meditation in school - Page 2

[yogal]

i'm with Mamalemon and Lauraloo

Meditation is the best subject after recess of course.

my first experience with mediation was in grade 3 and it was our french teacher who led the meditation and it was only one time but the experience resonated with me throughout my life.

I would have no problem with it. I believe it to be a benficial long life skill to be able to sit quietly, to calm our minds, and breathe a real full breath once in a while.

[Belleweather]

We did meditation in my public school in the late 1980's and early 1990's to clear the mind and focus as a part of our gifted and talented program and in some of our theater and dance electives. It was mainly of the guided meditation type -- we'd all lay on the floor and listen to some calming music and visualize all our tension and worries flowing out away from us, or tense up each muscle group and relax it and concentrate on our breathing, so it was about as non-sectarian as you could get. It took maybe 5 minutes at the beginning of the class and I LOVED it and could see, even as a first and second grader how much of a difference it made in the feel of the classroom and on how focused and on-task everyone was able to be.

I'd highly recommend it for any class room!

[lilyka]

I would not be comfortable with it. I think there are other ways to have fun and relax.

[Susan Kunkel]

It is not something that I would want my child to do. It goes against our beliefs.

[yogal]

closing your eyes and breathing is against your beliefs?

[PumpkinSeeds]

Originally Posted by yogal

closing your eyes and breathing is against your beliefs?

I wonder how this is being implemented in the classrooms exactly. It doesn't sound just like a moment of silence. Here it sounds a bit like guided meditation:

http://www.parkdayschool.org/1340103...te/default.asp

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by PumpkinSeeds

I wonder how this is being implemented in the classrooms exactly. It doesn't sound just like a moment of silence. Here it sounds a bit like guided meditation:

http://www.parkdayschool.org/1340103...te/default.asp

I didn't read the link, but I can tell you how it is done at my son's school which includes meditation as part of the curriculum. They do not have guided meditation, they quiet their minds and sit in silence. I didn't realize it, but he told me they are now up to 10 minutes. They do this 10 minute meditation once a week. They do sit for a minute's (or so) silence daily during circle time.

BTW, for Christians (whom I suppose are saying meditation is against their beliefs) have you not heard of contemplative orders where monks and/or nuns take vows of silence? Do you not ever take a few minutes out of your life just to "be". To reconnect with your inner essence in silence?

[PumpkinSeeds]

Originally Posted by uccomama

have you not heard of contemplative orders where monks and/or nuns take vows of silence? Do you not ever take a few minutes out of your life just to "be". To reconnect with your inner essence in silence?

I'm not a Christian, so I don't really know, but my guess it that there is an element of choice there. Meditation in the school seems a bit of a captive audience scenario there. Are the kids able to opt out?

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by PumpkinSeeds

I'm not a Christian, so I don't really know, but my guess it that there is an element of choice there. Meditation in the school seems a bit of a captive audience scenario there. Are the kids able to opt out?

There is no opt-out choice for the children, the meditation is part of the 3rd grade "Rites of Passage" program and will be continued as they move up the grades. We have consciously chosen to send our son to a contemplative school, so knew full well he would be participating in contemplative practices which includes meditation. We did so because it is the only school we found that has a deep heart centered consciousness and truly treasures its children. People choose the school because of its nature, so if they disagreed with its contemplative practices they wouldn't pay the tuition for their children to attend, they would go somewhere else.

[yogal]

progressive relaxation is used in many treatment centers for many different things... and im sure there are places of employment that make these things available to their staff..

mediating is so cool! I really dont get how anyone can be against levitating?

[EFmom]

Originally Posted by yogal

progressive relaxation is used in many treatment centers for many different things... and im sure there are places of employment that make these things available to their staff..

mediating is so cool! I really dont get how anyone can be against levitating?

I'm not against it per se. I'm against it in a public school setting. If people want to teach their kids how to meditate at home, more power to them.

[MattBronsil]

Originally Posted by yogal

closing your eyes and breathing is against your beliefs?

[MattBronsil]

Originally Posted by angelcat

It is spiritual to me, and my child would not be participating. It's against our religion.

I'm confused by that, though. Because you're the one putting the spiritual twist to it...not necessarily the person doing it.

I'd love to have been able to do that. "Math is too spiritual for me. Sorry! Not participating." *grin*

[PumpkinSeeds]

Originally Posted by uccomama

People choose the school because of its nature,

Bingo. (emphasis added)

Whole different can of worms when it's in a public school and there's no opt out. But, I don't know that there is no opt out.

I'm one of those that thinks public schools should stick to the three R's and leave worldview and parenting to the discretion of the parents.

[WantRice]

I don't see much of a difference between doing a guided meditation and reading the children a story and having them close their eyes to visualize the content.

[angelcat]

Originally Posted by MattBronsil

I'm confused by that, though. Because you're the one putting the spiritual twist to it...not necessarily the person doing it.

I'd love to have been able to do that. "Math is too spiritual for me. Sorry! Not participating." *grin*

I said, to ME it is spiritual. It is used in some religions. it really doens't matter why it's against my beliefs, it is, and my child would not be participating.

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by PumpkinSeeds

Bingo. (emphasis added)

Whole different can of worms when it's in a public school and there's no opt out. But, I don't know that there is no opt out.

I'm one of those that thinks public schools should stick to the three R's and leave worldview and parenting to the discretion of the parents.

If I could find a public school with the loving consciousness of this school, we would most certainly send our son there. BTW, we did check out other public schools recently and our little school is more advanced academically, despite the fact they are taught "frivolous" stuff like meditation.

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by MattBronsil

I'm confused by that, though. Because you're the one putting the spiritual twist to it...not necessarily the person doing it.

I'd love to have been able to do that. "Math is too spiritual for me. Sorry! Not participating." *grin*

My son doesn't think sitting in meditation is the least bit spiritual. Neither does he think Miksang (contemplative photography) is. He thinks it is great fun and really doesn't grasp the deep nature of the practice. He and his classmates produced some very artistic and impressive pieces of photography when they were let loose with cameras.

[mamalemon]

Originally Posted by PumpkinSeeds

I wonder how this is being implemented in the classrooms exactly. It doesn't sound just like a moment of silence. Here it sounds a bit like guided meditation:

http://www.parkdayschool.org/1340103...te/default.asp

In my class, we do breathing exercises and VERY simple guided visulaization. Since it is an art class, I will often show the children the project that we are going to be working on (a fish swimming under water, for example) and then have them close their eyes and imagine their fish under water. I ask them to imagine where he is going, what he looks like, what sort of a personality he has, etc.

And btw, we have no "opt out" option. I had no idea that anyone would be bothered by quiet imagination or reflection.