http://www.rebelbuddha.com/2011/07/how-do-you-know-if-your-kids-are-buddhists/ on the road to freedom Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:50:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.rebelbuddha.com/2011/07/how-do-you-know-if-your-kids-are-buddhists/comment-page-1/#comment-6755 Matthew O'Connell Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:54:55 +0000 http://www.rebelbuddha.com/?p=2805#comment-6755 Great article. I'm a father of a 4-year-old so the title of the article is not such an issue just yet. I did find Jack's sharing of heart advice from his two teachers very simple, clear and useful though and thoroughly appropriate. It's so easy to fall into the same parenting traps as Buddhists that non-Buddhists end up in in spite of the increased awareness brought about by meditation practice. I have been a Buddhist for 16 years and in spite of my efforts (or non effort) on the cushion, I was surprised to find myself often experiencing anxiety about my son. The challenge was to let go of control. In fact I would say personally that control was the central theme of my anxiety. Letting go of the need to control a little creature who is dependent on you is quite something; a real challenge. Accepting that ultimately I did not have control, that he would and will need to find his own unique expression, and that I could trust he would do so with support, rather than enforcement, wow, it's been a great change in our father-son dynamic. The practice with him now is bringing myself back to the present with him in all the activities we share, being consistent and clear with right speech and action, and trusting in his unique unfolding as an act of grace as a precious human existence, and allowing space and presence to be key aspects of how we live and play together. Great article.
I’m a father of a 4-year-old so the title of the article is not such an issue just yet. I did find Jack’s sharing of heart advice from his two teachers very simple, clear and useful though and thoroughly appropriate. It’s so easy to fall into the same parenting traps as Buddhists that non-Buddhists end up in in spite of the increased awareness brought about by meditation practice.
I have been a Buddhist for 16 years and in spite of my efforts (or non effort) on the cushion, I was surprised to find myself often experiencing anxiety about my son.
The challenge was to let go of control.
In fact I would say personally that control was the central theme of my anxiety. Letting go of the need to control a little creature who is dependent on you is quite something; a real challenge. Accepting that ultimately I did not have control, that he would and will need to find his own unique expression, and that I could trust he would do so with support, rather than enforcement, wow, it’s been a great change in our father-son dynamic.
The practice with him now is bringing myself back to the present with him in all the activities we share, being consistent and clear with right speech and action, and trusting in his unique unfolding as an act of grace as a precious human existence, and allowing space and presence to be key aspects of how we live and play together.

]]> http://www.rebelbuddha.com/2011/07/how-do-you-know-if-your-kids-are-buddhists/comment-page-1/#comment-5452 Monex scam Sun, 31 Jul 2011 14:19:11 +0000 http://www.rebelbuddha.com/?p=2805#comment-5452 Seriously they do And when a few of them found my site they immediate thought I had become a Buddhist. . To undertake a genuine spiritual path is not to avoid difficulties but to learn the art of making mistakes wakefully to bring to them the transformative power of our heart. Jack Kornfield. . Though we often tend to blame them it is not the external things like families jobs or money that create problems for us in our lives. Seriously they do And when a few of them found my site they immediate thought I had become a Buddhist. . To undertake a genuine spiritual path is not to avoid difficulties but to learn the art of making mistakes wakefully to bring to them the transformative power of our heart. Jack Kornfield. . Though we often tend to blame them it is not the external things like families jobs or money that create problems for us in our lives.

]]> http://www.rebelbuddha.com/2011/07/how-do-you-know-if-your-kids-are-buddhists/comment-page-1/#comment-5417 Lungtagirl Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:04:36 +0000 http://www.rebelbuddha.com/?p=2805#comment-5417 Well put - thanks Jack! Well put – thanks Jack!

]]> http://www.rebelbuddha.com/2011/07/how-do-you-know-if-your-kids-are-buddhists/comment-page-1/#comment-5415 Elisabeth gold Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:26:33 +0000 http://www.rebelbuddha.com/?p=2805#comment-5415 Thanks, jack, for this helpful and timely blogpost Thanks, jack, for this helpful and timely blogpost

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