Children can struggle with relaxing. Guided relaxations and visualizations can help them fidget less, notice their breath, and disconnect from their thoughts. Below is a script I’ve created for teaching children in yoga classes. Of course…it’s inspired by a children’s book! Perhaps it will help some of the 5-10 year olds in your life find a little ease!
Guided Relaxation Script: Fishermen’s Night Journey.
Notes: Read at a slow, comfortable pace. Develop a rhythm that works well for your audience. As needed, pause between sentences and paragraphs to allow the child(ren) to notice their breath, feel their body, and visualize what you describe.
Come to resting on your back in Starfish Pose. Let your eyes close. Let your hands rest on your belly. Let your feet flop out on the floor. Let those feet be light and loose!
Breathe in deep through your nose- all the way to your belly- and feel your belly rise. Breathe out with a sigh through your mouth and feel your belly relax.
You are not sleeping. You are just resting.
Breathe in again through your nose. Breathe out through your mouth. One more time- in through your nose and out through your mouth. Continue to notice the rise and fall of the belly as you breathe and as I talk.
Imagine you are resting in a sleeping bag outside under the evening stars. The sleeping bag feels warm. There’s a light breeze in the air. It’s quiet and you feel relaxed.
The moon is full and high in the sky. It looks bright and white. The stars twinkle above, below and all around it. They are inviting you to rest and feel peaceful.
Feel your feet and legs on the earth. They start to feel heavy. Feel your belly. It starts to feel soft. Feel your heart. It feels warm and relaxed. Feel your shoulders and arms- and all the way to your hands- just resting on the earth. Feel your neck and head resting on the earth.
Imagine your sleeping bag is the shape of a boat. It has a bright white sail reaching toward the moon. And you have a big net. It’s big enough to hold all the twinkling stars in the sky.
As you breathe in, imagine your boat lifts toward the moon. Breathe out calmly and imagine the boat floating through the night sky. Breathe in and you float a bit higher. Breathe out calmly and float through the twinkling stars. Breathe in again slowly this time and open your net and start to scoop up the stars. With each breath, you collect more stars under the bright moon.
Imagine as you breathe out you see all the stars in the bottom of your net. All that’s left in the night sky is the bright moon. With each breath you float around the moon carrying all the stars. You feel as bright and light as the stars in your net.
Say to yourself, I am light. I am light. I am bright. I am bright.
Breathe in deep through your nose and sigh out through your mouth. The moon is lowering a bit. Before the moon sets, you release all the stars back into the sky. You don’t need them anymore. Watch the stars twinkle all over the sky as your boat drifts away from the moon. You gently settle back on the earth.
You feel the light and warmth of the stars on your face. On your heart. On your belly. On your whole body. Your whole body feels warm. You feel heavy in your sleeping bag. Your legs are heavy. Your arms are heavy. Your whole body is heavy.
You feel calm and relaxed. Say to yourself, I am calm. I am calm. I am relaxed. I am relaxed. I am resting quietly.
Breathe in deep through your nose. Sigh out through your mouth. Gently wiggle your toes. Gently wiggle your fingers. Hug your knees to your chest. Gently roll onto your right side. Rest your head on your arms. Keep your eyes closed. Take a big breath in and sigh it out. Gently press your left hand into the floor and come to sitting into Criss-Cross Applesauce. Keep your eyes closed. Bring your hands together at your heart. (Say ‘Namaste’ if you wish). Gently open your eyes.
This relaxation is inspired by Wynken, Blynken, & Nod by Eugene Field. Additional scripts appear on the Guided Relaxations page.
Disclaimer:
This relaxation is a copy of one read by a registered yoga teacher to children in yoga classes. Work with a trained teacher if you do not understand the poses discussed or how to implement the relaxations. The information provided in this post is not intended to replace sound medical advice or intervention from a trained professional. However, relaxations can be used in tandem with western medical treatment plans. Feel free to discuss this script with your/your child’s doctor before practicing.
Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
