For as long as I can remember I have reflected upon life and why things were the way they were. I’ve felt that inner aliveness, observed the world and tried to make sense of what I was feeling and how other people behaved. Naturally, as I entered adulthood, I was drawn to meditation, personal growth and psychology. Why do people do what they do, what am I feeling, why, can I feel better and how? Well, parenthood is an extension of this beautiful journey. I learnt about myself and healed what I was aware of, able to and ready for, practiced meditation, presence and self-awareness.

 

My life completely changed after the birth of my first baby. There were no more half hour morning meditation sessions, Buddhist study groups and hot power yoga (the hot yoga stopped once I knew I was pregnant). I had some understanding of the mind from a Buddhist perspective and my awareness of thoughts helped me a great deal in the early motherhood phase. I didn’t buy into negative thoughts, remembered impermanence and prioritised presence with my baby.

 

Each moment would pass and I was aware of how short this phase of my life would be in my entire lifespan. I wanted to enjoy motherhood and give my baby, this new human, the best start to life I possibly could. Becoming a mother is a personal journey. You are brought face to face with your emotions and expectations and these are opportunities to learn about yourself and grow.

 

Once baby becomes a bit older, the challenges of parenting change. Your baby has grown into a child and they experience emotions that can overwhelm them, and they may overwhelm you too. They may trigger emotional reactivity in us, and this is where our potential to grow lies. This may happen when they are baby a too, but the journey extends and transforms as they develop through the ages.

 

“Our children come to us so we may recognize our psychic wounds and call up the courage to transcend the limitations these wounds place on us.”

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Dr. Shefali Tsabary, The Conscious Parent

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What comes up for you when you parent? What does not sit right with you and what would you like to do differently? Are there situations that you feel yourself overreact and you don’t understand why? Or maybe, deep down, you know why, but it’s difficult to react differently, or you don’t know what to do about it?

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Conscious awareness of emotional reactivity is the first step. Along with practical tools for challenging parenting situations, step by step we can heal and parent more consciously. We can let go of what no longer serves our highest good, and continue our evolution into the mother that is our truest self.