The Morning Cup, April 30, 2004: Let Go and Embrace Your Child

The Morning Sip: Let Go and Embrace Your Child

The frightful events going on across the world bring into perspective what's most important to us in our lives. It is difficult to learn of a child being killed or orphaned and not feeling great empathy and sadness. Often that sadness transforms itself into a deep sense of love when we are with our child. We hug them a little longer, look deeper into their eyes, and kiss them with more intensity.

The feeling of love, though, may derive more out of a sense of attachment and fear, than out of pure love and joy. That's okay, of course, and can feel fulfilling. But the emotional intensity of the moment can instead be transformed into pure joy and love if we let go of the worrisome thoughts when embracing our child.

While you might expect to feel a little emptier, you may be surprised to find what naturally fills the empty space.

Your mindful parenting practice tip of the day. Be sure to sip slowly

Friday April 30, 2004

From the Archives

The Mindful Parent

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 bi-weekly 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 experience through 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 and of changes to The Mindful Parent website. Please contact us with your questions about mindful parenting or to share a mindful parenting experience. 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 Mindful Parent is a servicemark of Zen Health.