Productivity is what the world strives for everyday. Often in this rat race, we sideline our emotions and forget to work on ourselves. 

We don’t mean working out, no, we mean working to make our brain more effective by lending it some peace for introspection. One of the ways to do that is to practice mindfulness, which aids in nurturing our brains and eventually, our lives.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mindfulness can be practiced in multiple forms and extends a welcoming arm to people of all ages to access its benefits. So, let’s explore some group mindfulness exercises, which will enable you and your family to lead a fuller life. Read on to learn more.

Mindfulness Exercises for Groups - How to Practice with Family

Expressing Gratitude Before Dinner

Doing a meditation before dinner has been an age-old practice in both the West and the East. This is an easy way to incorporate mindfulness in all the family members by focussing their energies on gratitude. 

This can become a part of your pre-meal quotidian ritual where each member expresses gratitude for one thing they’re thankful for. This way a visualizing circle is formed to decide on that one thing. Moreover, it is a great conversation starter among family members. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Walking the Line

This is not just an awareness exercise that aids in cultivating immense focus but also a fun outdoor activity for kids. Make a line on a pavement using chalk or using a colorful tape. Another thing you need for this exercise is something, which makes a noise when shaken, like a bell.

Now, ask your child to walk the line with you, while holding the bell in their hand. Your child and you both would have to employ concentration to walk along the line. 

Then, whenever the bell goes off, your awareness will be brought back to the task at hand. This way you’ll be constantly practicing focus to walk on the line and the bell will be a reminder to pay attention just to that. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Enforced Silence 

Silence is underrated, but it brings you serenity and calmness, while pushing you to listen to mental noise and address it. Fix a silent time in your family where communication with each other will be blocked and the only thing allowed will be self-talk. 

It’s a beneficial exercise for adults as it gives them space to declutter their thoughts as well as for children as it inculcates this healthy habit at a young age.

This silence will fill your brain with thoughts, but you’ll have the ability to address or dismiss them easily. Moreover, you’ll discover your surroundings more intensely as your attention will be undivided. 

Group Meditation 

Mindfulness Exercises for Groups - How to Practice with Family

People often have a notion that meditating alone is the only way to do it. But, actually, monks have always indulged in meditation as a group activity to keep each other motivated. You can bring the magic of this into your home by allocating a time frame for a group meditation session as a family. 

Put on some serene music, like the sound of waves or the chirping of birds, which will calm your nerves and aid you to slip into a meditative state quickly.

You can start doing it for 10 minutes and ask everyone to peek inwards into themselves at this time. Instruct your family to take deep breaths and concentrate your attention on the air moving in and out of your lungs. 

Tell your family that it’s okay if their awareness wanders as long as they bring it back to their breathing. It’s a healthy exercise to increase the attention span as well as get some quiet me-time. 

The Bottom Line

Both children and adults are plagued by worldly issues that gnaw at them during the day. Adults feel the financial pressure to ensure a stable life for their family as well as to keep up with their career and social life too. 

Children are under the pressure of doing well and making a career for them while also going through hormonal changes. Practicing mindfulness hence becomes imperative to get to the root of these problems and address it by focussing all your energies towards it. 

Mindfulness exercises are a great way for the whole family to bloom into new leaves together.