Brothers Learn To Calm Down

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday June 30, 2007

By JODIE MINUS

MELODY Cavanagh's sons are typical of most boys: energetic, a little bit cheeky and often hyperactive. So it is surprising to see them sit on the ground, adopt the lotus-style position and close their eyes with calm.

In January, the three Warrawong boys - Ty, 12, Trey, 10, and eight-year-old Jesse - attended a meditation workshop and Ms Cavanagh says that since learning the art of breathing concentration, the once boisterous brothers have calmed down.

"They just meditate when they feel they need to meditate and I think it has calmed them a lot," Ms Cavanagh said.

"They used to be running around everywhere and I thought one of them may even have had ADHD for a while but since they started meditating they have calmed down and even their schoolwork is improving because their concentration is better."

Today the boys will be refining their meditation skills when they attend a free overnight meditation camp for children and teenagers at the Mt Keira Girl Guide Camp, organised by Blackheath's Vipassana Meditation Centre. Course teacher Anna Adams said once children learnt to control their mind, by sitting and concentrating on their breathing, their concentration levels improved.

"Meditation creates an awareness of their natural breath, so what children are learning to do is know that when they are upset they breathe one way and when they are calm, they breathe another way," Ms Adams said.

"They realise they are not beholden to any stressful environment - wherever they are they can calm themselves down."

© 2007 Illawarra Mercury

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