Two Quotes Every Parent / Teacher Should Read

"We all carry wounds in us that we received as children, and taking the path of healing these wounds makes it much easier for us to relate to and understand the children in our life. Whatever we haven't transformed, we're likely to pass on to our children and to our students. Our suffering will become their suffering. This is why practicing mindfulness in our daily lives is so important. It is not just to avoid burnout; mindfulness allows us to transform in the depths of our consciousness. If you are not at peace, how can you impart peace to your children and students?"

-Thich Nhat Hanh, Planting Seeds, Practicing Mindfulness with Children

"Children who are raised by parents who are conscious, and therefore both at peace with themselves and connected to their inner joy, discover the abundance of the universe and learn how to tap into this ever-flowing source. Viewing life as their partner, such children respond to life's challenges with curiosity, excitement, and a sense of reverent engagement. Brought up to be inwardly peaceful and to know their inherent joy, they in turn teach their children to live in a state of joyful abundance."

-Shefali Tsabary, The Conscious Parent

These two quotes speak volumes! I just had to share them here because I find them so incredibly important and inspiring. What do you think?

There is one more thing I'd like to share. The Himalayan Meditation Centre in Edmonton will be offering a 10-week mindfulness class for kids aged 5-13 starting next January (2019). One or more parents are invited to attend and participate. The class will be held on Saturdays from 1-2 pm. The Conscious Kids curriculum will be used, which means that all the concepts are taught through creative short stories and fun, engaging activities for families. The course is designed to help kids develop their emotional intelligence, lower their stress, boost their confidence & improve their mood and focus. You may have guessed that I will be teaching this class, along with my kind and very gifted colleague who came here all the way from Tibet, Dr. Kunga. Openings are very limited and are based on a first come, first serve policy. For more information and to sign up, please visit conscious-kids.ca. 

Warm regards,

Lise Villeneuve

www.lisevilleneuve.com

The C-word. Rob's first post.

Consciousness is a silly word. Of course, it stands for something that's not silly at all, but when I hear that word, it makes me want to yak. Figuratively speaking, of course... I just needed Tibetan imagery here in the spirit of the Dalai Lama and all.

We need a new word to talk about that state of being detached but not emotionless, of being fully present in the here and now without being oblivious to the future or the past. Kind of like that yak. He looks pretty conscious.

Some alternatives: Present? Aware? Attentive to very current events? I don't know. But (at the risk of sounding like even more of a leftie softie than simply blogging about this subject makes me sound), maybe it's better not to label it. I can talk about the subject without feeling uncomfortable, but I just cringe when I hear the c-word in this context. Because technically, we're all conscious. Consciousness is one of the only things you really have. You get it when you're born, and you have it (in most cases) until you die. No one in Lululemons can decide whether or not you're allowed on the consciousness bus. Find your own word, Lululemon people!  This one is taken.

So Lise asked me to talk about what I hoped to get out of this. I don't really hope for anything. One of my favourite activities is hitchhiking. I like hitchhiking because if you're prepared for everything (food, warm clothes, tent, and sleeping bag), then it doesn't really matter where you end up because it's always fine... as long as you don't get murdered, which hasn't happened to me, or any other semi-prepared hitchhiker as far as I can tell. So I guess my goal is not to get murdered.  Of course I'm going to hear something about the law of attraction and how I'm inviting trouble by saying something like that. OK... I'll put it on the record for everyone to see forever: if I get murdered, you were right, Lise. Use some of my life insurance money for "I should have listened to my wife" banners at the funeral. Seriously. I think that would be hilarious.

To answer Lise's question a bit more directly,  I consider this an adventure, just like hitchhiking, or moving to Montréal. Or anything, for that matter. Let's see where it takes us. Hopefully not to Laval. Sorry Laval.

And yes Dear, I can take out the garbage on Thursday. Thank you for the nice words in your recent post. But you and I both know I ain't got nothin' on that Yak. He's owning it!

P.S. why did "bitch chore" make it into our list of key words?  Law of attraction!!!