My magic breath is a concept that reminds me of the power and significance of my breath. It is a reminder that my breath is not just a physical function that keeps my body alive, but it also holds a magical quality. When I pause to consciously connect with my breath, I am reminded of the inherent magic within me. The act of taking a deep breath in and then releasing it slowly allows me to tap into my inner calmness and strength. It brings me to the present moment, grounding me and helping me let go of any worries or anxieties. My magic breath is like a superpower that I carry with me wherever I go.
There are a lot of books and videos (even on YouTube) that teach you easy yoga positions you can do with children. You can easily make it fun for them.
From the creator of the New York Times bestseller The Tapping Solution comes a meditative picture book about the mood-lifting power of deep breathing that will guide children into a serene space of mindfulness. In this book emphasis wasn t placed so much on being mindful of your surroundings as much as it was to breath in and out deeply, and to replace negative thoughts with more happier ones.
My magic breath is like a superpower that I carry with me wherever I go. It is a tool that I can always rely on to bring me back to center, to find peace within myself. It is accessible to me at any time, in any situation.
Book Review – My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing
Back in December (2017) I was fortunate to take some classes/workshops at our local community college through our county’s child resource development center. We had a plethora of workshops to choose from. I choose Humor for Children, Music for All Ages and a workshop on Yoga and Mindfulness for Children.
I have always heard great things about yoga and mindfulness. Even though I’m not “bendy” enough to perform yoga, and I have many stressful days where I can’t even think let alone try and be mindful. But I work with young children (kindergartners) so I figured I might be able to learn a skill or two I can apply to our classroom and utilize with our students.
First and foremost, you don’t need to be “bendy” to do yoga. You do with advanced levels, but for what you would do with young children, almost anyone can do it. We learned several positions to teach our students, many of which I was able to do even though I’m overweight and I was dealing with bursitis and aggravated arthritis at the time.
There are a lot of books and videos (even on YouTube) that teach you easy yoga positions you can do with children. You can easily make it fun for them.
The mindfulness portion of the workshop was most interesting. Not only did I pick up some great tips on how to incorporate it with our class, but I also learned some skills I can apply to my own life. I even taught my husband a few things and he uses a few of those skills to “decompress” after work or even while sitting at his desk at work.
We learned techniques for helping children (and even adults) to focus as well as to be mindful of the world around us. We even learned a few things we can do with Tibetan “singing bowls.”
Tibetan “Singing Bowl”
Another thing we learned in the workshop is mindful breathing. Being aware of your breathing, and learning to take deep, meaningful breaths, is a great way to not only get rid of stress, but it also makes you more conscious of your thoughts.
My husband uses mindful breathing more than I do (and I’m the one that took the workshop). He swears by it. He tells me all the time how much it relaxes him and helps him to feel less frazzled and stressed out.
You CAN teach mindful breathing to little ones. It’s not that hard to do. You can even purchase books about it geared towards children.
One such book was recently released (last week) called My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing. The book was written by Nick Ortner and Alison Taylor. The illustrations are by Michelle Polizzi.
Nick Ortner is CEO of the Tapping Solution, LLC, a company with a mission to promote the natural healing method known as Emotional Freedom Techniques or “tapping” (a combination of Chinese healing practices). This is his second children’s book; his first was The Big Book of Hugs. He is also the New York Times bestselling author of The Tapping Solution, The Tapping Solution for Pain Relief, and the upcoming book The Tapping Solution for Manifesting Your Best Self. Nick lives in Newtown, CT, with his wife and daughter, June. You can find Nick at facebook.com/nortner.
Alison Taylor is an elementary school teacher and coauthor of The Big Book of Hugs. She writes to inspire young people, especially her beloved June and Harris, to find what makes them happy. She lives in Connecticut with her husband.
Michelle Polizzi is an illustrator and designer living and working in California. This is her second book working alongside Nick Ortner and Alison Taylor. She lives in the East Bay with her sons, Rowan and River, her husband, Nick, and their beloved Frenchie, Oscar, where they spend their days creating and inspiring one another. You can see more of her work at designbylovelyday.com
This is an enjoyable book that I am looking forward to reading to my kindergarten classroom. In fact, we should be reading it the first week in June (we just have to finish up our unit on Dinosaurs).
From the publisher:
Do YOU have the magic breath?
When you are worried, or nervous, or sad, take a deeeep, deep breath. Now let it go.
Did that help you feel better? See? It’s magic….
