Mindful Parenting is a contemplative practice through which we become more mindful of our children and, in doing so, experience a more joyful life.
The Mindful Parent
is an organization devoted to sharing with parents and other child
caregivers ways in which to enhance the many joys of parenting.
By mindfully attending to our children, both when we are physically
present with them and when we are physically separated from them,
we can enhance our sense of connection to them and, in turn, our connection
to the cosmos. This makes us a better parent, a happier person,
and a more vital human being.
To facilitate a more mindful approach
to parenting, The Mindful Parent publishes on its website, and in
its
newsletter, mindful parenting
verses and commentaries.
The Mindful Parent website also serves as a community forum that encourages
and supports a mindful parenting dialogue and the sharing of mindful
parenting experiences.
In the spirit of developing a mindful
parenting community, we encourage you to
submit a mindful
parenting verse, commentary, and imagery to share with others.
We believe that through our collective experience, we can help
each other develop a deeper and more meaningful mindful
parenting practice.
Click here to learn more about making a
submssion. We thank everyone who has contributed or is considering
making this very compassionate contribution.
Click
here to learn what
recent events are taking place. Please
contact us with your
questions about mindful parenting or to share a mindful parenting
experience. The Mindful Parent conducts mindful parenting
workshops and seminars. We are devoted to working with
you to enhance your ability to "be" with your children, and to experience
the bliss that awaits you.
The Daily Sip:
Doodling and Your Cosmic Child
You
probably have doodled before. Perhaps it was while waiting for
something, or perhaps while in a classroom or in a meeting.
More often than not, you saw what you had doodled only after you finished,
or while you were in the middle of, doodling -- A many-petaled
flower, rocket ship, odd faces, geometric shapes, or just some squiggles.
Doodling
is the consummate mindless, or unconscious, act. Generally,
the same patterns repeat themselves over and over. You doodle
today what you doodled years ago.
Allow the practice
of mindful parenting to transform doodling into a moment of awakening
your deep connection with your child.
Today, when you find yourself
sitting with a pen(cil) and paper at hand, begin to doodle and
then stop yourself just after you draw a line or two. Take
a deep breath. Then continue by drawing an image that reminds
you of your child. Be sure to leave room surrounding the image.
Maybe you are an artist, maybe not. It doesn't matter. Open
awareness to the presence of your child as you quickly sketch his
or her image. As you do, open your awareness to your child's
presence in your life, wherever he or she may be.
When you are
finished, draw one of the following images around your child
such that your child is centered in the middle of the image:
Draw a circle around your child and then rays emanating from the circle.
Your child is the sun. Or, draw a tear drop around your child
and then many other nearby drops. Your child is a rain drop.
Or, draw a snowflake behind your child. Your child is a
snowflake. Or, draw the squiggles of an ocean and a wave
surrounding your child. Your child is a wave in the ocean.
Or draw billowing circles around your child. Your child is a
cloud. Whatever you choose to draw, see deeply into the
heart of your child. Bring to mind your child in the present
moment and then sense the natural force you selected --
see that your child is made up of each of these wonderful aspects to nature.
When
you are with your child, reflect on your doodling and sense the presence
of nature and the cosmos within your child.
