Mindfulness with children
working with difficult emotions
pp. 417-429
in: Fabrizio Didonna (ed), Clinical handbook of mindfulness, Berlin, Springer, 2009Abstract
In Buddhist psychology, difficult emotions are defined as forces that visit the mind. Imagine that your mind is like water in a pot and your emotions are the wind. When the wind blows, the water ripples on the surface and the still water below is hidden from view. If you were to gaze at the water's surface your reflection would be obscured by ripples. Damaging emotions make it especially difficult to see the water's surface clearly; they make waves, and in the ensuing turbulence you may feel upset and confused. Mindfulness practice helps you see and calm the emotional turbulence, allowing your mind to be clearly reflected on the surface of the water. This is one way we talk to children about their feelings.