This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
The Longmont Public Library, The Meditation Place, and Prairie Mountain Zen Center in Longmont are teaming up to offer programs that promote mindfulness and meditation techniques and practices to children and teens of all ages.
The focus kicks off with a full-week of mindfulness- and meditation-themed storytimes during the week of September 16 to help parents and their children embrace practices that will support lifelong mental wellness.
The Meditation Place will be presenting in all of the Library's regularly scheduled weekly storytimes to share kid-friendly mindfulness exercises, information about the practice of mindfulness, and stories. More information about the storytimes along with the schedule are available on the Library's online calendar at http://bit.ly/LibCalendar. No registration is required for these programs.
At the end of the week, on Saturday, September 21, from 1 to 2 pm, Marcia Walker from the Prairie Mountain Zen Center in Longmont will be back with a program specially designed for 6th through 12th graders.
The beginning of the school year can be especially stressful for teens, so this program will include breathing practices, mindfulness meditation, and yoga poses to help teens learn how to release stress and find their inner calm.
Walker is a certified yoga instruction and a Zen meditation practitioner and has created this program about mindfulness, meditation and movement for teens, based on the book by Mallika Chopra, Just Breathe. Participants will be encouraged to find a safe, happy, quiet space within their homes and to set an intention to practice mindfulness meditation daily.
These mindfulness programs coincide with National Suicide Prevention Month. Watch for programs all month long sponsored by Supporting Action for Mental Health, because it's never too early to begin learning how to create and sustain mental wellness.
