When we are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, it can be tremendously helpful to slow down and focus on what is happening in the present moment. This is called mindfulness. Being “in the now” teaches us how to be less reactive to negative thoughts and emotions and brings more peace, ease, and balance to our lives. It also helps us accept what is happening without thinking about whether it is right or wrong, good or bad. This ultimately empowers us to feel more in control of our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations.
Science shows the incredible impact mindfulness can have on our lives by helping to reduce stress and anxiety and increase attention and focus. By redirecting our attention towards something that relaxes us, we can change the way we respond to and interact with the world around us. This can reduce stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions that impact our lives.
Nature is a simple way for us to find mindfulness. Can’t you just get lost in the moment when staring at a gorgeous sunset, rainbow, or the dancing ocean waves? Nature fills us with so much curiosity, awe, and pleasure that it helps us feel a deep sense of stillness and peace, easing our overactive minds.
Benefits of Lovingkindness Meditation
One type of meditation that can help us feel more mindful is the lovingkindness meditation. Also called Metta or compassion meditation, it is one of the most commonly practiced types of meditations out there. Quite simply, it is the practice of directing positive thoughts and well wishes to ourselves and others.
Practicing lovingkindness meditation can cause us to feel less isolated and more connected to the world around us as we shift the way we view ourselves and others to kindness instead of negativity. The meditation actually leads to positive changes in the brain, bringing benefits such as reducing stress and anxiety and lifting our mood. Just as performing acts of kindness gives us a natural high, sitting and practicing lovingkindness meditation can cause the same positive changes in our bodies and minds.
Like other types of meditation, lovingkindness meditation brings so many amazing benefits to our lives such as:
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- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Lifting our mood and producing more positive emotions
- Increasing feelings of hope
- Decreasing physical and emotional pain
- Reducing anger
- Increasing positive social emotions toward new people as well as loved ones
- Activating empathy
- Improving social connection
- Increasing self-love and how we feel about ourselves
Nature Lovingkindness Meditation For Kids
After learning about all the benefits, don’t you just want to share some lovingkindness with your kids right now? We can tweak the traditional lovingkindness meditation practice by sending love and kindness specifically to nature. Ask your children to sit comfortably with their eyes closed, imagining what they wish for in that moment. The four phrases that they can either say out loud or think silently during the practice are typically:
May I/you be safe.
May I/you be healthy and strong.
May I/you be happy.
May I/you be peaceful and at ease.
Have them repeat these wishes, first directing them to themselves and then toward different aspects of nature like a tree, butterfly, or animal. Here are the steps to follow:
- Start by directing the phrases to yourself.
- Next, direct the Metta towards something in nature you feel thankful for. (Example: pandas)
- Now visualize something in nature you feel neutral about—you neither like nor dislike. Direct the thoughts to that object. (Example: grass)
- Next, direct the thoughts to something in nature you do not like. (Example: spiders)
- Finally, direct the Metta towards the entire planet: May all beings everywhere be safe…
By practicing lovingkindness meditation directed towards nature, our children will feel happier and more connected to their natural environment and more relaxed as a result of focusing on something beautiful, awe-inspiring, and positive.
The Loving Kindness meditation is one of my favourites. I absolutely love how you have adapted it for children. I can’t wait to sit down and do this with my son. Just amazing! Thank you for sharing!
I will definitely be doing this with my children. Living kindness meditation, never heard of it until now. Thank you. I love it!
I love teaching mindfulness to my teenage clients. They learn the concept quickly so I am sure younger kids can as well. I think mindfulness and meditation get a bad rap for being difficult but it is so easy when we just think of the opposite of being mindful is being on auto pilot, just going through the motions without really any thought. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, I didn’t realize this could have loads of benefits. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never heard of this before but it sounds like it would be very beneficial. Thanks for sharing 🙂
This is really sweet and I’m sure great for people with children. Siobhan ♡ | Vegan Babe Life
My son has really taken to doing yoga with us. I had never heard of nature loving kindness meditation before today, but will look into it.
Thank you for this. My son has been so stressed with the pandemic and isolation from family. Going to try this in hopes it helps.
This is really sweet. I will try it with my kids. They have been so anxious lately and I hope this might help.
This sounds like it could be really good for today’s children.
I love the idea to connect our children with Nature. I will give this a try with my 5 and 7 year old daughter. Thanks for sharing!
Amazing post! I love meditating, I practice mindfulness and I’ll definitely try this type even though I’m not a kid anymore lol
Help the children to connect with nature by practice mindfulness is beautiful. They’ll learn to refuse to live in the past and worrying about the future. Live for the moment, where everything is happening, day by day, with fulfillment.
This is beautiful! I love mindfulness exercises. It’s seems as though it may not hold much weight when you just read about it, but practicing it and being intentional on saying in the moment is such a powerful thing. I love how you have recreated it for children, this will teach them from young how to master regulating their emotions. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you adapted this for children.
With everything going on around us right now, they need our guidance more than ever and this will be very helpful!
Interesting and positive post. Thanks for sharing.
This looks really great for children!
Excellent writing dear. Meditation is mandatory for inner peace, relaxation and sound sleep. Loved the post!
Absolutely great. I am really loving the adaptation for kids …
It will definitely benefit the kids during these times to bring in more patience and stability…
I love the loving kindness meditation! will definitely try these with my kids!
With all the chaos and craziness inside our house, this is a great way to calm down and find our inner peace. Nature is one of the best ways to relieve stress.
It is great to connect with nature through meditation. My son would try it surely.
I don’t have any children (but certainly feel there are elements that even adults could benefit from). I’ll be passing this on to parents who would definitely get something out of this. Thank you for sharing!
this kind of stuff in schools would be awesome!