“The whole world would be at war!” one child yelled. Many of the children began nodding in
agreement.
“So do you think it might be important to learn how to be compassionate?” we asked.
“Yes!” they yelled. And our work began.
A child's interpretation of their mind during practice: either too excited, too sleepy, or just right.
Teaching Compassion to Children and Adolescents
1. Developing Attention and Mindfulness
There are ample resources for helping children learn to develop mindfulness
The cultivation of
attention can be engaged and deepened through meditations that focus on the breath, sounds,
sensations and even colors.
Developing attentional stability of mind is also essential for helping children recognize maladaptive
thought and emotional patterns. Children are often well aware of the many things they crave (such
as candy!), as well as those things they dislike and wish to avoid. Mindfulness training helps
children learn to recognize these tendencies, and begin to learn to respond mindfully, rather than
react mindlessly, to discomforts, temptations and even stressors in their lives.
In our work with adolescents in foster care, we quickly realized that these youth had tremendous
difficulty settling in and feeling comfortable in their bodies. Thus we began incorporating yoga
practice into our classes, and selected poses and sequences that would enhance balance and
strength while promoting calm and stability. Though they initially had difficulty practicing sitting
meditation for more than a few minutes without feeling agitated, yoga practice afforded them an
alternate means of accessing stability, calm and relaxation, and helped them begin to “settle” into
meditation practice during the program. Incorporation of somatic practices is a highly valuable
addition to contemplative programs.
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