About Meditation
Meditation can take different forms but it is basically a state of mindful awareness or attention to the present moment.  Though commonly associated with Eastern religious practices, Meditation itself is not religious in nature and is used by people of all faiths.

I have been practicing meditation and affirmations with Sophia for years and I attribute her happy, peaceful, accepting attitude to this.  If you know Sophia, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Children with special needs have a much harder time with their self-esteem. They often perceive the constant correction of their behaviors and their social interactions as criticism. The frequent visits to doctors, or speech therapists, or OTs, the testing and the stream of interventions that we try with them can easily leave them feeling like they're under the microscope, a specimen that warrants investigation, a person who needs fixing
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Expressive and comprehensive communication also have a direct impact on a child's self-esteem. These are areas that do not come easily to children or adults with Special Needs, especially those with AS/Autism. Understanding subtle jokes and participating in human interplay, actions natural to their “neuro-typical” peers, further increase their feelings of 'not fitting in' and diminish their self-esteem.
Combine all this with the expectations of siblings and the all-too-frequent bullying interactions from many peers and it's easy to understand how devastated a child with special needs can feel.

What can we do? It's critical for us, as family members, educators, and professionals to learn strategies and techniques! In our not-too-distant past, institutional placement was the standard intervention for people with Special Needs. While that is not the case today, we still encounter lack of understanding and appreciation for the unique qualities of these kids. Each child is a gift, with his or her own special qualities. We just need to look for these special gifts, tune into the child with our hearts, and bring their essence out.

This is where Meditation and Affirmation sessions come in. Acceptance is a large part of these sessions.  Learning acceptance teaches children to be less critical of others, leading them to embrace the differences in themselves and gain confidence.  Unlike school and sports, these sessions/classes are non-competitive.  Learning to be non-competitive leads children to become less critical of themselves.

Studies
Studies reveal that meditation may have numerous benefits for children in the classroom.  In a 2004 study published in the Journal of Applied School Psychology, mindful awareness exercises helps reduce anxiety and improve school performance.

Another study showed even more wide reaching effects.  Canadian students experienced improved optimism, attention and behavior through mindfulness exercises in the 2005 study by Kimberly Schonert-Reichl of the University of British Columbia.
Researchers completed a pilot study on the effects of mindfulness on teenagers and adults with ADD, the participants experienced significant improvements in inattention and hyperactivity.

Psychotherapist Gina Biegel has studied the impact of meditation on teenagers and found that it does in fact decrease anxiety and depression.  “We tend to be going-going-going all the time” says Biegel, who practices at Kaiser Santa Teresa Hospital in San Jose. “We need to take a moment and not feel the need to do-do-do all the time.” 

Children have very little time just to be.  The meditation we will do, really gives them time just to breathe and imagine.
Affirmations: Balance the Physical with the Mental and Spiritual
Like most people, kids with special needs feel better about themselves when they're balanced physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Don't overlook giving them opportunities to connect with their spiritual side through whatever religious avenues you follow or by communing with nature. This can help them feel purposeful, that their lives have meaning and connected with their source.
A strategy that helped Sophia’s self-esteem was affirmations both personal (I Love Myself) and Spiritual (I am one with God). Using affirmations took some time, but we found that it brought her higher self-esteem and confidence.
Dr. Jerry Jampolsky, author of Love is Letting Go Of Fear and founder of the Center for Attitudinal Healing, offers many helpful principles in teaching us all to love ourselves. Some include:
•The essence of our being is love
•Live in the now
•Learn to love others and ourselves by forgiving rather than judging
•We can choose to be peaceful inside regardless of what's going on outside
•We're all students and teachers to each other.
Part of Jerry's message is that by focusing on life as a whole, rather than in fragments, we can see what is truly important. His concepts, when embraced, positively affect how a child with Special Needs thinks and feels about him or herself.

Sharing Meditation
When a parent and child experience meditation together, they can enjoy the benefits while also creating a special bond with one another.  Whether children experience meditation with a parent or on their own, the benefits can last a lifetime.  Meditation is a precious gift that your child(ren) will have for their entire lives.  It’s something they will always have at moments of stress and frustration, and when they want to be at a (more balanced, peaceful) place. 

In genuine star sapphires there are tiny imperfections and inclusions that reflect light perfectly to form a star in the stone. Each child with special needs is like this precious gem, unique in every way. Without the tiny inclusions, there would be no star. It is our job as parents, educators and professionals to "bring out the stars" in all of our special children by shining the light on their natural beauty. In so doing, we see their different abilities rather than their disabilities. And, then they will see them, too.





Current Events
Meditation and Affirmation Classes
for Special Needs Kids
and Their Families
Wednesday, January 19, 2011   
5:30pm-6:30pm
at Schrieber Pediatric Rehab Center
$10 per family
Space is limited
you must be registered to attend
Remember!
This is a class for the whole family, grandparents, parents and siblings.

This is not a drop off class!
At least one adult per family
must be in attendance.
Simple meditation techniques for our kids will teach them something far more important than any other lesson ever could. It will be the most influential exercise of their life as the ability to give deliberate thought and concentration of their own mind will remind him/her how to use the imagination in a focused and positive way. This can only result in a much happier and balanced child. Higher self esteem, improved focus, closer relationships with family members and better health are just a few of the benefits attainable through meditation.

If you’re unsure of what an affirmation is, it is a positive phrase that an individual either reads, says out loud or meditates with. Using affirmations on a regular basis is a fantastic tool for changing things in our lives including our own self image. Why not use it as a tool for our children? When they hear and/or read the same thing over and over again, the words become part of who they are, just like if a child heard something negative about themselves everyday, it would only take a short time for them to truly believe that negative thought.
Sometimes it’s not enough to hear from us that they are perfect just the way they are. Affirmations can be spoken, read or even drawn out symbolically depending on the needs of the person. 


There are many different types of meditation. How many? Who knows, but enough so that you can find the one that's right for you and your child. Here are some types of meditations that we’ll try:

Breath watching. Can meditating be as simple as paying attention to your breath for a few minutes? You bet.

Walking meditations. This one gets the body involved. It can be outside or simply as a back and forth pacing in a room. Many of our kids already have a rhythmic movement that soothes them.  We’ll use what comes naturally to them in order to help them meditate. 

Mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness is the art of becoming deeply aware of what is here right now. We’ll focus on what's happening in and around us moment by moment and become aware of all the thoughts and feelings that are taking our energy.  The key to this meditation is to watch without judging or analyzing, and isn’t that what our kids already do?

Simple mantra meditation. Many people find it easier to keep their mind from wandering if they concentrate on something specific. A mantra can help. This is a word or phrase you repeat as you sit in meditation.  It can be said aloud or to yourself.  This may be difficult for some of our kids so we’ll adapt it using other forms of distraction including a focal point or a fidget.

We’ll conclude each class with an affirmation that you’ll continue to use daily until the following session.  Some examples are:

I am beautiful
I am perfect, whole and complete
I am special, there is no one else like me.

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