Powerful Pause Meditation: Calming Nerves for Young Performers
This meditation is designed to support young performers who might be feeling a bit nervous or worried - particularly if they have an audition, self-tape or performance coming up.
We spend some time relaxing the body and then we go on a short journey where we discover some very special magic clouds. This meditation is suitable for ages 8+ and parents and guardians are encouraged to listen to this meditation along with their child.
12 minute listen. We recommend listening to this meditation with headphones on.
Parents and Guardians may like to follow up this meditation by asking their child the following questions:
- What worries did the special magic clouds carry away for you?
- What’s the best thing about the special magic clouds?
- How do you feel now?
You may also enjoy listening to our pre-audition meditation for Young Performers.
Listen to other meditations in the Powerful Pause series.
Meditation Transcript:
Bea Grist, Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager:
Hello, my name is Bea and I’m the mental health and wellbeing manager at Spotlight.
Sometimes we can feel a bit nervous or worried. It might feel a bit like butterflies in your stomach or perhaps a tingly or tight feeling in your body. You might also notice these feelings are accompanied by lots of different thoughts too.
Maybe you’re feeling like this because you have an audition or a performance coming up, or perhaps it’s because of something else. It’s really normal to feel a bit worried or concerned from time-to-time and it’s just our body trying to help us.
Sometimes however these worries or concerns can get in the way of us enjoying things and having fun.
So we’re going to take a little bit of time today to go on a relaxing journey simply by using our imagination. Our imagination is such a wonderful tool because it can take us to a place of calm whenever we need it. And when we feel calm we can focus on having fun and doing what we enjoy.
Take a moment to think about something you really love to do. Maybe you love to perform or spending time with your family or friends, perhaps it’s being really silly and making people laugh or maybe it’s just being by the sea. Perhaps it’s going to the cinema, the theatre or your favourite restaurant? Just notice what comes up - there are no wrong answers here.
So let’s just find a really comfortable place to sit
And feel free to wiggle around or fidget until you feel just right
Place your hands on your lap or your knees
Just let them softly rest wherever they feel comfortable
Try to keep your back nice and tall
Imagine you’re a really tall oak tree
With a lovely straight trunk
Let’s take a couple of deep breaths together
Breathing in through your nose if that’s available to you today
And then sighing it out through your mouth
Breathing in
Feeling your tummy inflate
Breathing out
Feeling your tummy drop back down again
If you like you can put your hand on your tummy
just to feel that movement for a few breaths
When you inhale
Imagine that breath spreading out
And going all the way down to your toes
Filling your whole body with a relaxing feeling
You’re doing really great.
Now that you’re feeling a little bit more relaxed
Let’s take a short journey together
This is a little holiday from your worries or nerves
You don’t need to do anything apart from listen to my voice
Picture yourself standing in a big beautiful field
It’s filled with lush green grass and above the fresh grass is a beautiful blue sky with the odd cloud here and there. You can hear birdsong all around you and in the distance as well.
There are big talls trees everywhere. You feel supported and safe.
Notice how relaxing this space feels.
Allow yourself to walk out onto the grass. You might like to imagine yourself barefoot.
Feel the warm sun warming your whole face and your body.
Breathing in
Smelling the fragrance of beautiful wild flowers
Breathing out
Feeling your whole body relaxing
You feel so safe and so relaxed
You decide to stop and sit down in the field for a little while
It’s such a beautiful day
You feel the soft lush grass brush your skin
You feel so relaxed.
You look up at the sky
It’s so blue
You notice the little fluffy clouds above you
These aren’t just normal clouds though
These clouds are special clouds which can help you let go of any worries or concerns
And all you have to do is take one of your worries and place it on a cloud
Then picture it floating away from you
As all clouds do.
Let’s try that together now
Think of a worry you have
Picture it in your mind
Then see yourself placing this worry onto a cloud
And see it floating gently away from you
Notice it getting smaller and smaller as it goes further and further away from you
Just watch the worry float away
And notice how relaxed and peaceful you feel.
If your mind starts to wander
Know that it’s ok
It’s normal
Just notice and then gently come back to my voice
And as you watch that worry float away
You can take just another cloud and picture placing another worry or concern on it
See that worry gently floating slowly away from you
Letting it go higher and higher
Feeling a sense of calm and relief
Feeling peaceful
Just keep going with this
Placing any worries, fears or concerns on to these special clouds
Until all of your worries are gone
Once these clouds have taken those worries away
You can now take a moment to enjoy this beautiful place
Notice the sun on your face again and how relaxed you feel
You are safe
You are supported
There’s nothing you need to do.
Let’s take a lovely deep breath in here
Breathing in through the nose
And sighing it out through the mouth
Let’s do that again
Breathing in through the nose
And sighing it out through the mouth
Let’s bring some movement back into the body
Letting it know that it’s time to wake up
Starting with your fingers and toes
Just giving them a little wiggle
And just allow this movement to spread throughout the body
Maybe taking a big wake-up spread and a yawn if that feels nice
Just taking your time to come back to this moment and this space
And if you’ve had your eyes closed
Just opening them up
And arriving back.
Main photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash
