Qigong and Mindfulness for Kids
Qigong, meditation and mindfulness practices have become prevalant in schools and pre-schools across the world. With an increased interest and new awareness of mindfulness and meditation in education amazing projects have been emerging. In this video you will meet Yuan Qigong and Ren Xue teacher Patrícia Santos Silva, who is introducing mindfulness and Yuan Qigong to pre-school and elementary school students in Portugal.
Together, students and teachers focus inward and experience being in the present moment. They learn tools for calming and balancing both body and mind. The training also includes a deep experience of the heart qualities such as compassion, gratitude, peace and harmony.
With these special moving Qigong practices, phenomenal results can be achieved in a relatively short time. The kids just love flying like a bird with Yuan Qigong.
This is Patrícia Santos Silva’s story:
For me, it all started in November 2018 during my last year of the Ren Xue Teacher and Therapist Training in California. I imagined myself teaching Qigong to students and fellow teachers in schools.
When I returned to Portugal, I realized that there was a lot of openness to this type of work. In 2021/2022, during Covid, I was teaching physical education in Algarve, right in the center of Faro. The director of the João de Deus School Group, Carlos Luís, created a Mental Health Project to benefit all school stakeholders. So with a group of psychologists, fellow teachers and the director, we outlined the various components of this project.
I was the facilitator of the “Meditation in Action” sessions for 18 classes of preschool and elementary students from 3 different schools of the João de Deus Group in Faro. I was teaching 30 minutes of Qigong and meditation per week, per class – 347 students in all.
During the school year students and fellow teachers experienced the benefits of conscious breathing, unifying with the body, feeling Qi (life energy) and learning new tools for handling emotions.
When I showed a video of the first Yuan Qigong method, Tian Yuan, the students immediately recognized the movement of flying like a bird. When practicing, they imagined themselves being a flock of seagulls, and an ocean full of beautiful waves…
This is how the journey began - with incredible results and in an atmosphere full of calm, peace, freedom and happiness – for the students and for me, too!
I still feel the enchantment of those moments with the kids!
There was a time when I wanted to get away from the school system. But working in the area of meditation and Qigong within the school system, a dream has come true for me! Working with children this way is what makes my work really fulfilling!
I am grateful to the universe: for life, for the beautiful Ren Xue system, for the extraordinary openness and trust of the school director, for the help, collaboration and friendship of a fabulous team of psychologists, interpreters and teachers who opened the doors of their classrooms and took time away from their schedules to realize this project. Thank you to all my students…Thank you, thank you, thank you very much!
Start learning Yuan Qigong
These simple mindfulness and Qigong practices are suitable for everyone, as they can be adapted to meet special needs. Students of all ages can benefit physically, mentally and emotionally from consistent practice.
Try our Beginner’s Set to learn these safe and effective practices.
How to start a Meditation and Yuan Qigong Project in your School
If you are interested in offering Yuan Qigong in your school or if you are working with children and you would like to integrate mindfulness and meditation into your work, please get in touch with us. We have a global network of highly skilled teachers who can help support your project. If you are interested in teaching mindfulness and Yuan Qigong yourself, please check out our next teacher training opportunities.
