mrs. neal's not-so-conventional MEDITATION [CLASS] for TEENS...

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret:
it is only with the heart that one can see rightly;
what is essential is invisible to the eye.

– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author

 

Close your eyes — well, read this first, then close your eyes.

Think about the ideal place you would create — where you would choose to go if you wanted to find a little peace and quiet; a place you would go for solitude or relaxation.

This place can be anyplace you choose. It’s a place that you create and you control, where no thing and no one could get to you. This place belongs to you, and in this place, you are safe.

You should try to make this place as real as possible by putting as much detail into its creation as possible.

When you visualize this place, imagine that you are looking all the way around you — look up, look down, look all around you — try to see every detail that matters to you.

The more details you can include when you are creating this place, the more real it will seem to you when you begin to visualize it.

Remember that the subconscious mind does not recognize the difference between what is real and what is not. When you visualize this place, your subconscious will accept it as real.

The method of meditation I teach includes creating a place of peace. I believe it is important for my students to feel safe and secure in their “Place of Peace,” so we create it on a very personal level, and I always stress that in this place, you are safe.

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Get out a piece of paper. Make a list something like this:

Where is your place of peace?

What is the weather like?

What season is it?

What is the time of day?

What do you hear in this place?

What do you smell?

What do you taste?

What do you see?

What can you touch, or what touches you?

How does this place make you feel?

What will you name this place?

 

Now, following the outline below, create your place of peace using that list you just made.

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Let’s Create Your Place of Peace!

• Begin by choosing a location.
  Where is your ideal place of peace? Would you choose a forest, a beach, your backyard, your bedroom? Be specific, and remember that because your subconscious doesn’t care if it’s a real place or not, it can be anywhere you choose.
   
• What is the weather like?
  Even if you choose to be on a beach, if you like snow blowing wildly, you can have it. Decide the ideal weather you want in your special place.
   
• Which season is your favorite?
  Again, if you love the colors and smells of fall, but want a hot, sunny day, that’s okay.
   
• What is the time of day would you choose?
  Are you a morning person, or do you prefer the dark twilight hours? It’s your happy place, it’s your choice.
   
• What would you hear in this place?
  Think about the sounds you might hear in your special place — the ocean, the rustle of leaves in the trees, birds singing, or soft music. You choose what you want to hear.
   
• What would you smell?
  Does you happy place smell like pine trees, mountain air, the ocean, freshly-baked cookies?
   
• What might you taste?
  Do you have some of those freshly-baked cookies with you? Or perhaps you taste the salt of the ocean?
   
• What would you see in this place that you have created?
  What will you place here? Do you have a vase of fresh flowers on a table, or do you see snow-capped mountains? Is there a picture of someone you love on the wall, or do you see seagulls against a bright blue sky?
   
• What might you touch, or what touches you?
  What can you feel? Can you feel the roughness of the bark of a tree against your back, or a plush carpet under your feet, or the softness of the grass where you are sitting? Are there flowers brushing against your legs as you walk a quiet path? Can you feel the soft fur and vibration of the purring of your favorite little kitten sitting on your lap?
   
• How does this place make you feel?
  When you visualize yourself in this special place of peace that you have created, how do you feel?

 

Finally, set a trigger for this place.

A trigger is something that sets something else in motion.

Set the trigger for your place of peace by creating a name for this place. Choose a name that means something to you.

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Depending on your mood or other factors, your happy place might change from time to time.

That’s okay, just re-create it based on how you are feeling!

 

Now, the next time you are in need of a little peace and quiet, close your eyes and think of the name of your happy place, or say it out loud, then take a deep breath and imagine yourself there.

— ♦ —

 

STUDENT CHALLENGE:

Whether you think you are artistic or not, try creating your place of peace — or “happy” place — as a tangible model!

This is an exercise I like to do with students to reinforce the reality of this place to the subconscious mind.

What I do is dump a bunch of crayons, markers, colored pencils, white and colored papers of various sizes and weights, cotton balls, scissors, modeling clay and dough, pieces of chipboard or cardboard, glue and glue sticks, tape, glitter, paints, and other assorted art supplies onto a table.

I lead the class in a relaxation exercise, then have them go through the process of creating their place of peace on a piece of paper, using the same outline as above.

When they reach their relaxed state, I turn them loose with the art supplies and have them create a model of some sort of their place of peace using whichever methods they choose.

 

Here’s your challenge: gather some art supplies and create a model of your happy place!

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THINK TIME:

Create and visualize your Place of Peace…

 

THE PRACTICE
OF MEDITATION

 

Let the words of my mouth,
and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight,
O Lord, my strength,
and my redeemer.

— Psalm 19:14