Back to Mind Explorers (Ages 7-12)
This game builds upon the concepts introduced in “The Reality Explorer” and helps children develop a more refined awareness of the different states of consciousness they experience throughout the day. By learning to recognize the signs of being in a virtual reality trance, children can more easily disentangle from habitual thought patterns and return to the vividness and immediacy of direct experience.
The clues for spotting a trance can serve as valuable tools for self-awareness and self-regulation. By noticing when they’re lost in thought, caught up in imaginary scenarios, or fixated on changing or controlling their experience, children can learn to interrupt these patterns and reorient their attention to the present moment.
Practicing waking up from trances can help children cultivate greater mental flexibility and resilience. Rather than being unconsciously swept away by their thoughts and emotions, they learn to recognize these states as temporary and workable, and develop the skills to navigate them with greater ease and clarity.
Over time, playing “The Trance Detector” game can help children establish a more stable and continuous connection to real reality, grounded in the ever-present field of awareness itself. This fundamental shift in perspective can support greater emotional balance, mental clarity, and a deeper sense of presence and aliveness in every moment.
Overall, this game can be a powerful tool for helping children develop greater self-awareness, mental flexibility, and the ability to live more fully and authentically in the present moment. By learning to recognize and wake up from the trance of virtual reality, children can cultivate a more direct and intimate relationship with themselves, others, and the world around them.
Hey there, young trance buster! Today, we're going to play a game called "The Trance Detector." Remember how we talked about the difference between real reality and virtual reality? Well, sometimes when we get lost in virtual reality, it's like being in a trance. In this game, we'll be practicing how to recognize when we're in a trance and how to wake ourselves up from it. We'll be using clues to help us spot when we're in a trance and learning how to bring ourselves back to real reality. Are you ready to become a trance detective?
1. Remind the child of the concept of virtual reality (being lost in thought, imagining future events, reliving past events, or thinking about fixing or changing things) and how it can be like being in a trance.
2. Explain that to wake up from a trance, they need to be able to recognize when they’re in one and when they’re not.
3. Introduce the clues that indicate they might be in a trance:
– Being lost in thought
– Imagining a future event
– Reliving a past event
– Thinking about fixing or changing anything
4. Explain that they’re not in a trance when:
– They’re noticing any of the above clues
– They’re aware of everything that’s in their awareness right now
– They’re aware of awareness itself
5. Encourage the child to practice noticing when they’re in a trance throughout the day and to use the clues to help them recognize and wake up from it.
To further explore the concept of recognizing and waking up from trance states, consider introducing your child to the book “The Lemonade Hurricane: A Story of Mindfulness and Meditation” by Licia Morelli.
This charming picture book tells the story of a young boy named Henry, whose busy and agitated mind often leads him into a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. With the help of his wise and patient grandfather, Henry learns to use simple mindfulness and meditation practices to calm his “lemonade hurricane” and find greater peace and clarity in the present moment.
Through Henry’s relatable struggles and triumphs, children are introduced to the idea that their thoughts and feelings are like passing weather patterns, and that they can learn to observe and work with them skillfully, rather than being overwhelmed by them. The book emphasizes the importance of cultivating a kind, curious, and accepting attitude towards one’s inner experience, and offers practical tools for bringing mindfulness into daily life.
By engaging with this heartwarming and instructive story, children can develop a deeper understanding of their own mental and emotional patterns, and learn valuable skills for navigating the ups and downs of their inner world. The book’s gentle wisdom and accessible practices can inspire children to approach their experience with greater mindfulness, compassion, and equanimity, as they learn to recognize and wake up from the trance of their own “lemonade hurricanes.”
Overall, this delightful book can be a valuable companion to “The Trance Detector” game, offering children additional insights and tools for cultivating present-moment awareness, emotional balance, and a more joyful and connected way of being in the world.
1. Who is the “Lemonade Hurricane” in the story?
a) Emma
b) Henry
c) Mom
d) Dad
2. What does Emma teach Henry to do?
a) Make lemonade
b) Run faster
c) Meditate
d) Build a fort
3. Why is Henry called a “Lemonade Hurricane”?
a) He loves lemonade
b) He’s always moving and noisy
c) He’s afraid of storms
d) He works at a lemonade stand
4. What does Emma tell Henry to focus on when he’s sitting still?
a) His toys
b) His breath
c) The TV
d) His homework
5. What animal does Emma pretend to be to show Henry how to sit still?
a) A lion
b) An elephant
c) A turtle
d) A frog
6. What happens when Henry starts to practice being still?
a) He gets more energetic
b) He becomes calmer
c) He falls asleep
d) He runs away
7. Where does Emma suggest Henry can practice being still?
a) Only in his room
b) Only at school
c) Anywhere
d) Only when he’s in trouble
8. What does Emma teach Henry about thoughts during meditation?
a) To hold onto them tightly
b) To let them go like clouds
c) To ignore them completely
d) To write them all down
9. How does Henry feel after learning to be still?
a) Angry
b) Scared
c) More peaceful
d) Confused
10. What is the main message of the book?
a) Being noisy is always bad
b) Meditation is only for adults
c) Mindfulness can help calm busy minds
d) Kids should never sit still
1. b) Henry
2. c) Meditate
3. b) He’s always moving and noisy
4. b) His breath
5. c) A turtle
6. b) He becomes calmer
7. c) Anywhere
8. b) To let them go like clouds
9. c) More peaceful
10. c) Mindfulness can help calm busy minds
Verse 1:
Sometimes your mind starts to wander
To yesterdays or tomorrows yonder
Lost in thoughts, so far away
From the here and now of today
Pre-Chorus:
But wait, can you feel it? Something’s not quite right
Time to wake up and step into the light
Chorus:
Wake up, little dreamer, from your daydream spell
Look around you, what stories can you tell?
Are you lost in thought or right here with me?
Open your eyes, what do you see?
Verse 2:
Clues are hiding, waiting to be found
To bring you back to solid ground
Past or future, fix or change
These are signs your mind’s estranged
(Pre-Chorus)
(Chorus)
Bridge:
Who’s the one who’s noticing it all?
The watcher behind the dreamer’s wall
In awareness pure and bright
You’ll find your way back to the light
(Chorus)
Outro:
So when you feel you’re drifting away
Remember the game we learned to play
Wake up, little dreamer, to life so clear
The present moment’s always here
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