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This Moment Is Your Life (and So Is This One): A Fun and Easy Guide to Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga
This lively, hands-on guide to meditation, mindfulness, and yoga is a perfect introduction for tweens and teens.
Don't just do something, be here.
The key to happiness is being able to find comfort in this moment, here and now. When you are completely present and not distracted by regrets, worries, and plans, even for a little while, you begin to feel more confident and can deal more easily with everything you experience. This is paying attention to this very moment, on purpose and without judgment--simply being present with curiosity.
This engaging guide, packed with simple exercises and endearing full-color artwork, provides a handy starting point for bringing mindfulness into your daily life. Chapters on meditation, yoga, and mindful breathing explain the benefits of these practices, and you are free to pick and choose what to try. There are quick exercises throughout, and a more extensive tool kit at the end of each chapter. The final chapter offers satisfying five-day challenges that map out ways to pull all of the book's mindfulness techniques together in your day-to-day life.
With the appeal of a workbook or guided journal, and full of examples relevant to tweens and teens today, this book will be your trusted companion as you begin the valuable, stress-relieving work of being still with skill .
Don't just do something, be here.
The key to happiness is being able to find comfort in this moment, here and now. When you are completely present and not distracted by regrets, worries, and plans, even for a little while, you begin to feel more confident and can deal more easily with everything you experience. This is paying attention to this very moment, on purpose and without judgment--simply being present with curiosity.
This engaging guide, packed with simple exercises and endearing full-color artwork, provides a handy starting point for bringing mindfulness into your daily life. Chapters on meditation, yoga, and mindful breathing explain the benefits of these practices, and you are free to pick and choose what to try. There are quick exercises throughout, and a more extensive tool kit at the end of each chapter. The final chapter offers satisfying five-day challenges that map out ways to pull all of the book's mindfulness techniques together in your day-to-day life.
With the appeal of a workbook or guided journal, and full of examples relevant to tweens and teens today, this book will be your trusted companion as you begin the valuable, stress-relieving work of being still with skill .
248 pages, Hardcover
First published May 22, 2018
27 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
About the author
Mariam Gates
10 books26 followersMariam Gates is a passionate and inspiring teacher with over 20 years of experience working with young people. Through the Kid Power Yoga Program she has combined her dedication to teaching yoga with her skills as an educator to guide children in accessing their own inner source of strength, confidence, problem-solving and creativity. Mariam received her Masters in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1997. She taught in the Boston Public Schools and directed the Citizen Schools program in Dorchester, MA, a nationally recognized enrichment program for 9-13 year-olds.
Mariam Gates is a passionate and inspiring teacher with over 20 years of experience working with young people. Through the Kid Power Yoga Program she has combined her dedication to teaching yoga with her skills as an educator to guide children in accessing their own inner source of strength, confidence, problem-solving and creativity. Mariam received her Masters in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1997. She taught in the Boston Public Schools and directed the Citizen Schools program in Dorchester, MA, a nationally recognized enrichment program for 9-13 year-olds.
Mariam Gates on Vinyasa: "I knew right away that this form, this flow, was both asking me to move past my perceived limitations and giving me the means to do so at the same time."
It did not take long for her to understand how powerful this work would also be for children. "It is never to early to deepen your relationship to your body. It is never to early to say 'I can do it!" In KidPower Yoga we encourage students to expand both physically and mentally to see their own truly great potential as human beings.
The Kid Power Yoga Program has been taught in the Boston and Lexington Public Schools and as a Professional Development Series for public school teachers: (YOGA 101)Yoga off the Mat: Bringing Yoga into the Classroom Setting - with a waiting list for all sessions. Mariam and her work have been featured in Yoga Journal, Boston magazine, the Boston Herald, Alternative Health Magazine, and on television and presented at Esalen Institute, Big Sur CA and Wanderlust Festivals in the US. Child magazine described Mariam as a "central figure" in the children's yoga movement.
Kid Power Yoga Teacher Trainings are now being offered nationally and now the KPY Training Materials are also available!
Mariam and her husband, author and teacher, Rolf Gates Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga now call Santa Cruz CA home and travel regularly with their two children throughout the United States and abroad offering workshops, teacher trainings and week-long intensives in Vinyasa Yoga and the principles of alignment.
Mariam Gates is a passionate and inspiring teacher with over 20 years of experience working with young people. Through the Kid Power Yoga Program she has combined her dedication to teaching yoga with her skills as an educator to guide children in accessing their own inner source of strength, confidence, problem-solving and creativity. Mariam received her Masters in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1997. She taught in the Boston Public Schools and directed the Citizen Schools program in Dorchester, MA, a nationally recognized enrichment program for 9-13 year-olds.
Mariam Gates on Vinyasa: "I knew right away that this form, this flow, was both asking me to move past my perceived limitations and giving me the means to do so at the same time."
It did not take long for her to understand how powerful this work would also be for children. "It is never to early to deepen your relationship to your body. It is never to early to say 'I can do it!" In KidPower Yoga we encourage students to expand both physically and mentally to see their own truly great potential as human beings.
The Kid Power Yoga Program has been taught in the Boston and Lexington Public Schools and as a Professional Development Series for public school teachers: (YOGA 101)Yoga off the Mat: Bringing Yoga into the Classroom Setting - with a waiting list for all sessions. Mariam and her work have been featured in Yoga Journal, Boston magazine, the Boston Herald, Alternative Health Magazine, and on television and presented at Esalen Institute, Big Sur CA and Wanderlust Festivals in the US. Child magazine described Mariam as a "central figure" in the children's yoga movement.
Kid Power Yoga Teacher Trainings are now being offered nationally and now the KPY Training Materials are also available!
Mariam and her husband, author and teacher, Rolf Gates Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga now call Santa Cruz CA home and travel regularly with their two children throughout the United States and abroad offering workshops, teacher trainings and week-long intensives in Vinyasa Yoga and the principles of alignment.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 6, 2018
This book is fun and cute and the illustrations are GREAT. There are diverse people in all the illustrations throughout the book (there is no “default white, thank goodness), there are bright colors and polka dots and the paper is shiny and just feels good on your hands, which I think is perfect for middle grade.
The set up of the book is nice, too, with an introduction, then groupings of a chapter and an “action step” section.
Language used in the book was slightly problematic for me- it seemed a little condescending for 8-12 year olds. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think sometimes we don’t give kids the credit they deserve. Kids are smarter and understand more than most people think. I want to test this book on a kid and see what they think.
The set up of the book is nice, too, with an introduction, then groupings of a chapter and an “action step” section.
Language used in the book was slightly problematic for me- it seemed a little condescending for 8-12 year olds. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think sometimes we don’t give kids the credit they deserve. Kids are smarter and understand more than most people think. I want to test this book on a kid and see what they think.
July 8, 2024
I've been on this journey of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga for a while now, and let me tell you, finding a book that makes it all come together in a way that’s both accessible and charming is like discovering a secret treasure. This book, with its simple yet profound guidance, is perfect for anyone looking to dive into their practice without feeling overwhelmed.
The beauty of it lies in its simplicity. The illustrations are delightfully cute, adding a touch of whimsy that makes the sometimes daunting task of mindfulness feel inviting and fun. It's like having a friendly guide holding your hand through the process, making the complex seem easy and the practice approachable.
For those new to mindfulness, this book is a gentle introduction, a way to dip your toes into the water without feeling like you’re about to drown in a sea of spiritual jargon. And for those of us who’ve been at it for a while, it’s a refreshing reminder of why we started in the first place. It’s a small, delightful beacon of calm in the often chaotic storm of life.
The beauty of it lies in its simplicity. The illustrations are delightfully cute, adding a touch of whimsy that makes the sometimes daunting task of mindfulness feel inviting and fun. It's like having a friendly guide holding your hand through the process, making the complex seem easy and the practice approachable.
For those new to mindfulness, this book is a gentle introduction, a way to dip your toes into the water without feeling like you’re about to drown in a sea of spiritual jargon. And for those of us who’ve been at it for a while, it’s a refreshing reminder of why we started in the first place. It’s a small, delightful beacon of calm in the often chaotic storm of life.
January 15, 2024
As a 2000+ hour ERYT teacher, I find this quick afternoon read one I'll definitely recommend to beloved students. Although intended for the YA audience, I feel it will be well received by my senior chair students and my crazy busy moms as well.
Well done!
Well done!
February 23, 2025
A librarian helped me find this book, because I have been doing research into books that help children learn to use mindful breathing. I wish there were more reviews from the target audience. However, I'll let you know that I am a 39 year old female, who's been seriously practicing Mindfulness for the last 6 years, and I thought this book was marvelous. The text was presented in a really approachable and easy to understand way, maybe because it is for a younger audience. Once, I heard someone say that most concepts in Mindfulness are "simple but not easy." I'm not sure if that's true, but I do think Mariam Gates did a great job of breaking down some of the basic tenets of Mindfulness very simply and making them easy to try out (and continue to practice) which is the most important part.
While reading the book I thought about whether I would get this for my nephew (currently 3) if he gets interested in Mindfulness when he is older. The truthful answer is that I would be happy too, but I'm not sure of his preferred learning style yet...He might like a Virtual Reality immersive experience by then. In the meantime, if there are adults who want to try the ‘showing’ rather than ‘telling’ form of sharing Mindfulness with others, I recommend that they check out this book and use it to help their own practice. That's what I can speak to.
While reading the book I thought about whether I would get this for my nephew (currently 3) if he gets interested in Mindfulness when he is older. The truthful answer is that I would be happy too, but I'm not sure of his preferred learning style yet...He might like a Virtual Reality immersive experience by then. In the meantime, if there are adults who want to try the ‘showing’ rather than ‘telling’ form of sharing Mindfulness with others, I recommend that they check out this book and use it to help their own practice. That's what I can speak to.
May 13, 2023
I am a certified yoga instructor, and have been practicing yoga faithfully for fifteen years. And as I read This Moment Is Your Life (and so is this one) I felt as though all of my learning and experience was condensed into this wonderful little book!
Author Mariam Gates does a remarkable job of creating a fun, easy, attainable guide to yoga, breath work and meditation in this handy, colorful piece. Written with wit and wisdom, with lots of colorful inspirational quotes sprinkled throughout it, this book is a quick read, doesn’t have to be read sequentially, and really encourages the reader to try easy small steps which will yield big results.
Having been a middle school teacher for years, I see a need for this type of book, and I will be sharing its message and methods with my own students.
Written specifically for middle schoolers, this book is a MUST HAVE for Mental Health Awareness Month (May) or really anytime at all. I’ll be ordering this for my classroom library for sure!
Author Mariam Gates does a remarkable job of creating a fun, easy, attainable guide to yoga, breath work and meditation in this handy, colorful piece. Written with wit and wisdom, with lots of colorful inspirational quotes sprinkled throughout it, this book is a quick read, doesn’t have to be read sequentially, and really encourages the reader to try easy small steps which will yield big results.
Having been a middle school teacher for years, I see a need for this type of book, and I will be sharing its message and methods with my own students.
Written specifically for middle schoolers, this book is a MUST HAVE for Mental Health Awareness Month (May) or really anytime at all. I’ll be ordering this for my classroom library for sure!
September 18, 2019
I have read many Mindfulness books and guides. This some book is filled with great ideas and many specific exercises that anyone can do. I will recommend it to many of my students.
December 19, 2022
What a great and practical guide to teach kids emotional regulation through mindfulness, yoga and meditation.
This would be a good gift for a someone 10-14.
This would be a good gift for a someone 10-14.
March 5, 2021
This book is for kids but don't let that deter you. This is exactly what is says it is "A Fun and Easy Guide to Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga" The illustrations are nice its just calming to look at the pages feel nice (they are sturdy and kinda shiny) and I've used it so many times when I'm suffering from anxiety and I cant think of any of my grounding things I'm supposed to do (anxiety makes them all just fall right out of my head). I just open this book to a random page and do whatever exercise is listed there. It not only has practical exercises for meditation, yoga, and mindfulness, but it teaches you why your brain is acting that way and how these things help interrupt those cycles without being too heavy or deep. Something that REALLY helps me is having a picture in my mind (like an illustration) of what my brain is doing. This book provided me with some great visuals that help me imagine my monkey brain, or my lizard brain, or my stuck mind, or distracted mind, or negative mind. Highly recommend for all ages.
September 3, 2023
I skipped a good deal of the exercises in this book, specifically the five-day challenges at the end. If I want to try yoga, then I would prefer to do so with a video or another format that could show me the moves in real time. I find it challenging to emulate the proper poses using a book, in part because it's hard to tell if I'm doing it right and also because it is hard to refer to the book while trying to hold a position.
Still, I liked the mindfulness exercises, where you close your eyes or focus on something for a handful of minutes. Just the act of reading this book was nice and calming, and I liked the anecdotes and analogies that are used to explain important concepts. Even though this book is geared towards students, I found the examples to be relevant and relatable. I remember what it's like to be stressed out about classes and homework, and I can apply most of the tactics to things that stress me out to this day.
Still, I liked the mindfulness exercises, where you close your eyes or focus on something for a handful of minutes. Just the act of reading this book was nice and calming, and I liked the anecdotes and analogies that are used to explain important concepts. Even though this book is geared towards students, I found the examples to be relevant and relatable. I remember what it's like to be stressed out about classes and homework, and I can apply most of the tactics to things that stress me out to this day.
November 28, 2018
Ah! I’ve read a number of yoga and meditation books, seeking to both understand and to support a simple, manageable practice. This book leaves out all of the extra yaya of other books and pushes the central message forward. The quotes, the drawings, the tone, and the content all combine to create a resource that can actually be useful to people of all ages. I just bought a copy for our family. (The copy I have now is from the library.) I would love to see this book in card format as well or even just in a spiral bound version so the pages stay flat.
March 6, 2019
Fun , short and straight to the point ! I picked this up without knowing that it was for young teens but I'm glad I did because the simplicity of the book was fantastic for me as I am a beginner . The instructions are very clear and easy to follow , plus the illustrations really help . The breathing exercises are simple but effective and can easily be done in public when your anxiety plays up . I highly recommend that you also read the resources in the back as they are VERY helpful !
August 29, 2024
I took a course over mindfulness over the summer. It really helped! So I decided to start a mindfulness club at my school. As usual, I needed some reading material. This one came highly recommended.
I loved it. I liked the "try its" with opportunities to practice and the routines at the end to help everyone start their own practice.
The only thing I would like to add is a playlist. I love including music. I know there's stuff on YouTube, the Calm app, etc. I'd just like a kid-friendly CD.
I loved it. I liked the "try its" with opportunities to practice and the routines at the end to help everyone start their own practice.
The only thing I would like to add is a playlist. I love including music. I know there's stuff on YouTube, the Calm app, etc. I'd just like a kid-friendly CD.
February 18, 2019
NO: While it is a fun guide to mindfulness, with helpful illustrations and affirmations throughout the text, it is written for a much younger audience. My concern is that teens would find it patronizing or juvenile and not take advantage of the information within. Great for Lone Star, maybe?
Readalikes: ?
Readalikes: ?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2019
This Moment...explains mindfulness, meditation, and yoga in a simple way for young people and adults. Lots of illustrations and examples/comparisons to aid understanding. The book offers a few different challenges and routines to get started. I love this book! My daughter and I have enjoyed the practices and learning through this guide.
November 4, 2020
wonderful book for teenagers [or ages 9+], who are new to mediation and yoga. it is a great resource for beginner breathing methods and yoga sequences. for an approach that is physical and emotional this is an ideal guide. from a spiritual standpoint it is rooted in nature, playing it safe and americanized by skipping over traditional yoga history.
October 23, 2022
I’m not the target audience for this book but it looked so cute and fun that I had to check it out. It’s really cool how accessible mindfulness and self care is becoming for the younger generation. I always thought meditation was only for adults growing up but this book simplifies it very well and makes it seem so easy and fun for kids.
July 27, 2018
A yoga and mindfulness book geared towards teens. I am planning on leading an experimental class next spring on yoga and mindfulness and eating and will use a lot of the exercises from this book for that class. Fantastic!
April 11, 2020
Super quick read, but very insightful into adding mindfulness into your daily lives. I hadn't realized that it was written for young adults, as I think this is a book that everyone could benefit from!
July 23, 2018
I would have LOVED this book when I was in middle school. It's really simple and practical and full of different exercises to do.
March 8, 2019
Excellent
April 7, 2019
A super cute source for teens. I would definitely recommend it.
August 18, 2019
I love this book so much. I had borrowed it from the library but I enjoyed it so much I bought me a copy. It is written towards preteens and teens or young adults but it is for anyone and everyone.
July 21, 2020
Very helpful.
August 1, 2021
love it
Simple guide to a peaceful mind and life. Balance
Simple guide to a peaceful mind and life. Balance
March 28, 2022
This book is geared towards young adults, but it has information that all people could use. I did find the book good, but not 100% for me.
Read
November 14, 2022Great intro to meditation for kids or teens. Very clear and great illustrations.
January 18, 2025
It's okay. But actully it quite good for guide to mindfulness and all as the cover said. And I think every age can read this book
June 19, 2021
While this is written for a younger audience, I found a lot of value in this one.
If you're completely new to meditation and mindfulness, this is an excellent guide for a newbie.
I've read through the entire book to get a big picture overview, but I will continue to reference this book and complete the 5-day challenges to make this meditative and mindfulness practice a daily thing and just part of normal life.
If you have children, I highly recommend giving them this toolkit to help them navigate life as a less anxious people.
novelfables.com
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If you're completely new to meditation and mindfulness, this is an excellent guide for a newbie.
I've read through the entire book to get a big picture overview, but I will continue to reference this book and complete the 5-day challenges to make this meditative and mindfulness practice a daily thing and just part of normal life.
If you have children, I highly recommend giving them this toolkit to help them navigate life as a less anxious people.
novelfables.com
September 30, 2020
This is a perfect introduction to mindfulness, meditation, and yoga for tweens and teens! I even enjoyed it as a 26 year old. I think this is a great book for helping professionals who work with tweens and teens to have on hand as it has age appropriate practices to recommend.
May 25, 2019
Great to share with students!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews