In this story we follow the adventures of 9 year old Dutch twins Anneke and Hans who live near the North Sea, as they explore a nearby meadow and learn a new way to meditate from 'mother nature'.

To begin, after school in early spring on an especially warm afternoon the twins decided to walk through the nearby park to a meadow next to a small goat farm. Classes had really been strenuous, and Anneke and Hans agreed they needed some time to relax before heading home.

Emerging from the park they saw that the meadow was becoming a colorful bed of wild purple orchids and yellow ratelaars, and they could not resist getting a closer look at the new blossoms.

Walking awhile along a narrow animal-made path of trampled down grasses, the twins became hot and tired, and decided to lie down. They stretched out, looking up at puffs of white clouds like cotton balls bunched together drifting by on the background of blue sky.

Anneke remarked that while stretched out there so still on her back, watching the passing clouds and listening to the chirping of birds in distant trees, she was beginning to feel relaxed and even refreshed. It seemed like the problems from school were becoming a distant memory.

Hans agreed, and the twins lay still in the meadow pasture for a good 10 minutes before getting up and following the pathway through the park toward home.

The next week when Hans was in his bedroom studying and needing to take a break, he remembered how relaxing lying in the meadow grass had been.

So, he stretched out on his bed on his back, closed his eyes, and went back to the meadow in his thoughts. He remembered how the warm sun relaxed his body and the chirping of the distant birds took his mind off his problems - pretty soon, he was feeling peaceful and rested.

Since that time of practicing the 'relaxation meditation' on his bed, Hans has often taken time to enjoy these brief meditations - resting and thinking about the meadowland flowers and birds when tired or stressed!

Story by Susan Helene Kramer
Photo credit Stan Schaap; purple orchid and yellow ratelaar in a meadow near the North Sea, The Netherlands
Note: The characters in this story are fictional.

Anneke and Hans stories
Anneke and Hans Homepage
1. Anneke and Hans Learn a Sitting Meditation by the North Sea
2. Anneke and Hans Learn a Walking Meditation by a Canal
3. Anneke and Hans Learn a Dance Meditation in the Park
4. Anneke and Hans Learn a Relaxation Meditation in a Meadow
5. Anneke and Hans Learn about Instant Meditation and Kindness

Anneke and Hans Stories in Dutch

Related links
Meditations for Kids and Teens
Sitting meditation for kids translated into Dutch, French, German and Spanish
Walking meditation for kids translated into Dutch, French, German and Spanish

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For offsite reading

Meditation for all Kids
Sitting, walking, dance and group circle meditations, along with positive affirmations, verses and benefits of meditation for kids of all ages and abilities in a 100 page book with illustrations.

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Dutch:
gebonden uitgave van:
"Fundamentele bewegingen voor kinderern met dansjes, meditaties en yoga" door Susan Kramer - 16 ritmische, basale, motorische vaardigheden, 9 dansjes, 9 meditaties vor ontspanning en 15 zacht bewegende yoga houdingen voor kinderen van alle leeftijden en bekwaamheden. Volledig geïllustreerd, 108 pagina's.