There was a time when meditation was reserved for cross-legged spiritual gurus and hippy-dippy types.
However, in recent years psychologists who have been studying the effects of the practice have reported remarkable results on the mind — notably in stress management in children and teenagers. And life coaches in the UAE agree.
Academic study
A 2014 Educational Psychology Review study in Australia that investigated whether meditation improved schoolchildren’s well-being, social competence and academic performance found that school-based meditation is beneficial in the majority of cases, with 61 per cent of the results being statistically significant. The study’s findings have made their mark, with many schools across the world now embracing meditation as a means of helping students deal with the pressures of today’s fast-paced environment.
Sunaina Vohra, a Youth and Family Life Coach at Athena Life Coaching in Dubai, counsels anxiety-ridden children from the age of eight upwards. She says meditation offers an excellent way to calm the mind.
“From trying to please parents and academic overload to peer pressure and body issues, children are subject to many stressors, so meditation in the first instance is a way to get them to sit still and relax.
“Doing this at home on a regular basis, even if they are too young to totally understand what meditation is, can have a great effect.
“Gradually they can then move on to calming thoughts and breathing techniques.” She adds that meditation works best when parents get involved themselves so that the entire family feels the benefits.
In the UAE, the idea of using this as a practical tool in educational settings to help kids thrive is slowly catching on, although many traditionalists may be sceptical of this seemingly bizarre approach to dealing with growing pains.
Using all the senses
One strong advocate of the power of the practice is Martin McNicholl, Founder of Activate Breathwork (Activatebreathwork.com), a new concept that takes meditation and healing to the next level.
It uses all five senses of the body as well as voice and movement to allow a person to reach a deep meditative state. The sessions last around two hours and have recently seen big demand in Dubai and India.
Age of distraction
“Humans are in a hyperconnected, hyper-stressed time of existence, with children of today being exposed to smartphones, iPads, and social media at younger and younger ages — with the long-term effects of this still not seen,” explains McNicholl.
“The one thing we know for sure is that we all have much shorter attention spans and our minds are constantly on fight or flight mode due to constant virtual connection and less real physical contact.
Meditation and mindfulness is a way of reconnecting with ourselves and the world we live in.
“With certain simple breathing techniques children and adults alike can calm their minds, reduce stress, and even increase productivity and mental capacity.
“Think of it as a holiday for the mind that will benefit relationships, mood and schoolwork all in one.”
He adds that the results can be instantaneous.
“We recently worked with a 12-year-old girl who had exam stress — which in itself is a sign of the times we live in — and after our breath work session she was relaxed, at peace with a clear mind, and ready for her exams and normal life again.”
