Just Breathe: Meditation, Mindfulness, Movement, and More

by Mallika Chopra, Brenna Vaughan (Illustrator), Deepak Chopra (Foreword by)

Overview

For kids ages 8 to 12, this is an accessible and fun meditation and mindfulness how-to book filled with full-color illustrations, written by Mallika Chopra and with a foreword by Deepak Chopra.

Just Breathe is a fun and accessible, fully illustrated go-to meditation guide written by none other than Mallika Chopra, wellness expert and the daughter of Deepak Chopra. For kids ages 8 to 12, this book is full of specific exercises to help deal with day-to-day challenges and tips to lead a healthier, happier, and more connected life. The book includes practical advice on breathing techniques and guided meditations for a number of topics and scenarios, including:

• Dealing with stress
• Getting to sleep
• Building self-confidence
• Focusing on school/tests/other work
• Ridding oneself of anxiety

Beginners will learn the basics of meditation and how to get started, and those more experienced will learn how to improve their practice. This book will also teach kids how to prepare their own meditation spaces. Just Breathe is the go-to book for kids who want to learn more about mindfulness and meditation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762491582
Publisher:	Running Press Book Publishers
Publication date:	08/28/2018
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	103,555
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Mallika Chopra is a mom, media entrepreneur, public speaker and published author. She is the author of Just Breathe: Meditation, Mindfulness, Movement and More and Just Feel: How to be Stronger, Healthier, Happier and More, accessible, fun, how-to books filled with full-color illustrations written for 8-12 year olds. In Living With Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace and Joy, Mallika shares insights she gained while seeking meaning and balance as a mom and entrepreneur who felt she was overwhelmed by work, family and too many responsibilities. Mallika has taught meditation to thousands of people, and enjoys speaking to audiences around the world about intention, balance and living a life of purpose.

Brenna Vaughan's work is a blend of digital and traditional media that combines watercolor, ink, and acrylic with digital techniques. She has a BFA in illustration from Memphis College of Art and lives in the St. Louis, Missouri, area.

Table of Contents

Foreword Deepak Chopra, M.D ix

Introduction 1

Who Am I, and Why Am I Writing This Book? 1

What Are We Talking about Here? 2

What Is Stress? 3

Understanding Your Brain and Your Body 4

How Meditation Can Help You 5

Building a Habit 6

How to Do the Exercises in This Book 6

That Safe, Happy Place 9

Breathe 11

What Your Breathing Tells You 12

Just Breathe 13

Breathing Meditation 15

Blow Those Butterflies Away 16

Falling Asleep 19

Help, I Have a Headache! 20

A Meditation for Pain 22

Cooling Down 25

Bumblebee Breath 26

Move 27

Moving Is Good! 28

Walking Meditations 28

A Routine Walk in a New Way 29

A Real Slow and Quiet Walk 32

What Is Yoga? 35

Yoga Poses 35

Be Silent 47

The Sounds around Me 48

The Power of Silence 49

I Am 50

Find Your Word 53

A Quiet Meal 54

Disconnect, Please? 56

The Clouds in the Sky 58

Being Alone 60

A Meditation for the Planet 63

Kindness for Yourself and Others 64

Notice 67

The Power of Noticing 68

What's Happening Both Inside and Outside? 69

Be Aware of Your Body 71

Notice What You Are Eating 74

Notice Your Inner Voice 77

Notice Your Words to Others 78

Just Stop for a Moment 78

Test Jitters 79

Transitions 80

Be Aware of Listening 83

A Different Perspective 85

Trusting Your Inner Voice 88

Bully Beware 90

Ask Questions 91

Intents 92

How Does an Intent Work? 92

Setting an Intent 93

Who Am I? 95

What Do I Want? 96

How Can I Serve? 96

What Am I Grateful For? 98

Who Are My Heroes? 100

Create 101

Your Special Place 102

Color! Color! 103

You Can Create the Life You Want 104

The Power of Your Mind 107

How Do You See the Glass? 108

Choosing How You Treat Others 110

Imagine Who You Can Be 111

Author's Note 115

Resources 116

Acknowledgments 117

Editorial Reviews

Included in Best Spiritual Books of 2018 List, Spirituality & Practice

"A solid addition to collections in need of meditation and mindfulness titles for tweens."— School Library Journal
"Adults sharing mindfulness with children and preteens will find a treasure trove of scripts for guided practice."— Kirkus Reviews