With beautiful, fun illustrations and calming, soothing text, bestselling author Nick Ortner and illustrator Michelle Polizzi guide children into a serene space of mindfulness. Like doing yoga, listening to music, or reading your favorite book, deep breathing has magical effects on your mood and helps to manage an array of emotions. With a read-along and breathe-along element, this interactive picture book reminds everyone that peace is a single blow away.
This is an easy to comprehend book that shows children (and adult) the benefits of deep breathing and how it helps to make you feel calmer and how it came take your worries away.
The book takes a child step-by-step on how to breath so as to aid in releasing their anxieties and worries and replace them with happier thoughts.
When I took that workshop, our instructor referred to “mindful breathing” as deep breathing with being mindful of your surroundings. She had us listen to sounds in the environment as we breathed deeply, such as the birds, cars or a distant train. She also had us deep breath while listening to the “singing bowl.”
In this book emphasis wasn’t placed so much on being mindful of your surroundings as much as it was to breath in and out deeply, and to replace negative thoughts with more happier ones. But that is fine with me. At a young age children don’t necessarily need to be mindful of their surroundings as they breath, but more so use breathing as a technique to help them to calm down and to soothe their worries and negative thoughts.
I found this book to be very enjoyable, from a grown-up’s point of view, as well as from a teacher’s point of view (or in my case a teacher’s assistant). I also really enjoyed the lovely illustrations which were also soothing and colorful. They went “hand in hand” with the content of the book.
If you are looking for a simple and easy way to introduce breathing techniques to young children, My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing is a great first book on the subject.
I hope that more classrooms take things like mindfulness, breathing and yoga into consideration. There are a lot of benefits to them and they could help children to cope better and feel less stressed. After all, A LOT of pressure is put on children these days between academics and sports. Children NEED coping mechanisms to help them deal with all the pressure in their lives, otherwise they’ll grow up to be frazzled and stressed out adults.
Look for My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing where ever books are sold.
*I received a free copy to review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
In this book emphasis wasn’t placed so much on being mindful of your surroundings as much as it was to breath in and out deeply, and to replace negative thoughts with more happier ones. But that is fine with me. At a young age children don’t necessarily need to be mindful of their surroundings as they breath, but more so use breathing as a technique to help them to calm down and to soothe their worries and negative thoughts.
Through my magic breath, I can also connect with others on a deeper level. When I take a moment to breathe with intention, I am able to be present with the people around me. It allows me to listen with more empathy, speak with more compassion, and create genuine connections. Furthermore, my magic breath has the power to transform my energy. When I feel tired or drained, I can rely on my breath to rejuvenate and energize me. By taking a few deep breaths, I can replenish my vitality and tap into a renewed sense of motivation and purpose. I also believe that my magic breath is connected to my intuition. When I pay attention to my breath and follow its natural rhythm, I am more in tune with my body and mind. This heightened awareness allows me to make wiser decisions and navigate through life with greater ease. In a world that can be chaotic and overwhelming, my magic breath is a powerful tool that helps me find balance and inner peace. It reminds me of the magic that resides within me and empowers me to live life more fully. So, I commit to nurturing and honoring my breath, embracing its magic, and using it as a guiding force in my life..
Reviews for "The Art of Transformation: How Breathwork Can Help You Break Free from Limiting Beliefs"
1. John Doe - 2/5
I was really disappointed with "My Magic Breath". I found the story to be quite repetitive and lacked depth. The concept of teaching children about mindfulness and deep breathing is great, but the execution fell flat. The illustrations were also not very engaging and failed to captivate my child's interest. Overall, I think there are better children's books out there that effectively convey the same message in a more engaging manner.
2. Jane Smith - 1/5
I really did not enjoy reading "My Magic Breath" to my child. The story felt disconnected and did not flow well. The sentences were choppy and it lacked a clear structure. Additionally, I found the illustrations to be quite lackluster and dull. My child lost interest halfway through and I struggled to keep them engaged. I do not recommend this book for parents looking for an entertaining and well-crafted children's story.
3. Mark Thompson - 2/5
I have to admit, I was not impressed with "My Magic Breath". The message of mindfulness and deep breathing is important, but the delivery was not effective. The story felt forced and did not provide enough context or explanation for young readers. The illustrations were mediocre and did not add much to the reading experience. Overall, I think there are better books on mindfulness and breathing techniques that can engage and educate children in a more meaningful way.
4. Emily Johnson - 2/5
I had high hopes for "My Magic Breath", but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The story lacked originality and had a predictable plotline. The illustrations were decent, but they didn't really add anything special to the book. Additionally, I found the writing style to be too simplistic, making it difficult for older children to fully grasp the concept of mindfulness and deep breathing. Overall, this book did not resonate with me or my child, and I would not recommend it.