Mediation 2: Returning to Calm
Duration: 
5 mins 30 seconds
 
Purpose:
To re-establish internal balance when the day’s pace has taken over
 
Focus:
Settling the nervous system and restoring relational rhythm. 
 
When to use: 
● Midday, when energy dips or stress accumulates. 
● Before reflective practice or coaching conversations. 
● To model calm and presence with a team.
 
Outcome:
Builds physiological and emotional coherence, the alignment between body, mind, and purpose that allows leaders to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively.
 
Breathing Space: Meditation Series by Sarah Moore
A collection of guided practices for conscious, heart-centred leadership in early childhood 
The Breathing Space meditations invite educators and leaders to pause, reconnect, and restore their internal rhythm. 
 
They are not about disconnecting from work, but about returning to presence, to the calm and coherence that make responsive, relational leadership possible. 
 
Each meditation is trauma-informed and grounded in neuroscience, drawing on the principles of slow pedagogy and relational leadership, awareness, attunement, and deep human connection. 
 
Listeners are reminded that calm is something we can share, our nervous systems are designed to settle through connection and that with practice, breath and awareness rebuild the inner stability that allows us to offer that calm to others. 
 
The Role of Self-Regulation in Early Childhood Leadership 
In early childhood settings, self-regulation is leadership in action. The way a leader manages their own emotions and energy directly shapes the emotional climate of a team and, in turn, the felt safety of children. 
 
When a leader is calm, curious, and attuned, their presence communicates “You are safe with me.” This steady emotional signal supports educators to regulate themselves, and children naturally co-regulate in response. 
 
Breath-based meditations help strengthen this foundation.  Slow, conscious breathing activates the body’s natural calming system, supporting the brain’s capacity for reasoning, empathy, and connection. 
 
Over time, this practice builds emotional capacity, helping leaders stay grounded in challenging moments, hold space for others, and recover more easily from stress. 
 
These meditations are therefore more than a wellbeing tool; they are a leadership practice, a way to cultivate the self-regulation that underpins trust, learning, and healthy relationships across the service.
 
Who They’re For 
● Educational leaders, directors, and mentors seeking to restore calm and consistency in busy or emotionally charged environments. 
● Teams learning to integrate reflective, self-regulating rhythms into their daily practice. 
● Anyone navigating complexity or change who needs permission to pause without guilt. 
 
How They Work in Practice 
These meditations can be used individually or as part of team reflections, mentoring sessions, or professional learning days. 
 
They cultivate awareness, self-regulation, and relational safety, the very foundations of high-quality early childhood practice and leadership. Each one models what we hope to see in children: the ability to pause, to notice, and to return to calm through connection.