" Just Breathe is a gift for the whole family. With fun illustrations and simple steps, this book will empower you to feel more in control, to genuinely connect with others, and to approach life with peace and joy."— —Dr. Shefali Tsabary, Clinical Psychologist & author of the New York Times bestsller The Conscious Parent

"Just Breathe is the book I wish I had growing up."— Tara Stiles, founder of Strala Yoga



"Chopra opens the door to a direct discovery of how good it feels to be less anxious, healthier, and experience a more balanced way of life. Starting meditation young, in adolescence, is a lifelong set up for health peace and thriving."— Dr. Lisa Miller, author of The Spiritual Child: The New Science of Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving, and professor & founder, Spirituality and Mind-Body Institute, Columbia University, Teachers College



"A charming and engaging book of life skills that speaks directly to tweens themselves, not through intermediaries like their parents or teachers. Mallika's wonderful new book is an essential addition to your child's bookshelf!"— Susan Kaiser Greenland, author of Mindful Games and The Mindful Child

"I wish I had learned to Just Breathe when I was younger. The lessons inside are priceless, and you will be able to use them for the rest of your life. All kids - and all adults - should read it."— —Cara Natterson, pediatrician and New York Times bestselling author of The Care and Keeping of You series

" Just Breathe will help you find the inner power to better connect with friends and family, be healthier and happier, and succeed at what you want to do."— Congressman Tim Ryan

"Mallika Chopra has become a trusted voice as an author and public speaker. She and Vaughan make an excellent team. Their two joint offerings so far, Just Breathe and Just Feel, provide a stable basis for children to face into a challenging world with plenty of creativity, flexibility, caring, and self-understanding."

— Spirituality and Practice

From the Publisher

06/01/2018
Gr 3–8—A comprehensive and approachable guide to managing stress and understanding one's body and mind through meditation. Directed at middle graders, the book presents specific practices and meditations to calm breath and slow down thoughts. The introduction endorses an accessible, flexible approach at meditation for beginners, with an emphasis on doing what is most comfortable. The book is divided into six different sections and presents a refreshingly wide variety of actions, from sleeping and breathing exercises to being aware of the taste of food to reflecting on gratefulness. Each meditation is described in simple, easy-to-follow steps, along with the time needed and ideal location to complete the exercise ("a dark room," "a quiet place"). While this book is written for young people, counselors and caregivers seeking meditation activities will also find this guide useful. Color illustrations of children engaged in mindful activities are sprinkled throughout and instruct readers on how to position themselves. VERDICT A solid addition to collections in need of meditation and mindfulness titles for tweens.—Kathryn Justus, Renbrook School, West Hartford, CT

School Library Journal

2018-05-14
Chopra—daughter of well-known self-help guru Deepak Chopra—delivers a stress-management guide for young people. Following an introduction, the book is divided into six categories: "Breathe," "Move," "Be Silent," "Notice," "Ask Questions," and "Create." Six to 12 short practices (typically designed to last around five minutes, though some are longer or shorter) are offered in each category. Many of the techniques are variations on those traditional to Buddhism or yoga; others are creative exercises targeting specific stressors of the day, such as bullying and social media. Readers are encouraged to read through a practice in its entirety and then try using it. Adults sharing mindfulness with children and preteens will find a treasure trove of scripts for guided practice. Young people of various skin tones, genders, and religious expressions are included in the illustrations, but there is a noticeable tone of privilege within the author's text. Access to parents available at home, safe neighborhoods, and public green spaces are assumed in some practices. Young people who face survival-based challenges in their day-to-day lives may not find that exemplars referenced—such as not knowing anyone at summer camp—speak directly to their life experience. An audiobook download is available for separate purchase from the publisher's website for those who would like to listen and follow along with the exercises.Though slightly limited in its utility for the desired audience, this resource offers a thorough collection of kid-friendly mindfulness practices. (Nonfiction. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews

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