Change, Change and I am Okay

It seems like yesterday that I was at the berry farm with my 2-year-old son, pregnant, enjoying all the raspberry sweetness. My son back then so tentative and small and cheeky. Both of us fading quickly in the hot summer heat. My son overwhelmed by the stinky smell wafting over from the petting farm. We picked maybe 3 quarts. Maybe. Totaling $4 or so in raspberries. 

Berry farm summer 2010

Upon returning home, my husband declares, "that's it?" "Yep, 1.5 hrs of driving for $4 in raspberries." But it was an adventure. We sight saw along the way and we stopped for ice cream. Oh the days of having one little buddy around.

This summer, we found ourselves going back to the same country berry farm. Three years later, my daughter is now the same age as my son was, and wore the same shirt. (Oh how she loves that shirt.) We had a rough start to the picking again this time, "too stinky!" "too much walking!" "ahhh! My hat fell off!" but we persevered. Eventually my son locked into his task (berries on middle branches), which brought  my daughter in line to follow us picking her low-lying berries. Next thing we knew, we had two full baskets! (Racked up $16 worth) 

Berry farm 2013

I was a shock to go back and look at that picture of my little son at the berry farm. It seems like so long ago because so much has evolved since then. But, it also seems like he couldn't possibly have grown that much, in body and mind, in just three years! 

Looking back at the time when my son was two going on three and I was pregnant for nine very long months, I can't remember my son at that age as much as I'd like to. Pregnancy is hard, and even more hard to be fully present in the moment, open to what is.

It makes me even more conscious that I need to save mental "images" each and every day. Even just for a moment, stop, be fully present absorbing the moment with my kids. Maybe I am just watching them engrossed in their moment, or maybe I am engrossed in the moment with them. Store that moment in my memory.  

Being a stay-at-home mom (mostly) I always felt a little like, "this shit is never going to end!" But I suppose that usually was on the long boring, kids are misbehaving or being super needy sort-of days. It is so cliche to say that kids grow up so fast. But they do.

Times are changing. No longer is there one older kid and a baby. Now my children have reached the age where they truly enjoy playing with each other. This summer we had a blast enjoying lazy fun days inside and out. So it came as quite a shock to all three of us to have my oldest off to school full-time kindergarten last week. Our hearts were all a little swollen with sadness from missing our third team member. 

First day kindergarten with sister

First day pose

Many of the kids I teach yoga to on a weekly basis are moving on to different schools. This also makes my heart ache as I will miss seeing these kids so much. I love watching them grow and their spirits shine. 

Yes, my heart has been aching with all this change, but I keep reciting the chant/song I always sing to my wee students in class. Change, change and I am okay. Change, change and I am okay. Close my eyes and I am okay. (View the video for the tune)

It's okay to feel sad with change. It's okay to feel whatever you feel in times of loss or change. 

Sometimes its hard, but I always try to honor those feelings when my heart hurts because it means I care deeply. Feeling deeply is human blessing. It can bring profound gifts.

Feeling grounded through change is important. Breathing deep, saying a mantra or reciting positive affirmations, taking more quiet reflective time, being in nature, eating some good soul nourishing food, these things will all help get you through. 

Binging on a whole chocolate cake then finishing off the tub of ice cream. Um. Not so much. That will not help you stay centered through the change. It will just send you on a roller coaster.

Reaching out to friends, calling your mom, extra hugs and kisses from your loved ones. These are also super sweet. This is all how I got through. A big thanks to my friends, my mom and my family for all the love to get me through this week!

Same holds true for helping your kids through change. Lots of hugs and kisses. Quiet times. Time in nature. Allowing them to express themselves unconditionally. Take things slower. Make sure the day isn't stressed (or at least the morning if you are going to school).

What helps you get through? What helps you get your kids through?

Now, I better go off to spend some quality time with my daughter while her brother is at school, because next thing I know, three years from now, she will be dressing up for her first day of school! 

Namaste

The Domestic Yogi

A Tibetan Buddhist Story with Yoga Poses

Children laying on their bellies ready to hear the Tibetan Buddhist Story

In the kids yoga class I recently taught at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, I told them a simple version of this story below. It was a great way to let the kids rest, and help them use their imagination. Also, a great way to introduce a little Tibetan Buddhist culture.

