"Many people cannot allow themselves the time to sit and do nothing but breathe. They consider it to be uneconomical or a luxury. People say “time is money.” But time is much more than money. Time is life. The simple practice of sitting quietly on a regular basis can be profoundly healing. Stopping and sitting is a good way to focus on mindful breathing and nothing else." ~Thich Nhat Hanh
This lovely paragraph by one of my favorite spiritual teachers, really addresses one of the primary reasons why people say they don’t meditate. They don’t have the time. To me, the whole concept of finding time to meditate is like an oxymoron. If you don’t have time to meditate than you probably really need it! 🙂 Meditation is more than a spiritual practice; it is your body’s way to reset your "soul battery." The battery which gets depleted every time you are stressed, angry, or anxious. Remember what one of the foremost, beloved Buddhist monks of our times just said above; "sitting quietly on a regular basis can be profoundly healing."
Parenting can be emotionally draining. So you’re constantly “losing charge” in your battery. What are you doing to replenish it? Are you taking out time for yourself? Constantly losing and losing without gaining something back does not help you in the long run. Neither for you nor your child. It is time to start taking care of yourself so you will also be a more effective and calmer parent. Take some time today from your busy, stressful lifestyle to allow yourself to just be. Don’t have time? Make time! Try meditating with your child. Make it into a game for who can stay quiet the longest. If you take nothing but five minutes a day, it's enough. Be kind to yourself and don't expect too much at first. Just five minutes. Your soul will thank you! And your family will, too. 🌷
p.s. don't forget to join our private Facebook group for mindfulness in neurodiverse families--we discuss topics such as this one. We also have live meditations and an awesome community of loving parents/caregivers! Please click the banner below to join. 🌼
