In our current global situation, this is the first time ever the whole world has been shut down and children all over the world are spending more time shut inside, told that the world is unsafe and that they can be spreaders of a deadly virus, or contractors of it. Such information has given rise to various mental health issues in many Australian children. Whether you agree that this is the case or not, everyone agrees that children's mental health is suffering and that the fear of all the different scenarios that could possibly happen is far greater than anything they can physically experience.
Children need specialised mental health care more than ever, which is why child and family centres around the world are delivering a variety of mental health promotion interventions. As opposed to prescribing medications or a litany of what they must and mustn't do, mental health professionals equip young people with mental health literacy to reduce their risk of harm, help them create healthy relationships and nurture their emotional development.
More than ever, children need to understand and inner-stand that nature is part of them, they are part of nature, and made up of the five elements, which they can connect with through nature and being out on the earth. In a way the global scenario has been a blessing as it has pushed people to venture out more for camping, festivals in nature parks, wild swims and beach trips. This is a great way for children to learn that the environment is not their enemy, and that if we respect nature and treat Her with care, acting sensibly, we can thrive in a symbiotic relationship with Her.
Outdoor nurseries and learning environments are becoming increasingly popular too as people want to keep their families safer by socialising in groups outdoors and maintaining their physical health, as well as emotional wellbeing, by engaging in physical activities like climbing, exploring etc.
Promoting the Wellbeing of Children Within the School Community
Children's learning processes have changed significantly, not just in academics, but also in their social skills. Zoom sessions for various lessons mean that interaction is limited for some children, and it is important to get them out playing with real people after these lessons where possible, but the explosion of zoom sessions do also mean that children can participate in some amazing learning experiences that they may not have normally considered pre-lockdowns, such as quantum computing and consciousness lessons for teenagers which are running online, and getting to see just how connected we really are in the universe.
Language lessons of multiple languages online, meeting groups for teenagers of like minds all over the country, etc. The important thing is of course balancing this out with the real life interactions they can have with peers and encouraging them to form positive relationships.
The Positive Outcomes of Breathing on a Child's Emotional Health
Many would argue that seeing people in masks all the time means that children may miss out on facial cues and learning important body language and emotional skills that are important for their healthy development. Many parents are concerned about this, and of course the risk of harm due to lack of oxygen which is the most important thing to life. Seventy percent of our detoxification in the body takes place via the breath, and only 3% via bowel elimination, 7% via urine and 20% via our skin. So it is obvious that breathing properly should be taught to children and managing their emotions via the breath, which would happen if they were taught a daily practice to keep them in good condition.
Showing them the effects of a few minutes of breathing properly and how energising this can be would be a great way to help them know that they do not need stimulants as they get older and can use their amazing bodies to better capacity in order to oxygenate and revive their cells. This is something I only learnt after the age of 23 as I became a therapist and started practising various types of yoga and would have appreciated being taught breathing properly at a younger age.
Even just the awareness of how we are breathing and where we are holding on and not letting go is so important and can help us to heal ourselves and self-regulate our emotions. One of the fundamentals in a BodyTalk Fundamentals class is to understand the importance of breathing and scanning the body as we tap out a formula to see where we are holding the breath, and to breath deeper to allow the brain to scan all the frequencies in the body and 'fix' the issue more easily.
It sounds obvious but so overlooked and underbought to our young people. In Yogic traditions and traditional societies it would be fundamental, and for many Yogis in higher altitudes, nature teaches them to breathe deeply in order to survive those altitudes. These were some of the things I learnt in my 8-year-study with a Himalayan Yogi teacher, and much of our regression/healing events was the breath beyond life and death where breathing would be continuous in order to 'let go' of holding patterns and Samskaras or psychic impressions that build up in our Soul over lifetimes. Through the breath, one can access higher levels of consciousness, more purity of thought, more energy and clarity, less dis-ease of the body, more oneness with the self and inter-connectively with the All that is.
Are There Any Ways in Which We Can Empower Our Children in Their Daily Lives?
A great thing to teach our children, which is under-valued in society today, is using their creative faculties and imagination to re-create and terraform the world that they wish to live in, versus the one that is often force fed by the media of doom and gloom. By reminding them that they have co-creative powers as all humans do, they can start to seed the earth that they wish to see, where people are happier, healthier and there is more joy in their daily lives.
A simple way to do this is through simple goal-setting and visualisation of that goal with all the positive emotions one would associate with the achievement of that goal. By keeping it simple and achievable, the child can gain much confidence after they have achieved it and it practically teaches them how they can achieve things if they are willing to put in a little time and energy to visualise it and then, of course, following through with practical action.
Reminding them that their heroes and mentors do the same, and that it is not only about working hard but mainly working smartly, bringing gratitude, fun, joy and emotional connection to their goals helps to draw it in. Reminding them that the Universe is not conspiring against them, but rather for them, ready to connect them to their dreams by using universal principles of truth, love and freedom.
Ultimately it is up to us to teach our young people that they matter, they are powerful and they are capable custodians and responsible for the future of our amazing earth. That they can learn all they need to learn by balancing gathering of outer knowledge with accessing inner wisdom and capabilities for a happier, healthier future. The seeds we plant today will most certainly bear fruit in the years to come.
I am currently teaching children and teenagers how to utilize their breath to boost their emotional and mental wellbeing, be aware of creating energetic boundaries, setting and visualising goals, and using their imaginations through journeying through the heart and finally turning their visualisations into a physical creation using a medium of their choice. These group workshops are ongoing and are also ideal for family carers as well as vulnerable families. You can contact me for more information through bahar@heartsync.co.uk.
1:1 sessions are also available. See below.
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Author and Trusted NTP practitioner |
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Bahar NagiHeartSync Holistic Healing |
Bahar is a Holistic therapist specialising in BodyTalk and Sekhem energy healing. |
