You may well have come across Sarah Bessey and her Breath Prayers for Anxious Times.
(NB The full post from Sarah is behind a paywall, but if you leave your email, it won’t cost you a thing!)
I love using this myself, so I’ve adapted it into a guided meditation which I use with my children to help them connect with God and find peace and calm.
Below is a script you can use to do the same, and a downloadable version you can print out.
The questions can be rhetorical, or your child might like to answer them out loud.
If you do this meditation often, you may be able to convert these questions to statements,
e.g. Imagine yourself there. Take note of what you can see, what you can hear, what you can smell.
Before you start, invite your child/children to settle in a comfy spot. For my daughter, this is usually her favourite rocking chair. Sometimes I also help her settle by placing my hands gently on her head to bless her and gently massage her head and face. (If I have some nearby, I put some lavender oil mixed with almond oil on my hands before doing this for extra calming!)
Of course, you can adapt this prayer using whatever line works best for you. Sarah has a brilliant list of some options, or your child may already have a favourite verse for comfort, peace or strength.
While I’d be tempted to try out loads of different ones, I think choosing one and sticking with it, at least for a while, helps to make the whole process more repetitive, simple and easier to do without the script, which means it can be repeated whenever and wherever you need it.
Make sure when you’re using the script to speak slowly and gently, adapting the phrasing so they feel comfortable for you.
Imagine yourself in your own personal sanctuary.
It can be anywhere you choose, real or imaginary,
Indoors or outside, somewhere you feel safe and loved,
Somewhere peaceful where you can meet with God.
Breathe deeply and slowly,
in through your nose then gently out through your mouth.
Fill your whole self with breath,
Feel air in your lungs.
Can you imagine yourself there?
What can you see?
Can you hear anything?
What smells are there?
Continue to breathe deeply slowly in through your nose then gently out through your mouth.
Now as you breathe in say: ‘Your perfect love’, and as you breathe out say: ‘drives out all fear’.
Breathe in and out yourself and say the words together.
And again.
Your perfect love ….
…. drives out all fear.
Repeat this so you say the lines ten times in total.
Last one:
Your perfect love ….
…. drives out all fear.
Now imagine yourself getting up and leaving your sanctuary and slowly coming back.
God is still with you. His peace stays with you.
You can download a printable version here: Sarah Besseys Prayers for Anxious Times Guided Meditation Script for Families