Buddamom.com May
Newsletter...
MMAY NEWSLETTER
Happy Mother's Day! This mornings prayer is for all mothers everywhere. When I say all mothers I mean all those who nurture, love and support with tenderness and commitment. I just came back from the third book tour for Buddha Mom. Each tour has its own shape and texture. This tour was aglow with listening. The greatest joy for me this week has been listening to those who were kind enough to come out in the evening and share their thoughts and concerns with me. There were many memorable moments. One such moment was in Santa Cruz where a man asked me if what I was writing held true for step parents. It sort of took my breath away. It hadn't even occurred to me that step parents would feel like their parenting experience is less spiritual then the experience of biological parents.
Today, on mother's day, I want to acknowledge all those who love and care for children, however the children come into their lives. When I wrote Buddha Mom I felt it necessary to include a chapter on pregnancy and one on birthing. Pregnancy and birthing are important considerations in the realm of mothering but they are just the start of a life. The long rich work of sustaining a life is where we really roll up our sleeves and get to the work of mothering. While looking through my phone book under J I happened upon my friend Joel's number. I hadn't spoken with Joel for many months. On a lark I called him out of the blue. His husband Alan answered the phone. In the background I could hear their newly adopted baby. The baby was singing happily and I thought, what a lucky child! This child landed into a world of love and intelligent concern. Joel and Allen did not give birth to this child but they are mothering, and fathering, him. I feel happy knowing that this child will thrive.
A friend of mine told me that as a step parent she hated mothers day because she was never acknowledged. She worked daily to love and support this child but because she was not the biological mother she was not honored for her work. Today I honor my friend for all the love she poured into this precious soul. Today I honor my friends who have opened their home and hearts to children in need of their love and protection. Today I honor the nurses and caregivers, the Mother Teresa's of this world, who love without ownership. It becomes more and more clear to me that the definition of family is not simply a mother a father and a child, or children. The definition of family is found where people come together to love unconditionally. Today I bow to single parent families, step families, adoptive families, aunts, uncles, grandparents, caregivers and teachers who love the children in their lives without thought of return. We are all on this path together.
There is a loving kindness meditation I share at the end of my talks. It is from the Buddhist text called the Sutta Nipata. I would like to share this prayer today with some alterations to fit the occasion.
Whatever mothers there be: single or married,
Gay, strait or celibate,
African, Chinese, Arab or American,
Those dwelling far or near;
Those who give birth and those who receive already birthed children,
May all beings, without exception, be happy minded!
Let not one parent judge another
nor be unkind to any person whatever, in any place.
In anger or ill will, let us not wish any harm to another.
Just as a mother would protect her only child,
even at the risk of his or her own life,
even so let us cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings.
Let our thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world:
above, below, and across,
without any obstruction, without any hatred, without any enmity,
whether we stand, walk, sit or lay down,
as long as we are awake,
Let us develop mindfulness.
This, they say, is the way to true happiness.
Thank you for the love you gift the world with.
Jacqueline
Happy Mother's Day! This mornings prayer is for all mothers everywhere. When I say all mothers I mean all those who nurture, love and support with tenderness and commitment. I just came back from the third book tour for Buddha Mom. Each tour has its own shape and texture. This tour was aglow with listening. The greatest joy for me this week has been listening to those who were kind enough to come out in the evening and share their thoughts and concerns with me. There were many memorable moments. One such moment was in Santa Cruz where a man asked me if what I was writing held true for step parents. It sort of took my breath away. It hadn't even occurred to me that step parents would feel like their parenting experience is less spiritual then the experience of biological parents.
Today, on mother's day, I want to acknowledge all those who love and care for children, however the children come into their lives. When I wrote Buddha Mom I felt it necessary to include a chapter on pregnancy and one on birthing. Pregnancy and birthing are important considerations in the realm of mothering but they are just the start of a life. The long rich work of sustaining a life is where we really roll up our sleeves and get to the work of mothering. While looking through my phone book under J I happened upon my friend Joel's number. I hadn't spoken with Joel for many months. On a lark I called him out of the blue. His husband Alan answered the phone. In the background I could hear their newly adopted baby. The baby was singing happily and I thought, what a lucky child! This child landed into a world of love and intelligent concern. Joel and Allen did not give birth to this child but they are mothering, and fathering, him. I feel happy knowing that this child will thrive.
A friend of mine told me that as a step parent she hated mothers day because she was never acknowledged. She worked daily to love and support this child but because she was not the biological mother she was not honored for her work. Today I honor my friend for all the love she poured into this precious soul. Today I honor my friends who have opened their home and hearts to children in need of their love and protection. Today I honor the nurses and caregivers, the Mother Teresa's of this world, who love without ownership. It becomes more and more clear to me that the definition of family is not simply a mother a father and a child, or children. The definition of family is found where people come together to love unconditionally. Today I bow to single parent families, step families, adoptive families, aunts, uncles, grandparents, caregivers and teachers who love the children in their lives without thought of return. We are all on this path together.
There is a loving kindness meditation I share at the end of my talks. It is from the Buddhist text called the Sutta Nipata. I would like to share this prayer today with some alterations to fit the occasion.
Whatever mothers there be: single or married,
Gay, strait or celibate,
African, Chinese, Arab or American,
Those dwelling far or near;
Those who give birth and those who receive already birthed children,
May all beings, without exception, be happy minded!
Let not one parent judge another
nor be unkind to any person whatever, in any place.
In anger or ill will, let us not wish any harm to another.
Just as a mother would protect her only child,
even at the risk of his or her own life,
even so let us cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings.
Let our thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world:
above, below, and across,
without any obstruction, without any hatred, without any enmity,
whether we stand, walk, sit or lay down,
as long as we are awake,
Let us develop mindfulness.
This, they say, is the way to true happiness.
Thank you for the love you gift the world with.
Jacqueline
Previous months Newsletters | May, 03 | June, 03 | July, 03 | Aug. 03 | Sept. 03 | Oct. 03 | Nov 03 | Dec 03 | Jan. 04 | Feb. 04 | Mar. 04 | Apr.04