Meditation

Fontana, David and Ingrid Slack. “Why Meditation?” Teaching Meditation to Children: A Practical Guide to the Benefits of Meditation Techniques. Great Britain: Element, pp.3-1o.

Summary:

This beginning chapter of Fontana and Slack's book explains the possible benefits of meditation for children. It begins by explaining the misconceptions of meditation and what it is not. Then moves on to explaining the benefits of meditation. Meditation means different things for different people but everyone can benefit from understand their own body. I like the point they make that “the more we can help children to be at peace with their own bodies, the better chance we have of helping them avoid these kills.” (10) If done correctly, mediation can help increase concentration, creativity, or mindfulness. In short, it allows a person to understand their mind and grow with it. I found this chapter helpful in understanding the benefits mediation can have. However, it made me wary of how to properly use meditation because, if it is not done correctly, the effects will not be beneficial.

Quotes:

-“Meditation thus touches most aspects of human experience, rendering them potentially richer, profounder and more meaningful.” (4)

-“Knowledge and thinking allow the mind to be very good at handling the outside world, but they may be of little value in helping us control what goes on inside our own heads.” (7)