I took the bare bones of this story told by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Lillian Too's The Mantra Book, and embellished it with details and images that children could place into their consciousness.

***

In a time long ago, in a place where the tallest mountains in our world live - a place called the Himalayas - there was a crystal blue lake surrounded by snowy mountains. In this lake was a boat carrying a very old Tibetan Buddhist teacher, called a Lama. The Lama wore burgandy-colored robes - the traditional clothing of a Tibetan Buddhist monk. He wore a warm burgundy colored hat to keep his shaved head warm.

The teacher saw a small island up ahead that looked untouched by man except for a little hut that held up several lines of  Tibetan prayer flags which were flapping in the wind. The once colorful flags were faded and weathered.

The teacher parked his boat on the shore and walked onto the island. There he met a man with hair down to his hips and a long beard. The man's clothes looked warn, but his smile was so bright it seemed to light up the sky. Upon seeing the Lama, the man put his hands together placing them on the top of his head, then touched them to his forehead, throat and heart. Then he launched his body to the ground, stretching his arms out in front of him, with his whole body touching the ground, including his nose! Then he got up and repeated this series of movements - called full prostrations -  three times.

"How long have you been alone on this island," asked the Lama.

"For three years," says the man. "I am on retreat, here to practicing my mantra. I have been repeating it constantly out load or in my head for three years now.  I have been saying it while I stare at onto the horizon, watching the sun set or the sun rise, I have been saying it while I bathe, while I make dinner, while I go to the bathroom. When I drift off to sleep it is the last thing I say, and when I wake up it is the first thought in my head. Sometimes I even say it in my dreams."

"What is this mantra you are saying," asked the Lama.

"The mantra of the great Buddha of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara," says the student. And he proceeds to repeat the mantra out load, "Om mani padme hum, om mani padme hum, om mani padme hum..."

The Lama listens to the student for some time, and with utmost compassion the Lama finally says,"I can see that you have pure devotion and pure motivation. But I hear that your pronunciation of the this mantra is a little off."

"Really," says the student, "I have been saying it wrong for all these years?"

"Yes" says the Lama and proceeds to demonstrates how to say it correctly.

The student humbly bows this head to the wise and compassionate Lama, saying, "Thank you for helping me. I will try it like that from now on."

Some time later, as the sun sets, the Lama returns to his boat and sets off across the water. He hears a strange noise off to the side and turns his head to see the student calling his name walking beside the boat ONTOP of the water. The student calls out, "I think I have the hang of the pronunciation now, is this how you say it? Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum...."

The Lama then laughs, drops his head and gives a half bow saying, "it looks like you were saying it right all this time after all."

***

For the younger kids, you may want to point out that because the student was saying the mantra with such a pure heart, and with such great intentions, and devotions, the power of the mantra had awakened his inner powers. Perfecting the way to say it wasn't as important.

ADDING THE YOGA 

The Storytime Yoga method, developed by my teacher Sydney Solis then encourages the reenactment the story using yoga poses to help the kids put the symbols of the story into their hearts and minds.

For this story, you could use the following poses to retell the story:

Mountain pose - for the Himalayas

Boat/navasana - for the boat

Warrior II (hero pose) - for the Lama

Camel pose - Island with a hut

Humble warrior - Student

Prostration/Bow - show them how to do a full prostration

Practice saying the mantra - om mani padme hung

Humble half bow - stand in mountain, with hands in namaste Tibetan Buddhist-style (pretend you are holding a precious jewel between your palms). Then do a half bow, with head down, to represent the humble bow when the teacher corrects him.

Navasana - teacher goes back in the boat.

Mindful walking - student walking on water

Humble half bow - as above.

Wake Up Call From My 3-Year-Old Student

A student of life is what I am. I remember my geography teacher in high school telling us the saying: the more you know, the more you don't know. I certainly feel that way about pretty much anything. Back in high school, that may of not been true. But thankfully I am old enough to know that life is very complicated. Not only complicated, but it changes.

