Children, meditation and world peace

written by Simone on Monday, January 11th, 2010

Last year the David Lynch Foundation along with the Transcendental Meditation Program launched a campaign to “Teach One Million At-Risk Youth to Meditate.” The goal of their global peace initiative is to bring meditation to youth, parents and staff in schools around the world in hopes of reducing the effects of stress and creating inner peace for those most in need.  Visit the site for a campaign update.  The Transcendental Meditation program and organization brought to the West by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and made famous by The Beatles have done a tremendous job in promoting and now measuring the physical, mental, emotional, and social benefits of meditation in both children and adults. Although always some controversy around TM  (e.g., measuring the outcomes and difference between TM and simply sitting quietly and other types of meditation), it is difficult not to be impressed by even the anecdotal results of the practice (see the video clip above).

Children, Youth and Stress

The effects of stress on children have been well documented – although the word ‘stress’ is so often used maybe it no longer holds the power to motivate change. However, a substantial increase in associated physical and mental diseases like heart disease and depression among both children (0-12) and youth (13-18) marked by an overwhelming increase in substance abuse like drug, alcohol and food addictions among youth mean we are at a critical point to re-address ‘stress.’ I recently read a study that reported, “the fastest growing segment of users [of antidepressants] were found to be preschoolers aged 0-5 years, with use among girls doubling and use among boys growing by 64%.”*

As we witness (and create) the increasing stressors for our children and understand the mental, emotional and physical and social toll it is taking on everyone it seems it would be a no-brainer to introduce methods in which we give our children the ability to fight, or transcend, stress at the source for themselves at an early age as possible. 

An inner city school in Detroit is doing just that. In hopes of reducing stress students and teachers found additional benefits to students practicing 10 minutes of meditation a day.  Students reported benefits likes increased self-esteem, self-awareness and self-control along with better grades and an ability to be more focused, flexible, happy, and reflective.  Vancouver based mindfulness meditation programs have been offered to students and staff in schools with great results as have programs in Australia and South Korea.

Of course, teaching meditation in schools is not without opposition. Many believe it is not the school’s job to teach techniques born from spiritual traditions. Here in Vancouver, opposition comes from the religious right, claiming meditation is aligned with Buddhism or Hinduism and an anti-Christian practice.

Meditation is not a philosophy, a lifestyle, a religion or even a way of life. It is a way to gain some control over our thoughts familiarize ourselves with our minds and by our own design create an inner space, perhaps one of strength and peace, that we can call upon anytime. Meditation allows the practitioner to move into a deep state of rest, a preventative measure for high blood pressure and heart disease.  Meditation practiced at a young age not only creates a healthy habit for a lifetime it works with the nervous system when it is still young and flexible for greater results. And it gives the child the ability to slow down their reaction process so they may act rather than react without thought, a great tool for kids with ADHD.

I think it is a great gift to give to your child and just importantly yourself. We suggest giving your child meditation times equal to their age. Start as young as 5 years old with five minutes of meditation and go from there. Note, if your child has been diagnosed with a serious brain disease like schizophrenia please consult your mental health provider first. It goes without saying that parents are the number one influencers of their children, reduce your stress for your kids and practice meditation too.

I should note, that Meditation Village’s meditation program uses Shamatha and Vipassana techniques (focusing on breath and “thoughts”) based on the Buddhist tradition as opposed to the Transcendental program, revived from an ancient technique originating in India where the focus is on mantra (a phrase or word).  

Giving kids the ability to create or gain access to their own inner peace is a lifelong tool for them and a great gift to the communities they belong to, maybe even their global community.

*“Trends in the Use of Antidepressants in a National Sample of Commercially Insured Pediatric Patients, 1998 to 2002” Psychiatric Services, A Journal of the American Psychiatric Association http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/55/4/387maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=preschoolers+antidepressants&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT