Hello,
My name is Catherine,
And I wanted to share a little bit about the Stella series.
The idea for the Stella series was,
Perhaps unsurprisingly,
Inspired by my dog,
Stella.
Stella is a potcake,
Which means she's a mix of many different kinds of dogs typically found in the Caribbean.
She was a street dog who had never had a home before,
And it was clear she'd faced some tough situations before she came to us.
It took her a long time to learn to trust new people,
New places,
And new experiences.
She's a happy and well-adjusted dog now,
But she's still cautious in new situations.
You could say that she instinctively uses mindfulness when she's feeling anxious or unsure.
She uses her senses to take in new information,
Watching what's going on,
Sniffing and listening for clues to help her situate herself in the present and feel less anxious.
She's also a good meditation buddy.
One of the first ways we bonded was during my meditation sessions.
I'd set up my cushion on the floor near her bed,
And by the time my meditation was over and I opened my eyes,
I'd discover that she'd crept toward me and curled up nearby.
Making her feel safe and loved and spending time meditating with her made me realize she'd be a good companion for kids as they learn to meditate themselves,
As they navigate anxious moments,
Or even as they have trouble falling asleep.
The Sit With Stella series is a group of short,
Guided meditations and visualizations your child can do with you or on their own.
The Fall Asleep With Stella series includes gentle bedtime tales about safe,
Fun situations that Stella finds herself in,
With lots of sensory descriptions to focus on.
Your child can wind down with these stories before going to sleep,
Or drift off listening to them.
They can be listened to in any order,
But Welcome Home Stella is meant as an introduction for children to meet Stella.
You can invite your child to picture Stella at any time during a meditation.
It can be helpful for them to feel like they have a soft and gentle friend nearby.
They can picture petting her,
Or just sitting quietly with her,
Any time they need to calm down.
