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 Morning Sip: School,
Colors and Bliss
Your child is always learning. With the
new school year here or on the verge of being here, many children
will start school or return to school.
The practice of mindful
parenting connects us deeply to our child which, in turn, connects
us more deeply with the cosmos. Because we attended school in
much the same way that our child now attends school, the opportunities
for connection broaden.
Among your early school memories, you
may remember coloring, or learning the colors -- red, orange,
yellow, blue, green, purple. If your child is just now starting
school, you may re-experience this learning of the colors with your
child. If your child is an older student, oris no a student
of life, you may remember this time from when they were younger.
But even if your child learned the colors a long time ago, your child
continues the wonderful process of learning.
Today, when you
are stopped at a traffic light, look up at the colors -- red, yellow,
green -- and visualize your child in school -- learning. If
you have a difficult time imagining what your child is learning today,
sense your child as a beginning student learning the colors.
To
enhance the subtle feeling of bliss that this practice can elicit,
open awareness to the moment. Breathe deeply and slowly (with
your mouth closed, if possible). Relax your shoulders.
Soften your gaze. Smile. Appreciate that you are alive,
in your car, thoughtful of your beautiful child. As you calm
your way into the moment, recollect the excitement of learning.
Sense your child's thrill and positive regard when
he or she demonstrates competence at learning something new.
Sense your own positive feeling state when you learn something new.
Breathe deeply and open awareness to you and your child's shared experiences.
The color red
Reminds
me that my child
Is always learning about the cosmos
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.
