A unique children’s flipbook was recently published, offering not only a whimsical story, but an interactive element that promotes breathwork and meditation.
The book is titled ‘Once Upon A Breath In A Magical Forest,’ and it was created by Tina Derusha, a Kentwood native who currently lives in Caledonia. She works as a breathwork facilitator, offering one-on-one sessions out of her home and virtual classes to people around the world.
“Breathwork itself is really just your ability to control and manipulate your breath in a way that brings your body back into a state of balance,” Derusha said.
“I had a pretty regular meditation practice and yoga practice, but in 2019, I was introduced to breathwork. And from that very first time I did it, it cracked me wide open, and it showed me the places that I needed to do even more work and dig even deeper. And I realized how important it was to be connected to my body and to deal with emotions," she said.
Derusha says the idea for the flipbook came about two years ago during a creative workshop when she was introduced online to Neha Swaminathan, a London-based mother of three.
“She is a mindfulness coach,” Derusha said. “She kind of lives and breathes in that arena, creating mindfulness tool kits for children. Myself as a breathwork coach, we had a lot of similarities come up pretty quickly. She reached out to me and said ‘I think we should do something together, let's do a project.’ Initially, it just started as an idea for maybe some flip cards, and what that evolved into is a flipbook for children.”
The book, referred to as “Flip and Flow,” is designed in a way where it can be easily propped up on a table and used any time of day.
“It starts with a breathing exercise and leads into a meditation,” Derusha said. “So you breathe, you focus, you imagine and you feel. As you flip these cards, the idea and the concept changes. The reverse side is actually what we call our mantra side, and this is more about embodying, empowering, activating, and then affirming what they've learned. And you can flip these cards in such a way that you just create your own storyline.”
“It's fun, it's screen-free, and it's interactive,” she said. “It's teaching kids that just taking a few moments a day for that mindfulness is giving them the ability to tap into their emotional landscape. It's giving them tools to focus inward and regulate themselves. And it's just a moment for them in their day to stop, pause, reflect, and then move on.”
Derusha does not have any children, but she recognizes the need for something like this, saying it can benefit all members of the family.
“I have nieces and nephews, and what I see in my own family is that the parents struggle,” she said. “They're trying to navigate a pandemic, they're trying to navigate homeschooling, they're trying to navigate their own work schedules, their own mental health and so, what happens is the children learn to tune out or zone out? They're tapped into devices.”
“I think a lot of parents struggle with how to even approach mental health and regulating their nervous system, and this is a conversation starter,” Derusha said. “This is a way to show up with the child and say ‘let's do this together.’ Parents can benefit from this as much as kids.”
The book, which costs $34.99, is meant for children ages 3 to 8. But, Derusha said, there are already plans for a similar book geared toward adults.
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