Mindful Parenting is a contemplative practice through which our connection to our child, and awareness of our child's presence, helps us to become better
grounded in the present moment.
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 made a contribution.
Click
here to learn what upcoming 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.
(c) 2003-2008 The Mindful Parent. All rights reserved.
The Mindful Parent is a registered servicemark of
the Institute
for Mindfulness Studies, Inc..
The Morning Sip: School, Colors and Bliss
Your child is always learning. The new school year has arrived and many
children will start school or return to school. Perhaps yours is among them. Perhaps you can recall this special time.
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
