trunk of the tree and how good strength feels. They imagine the crown of their head reaching and touching the sky. It is a beautiful feeling of connection. Have them hold it for about 3-minutes. Practice it with them and you, too, can feel quieter inside!

Testimonial

Bev's Laughing and Breathing Belly Workshop for Children was one of the best I have attended. She has a gifted ability to gently connect with children and teach and share with them her techniques of belly breathing, rooting, mind vacations and laughter. These techniques soothe and calm them whenever they feel overwhelmed or anxious - be at school, home or before bed time. Whether you have an overwhelmed pre-schooler or a test-anxious pre-teen, Bev's approach works! I love that she gave parents the tools to model and share these fundamentals of meditation with their children. I would encourage families to take her course...your children will thank you and you will benefit from ways to keep yourself calm and allow wisdom in.

Farrah J. - Mother of 3, West Vancouver