In 2001, I became a parent. I was already a Buddhist and a meditator. But I didn’t understand how to integrate meditation into my daily life as a parent.

Over the years, I have explored this. First on my own, then through teaching meditation in groups - much of this happening at camping events organised by Buddhafield.

At first (actually, for quite a long time!), I played the game of, “let’s distract the children”. I’d have someone there who would sit with the kids and colour in pictures/etc while I led meditation for the parents. I remember one such, where there were 35 people in a tent, and I could barely be heard!

Then, one of my helpers made a radical suggestion. Do away with the toys, the distractions. Have nothing there for the children. She told me I was overstimulating the children. Her suggestion was shocking, but I trusted her, so I gave it a go.

I instantly saw the depth of her suggestion. In one session, what I was sharing switched from, “Let’s make the best of a bad situation” to a deep and profound experience - how engaging with your children in meditation can draw you deeper into your meditation, and how actually, engaged with in the right way, non-dual truths are available within the practice.

What on earth does that mean? Well, we make assumptions that things are this or that. More particularly, we make assumptions that we need to do this or that. Even more particularly, when my child does this, I assume that I really must do that. And because of this, I’m totally controlled by my assumptions around parenting.

Whereas, if, during the meditation, I engage with these assumptions - notice the urge to do something, and check in whether it actually needs to be done, we can start to find freedom. And our children will notice, and settle with us. And as a result, it becomes a beautiful engagement with our children in which they gain a tactile understanding that being quiet is okay.

Late last year, I decided it was time I wanted to put together some online courses. The easiest to prepare, and thus the first, is on this topic.

I will be adding a small charge to this course, but if you’re quick, you might be able to see it before I do! If that’s the case, all I ask is that you provide me any feedback you might have - good or bad.

You can find the course when you sign up (click on the lock on the top right) at https://parentsmeditation.org.

If you’re a parent, or interested in working with parents, please do give it a try and let me know what you think.

(Note, if you work with parents, then I have another course in mind about how best to teach this approach. Do let me know if this would interest you.)