Parenting two kids full-time has taught me a lot. Certainly made me more aware of how quickly things change. Now raising my second child, I know that if I don't like a phase, then not to worry, it will change - sometimes not as fast as I would like. (When will my little miss stop making a huge mess of herself and the floor at every.stinking.meal! Ugh!)

Full-time parenting has also made me a bit sloppy in the head. Trying to stay mindful all day long while entertaining, teaching and providing for two young kids can be SO.DARN.BORING. My mind likes to check out (or run over to Facebook). That is, if I am not being interrupted. (Can you give me a minute please sweetie, I have a thought and I am writing it down. Thank you.) But I am not complaining, because "soon enough" they will be both in school.

With a sloppy mind, it is very easy for me to forget things, and many times I do not realize the obvious. It is no surprise that my kids teach me a lot because they are so much more enthralled and alive with life throughout the day. They pick up everything, where as, I feel like I am just going through the motions some days. (Especially before 10am).

Grabbing our "Monkey Minds"

Over the last couple months, I have started to get more serious about teaching kids yoga. I've had the absolute pleasure of having one particular little girl named Rosie in my class a few times who is 3.5-years-old. Her mom has been telling me since the first day I taught her, that Rosie particularly loved the mantra we learned in class.

The mantra goes like this: Near the end of class, we repeat: I am happy. I am well. Many times until it becomes a part of us. Then we change it to another emotion of their choosing, like I am sad, but I am well. And do several other emotions. We learn that emotions are like clouds passing in the sky. They change constantly. But no matter how emotional we get, we are always safe and well deep inside.

Perceptive little Rosie has been using the mantra in her life as a way to comfort herself in times when she is scared. Like when she was nervous about joining a dance class, repeating I am scared, but I am well helped her get her courage up to move forward a few steps into class. Or as a tool for self-reflection and self-awareness, for example while riding home from a busy day she could reflect on all the different emotions she and her family felt that day.

But when her mom told me she was using it even to help her feel better when she was itchy from the mosquito bites, I am itchy but I am well, I had to exclaim, "that is brilliant! I need to do that!"

You see, our family just got back from camping for over a week in the bush. I not only had lots of bug bites, but a mild case of poison ivy and poison oak turned bad and spread everywhere after I scratched it. My whole body was in a constant state of itch and I was NOT WELL.

But darn it, if Rosie could do it, I could do it. And why wasn't I saying this mantra more in my life? It is very helpful, and yet here I am not doing it in my life at all. Geez, I am the one who made it up! Suddenly, I am feeling like such a pathetic teacher. You know, the one who is all talk and no action. Do as I say, not as I do. I am sure I am that parent in many cases too.

Teaching how yoga helps sharpen your mind

It is really a wake up call for me as a teacher. 

I feel like I have been coasting on the spirituality, wisdom  and lessons learned in life and my practices before I became a parent. That means, for five years now, I feel like I have been coasting on my past merits!

Mind-o-mush and lazy ways begone! Enter more diligent mindfulness, more yoga and meditation practices, and practicing what I preach!

I've needed this wake up call for quite some time. Funny, after so many years of teaching adults, it only took a few months of teaching kids to get this wake up call! Thanks to the perceptive, precocious little Rosie!

It also reaffirms my belief that yoga is so powerful to children if you can just suck em in and get them to open up to it even for an instance.

And it restores my faith in yoga as a way to help kids find more peace in their lives. Like the saying goes, if you give a man a fish....

If you tell a child to be quiet, there may be peace for minutes 
But if you teach that child some yoga, they may find a way toward inner peace for life.

Samantha

P.S. I am still itchy, but I am well.

Singing Mantras to Kids: Gayatri Part 2

My four-year-old son surprised me today by singing the full gayatri mantra while playing around on the toy piano. I didn't realize he picked up the whole mantra - nevermind with decent pronunciation and rhythm.

What really blew me away was the sweetness and light that seem to pour out of him. 

It made me tear up a bit. I managed to record him singing it immediately after, albeit a little shyly, but listen as he gets silly with it in the last round, letting his spirit shine. (I *love* his silly voice). Excuse my head-cold attempt of singing it back to him kirtan style in the middle.

Children and the ease at which their light shines just simply amazes me. A lot of the times it takes nothing at all to let their natural light shine out. Put on some music, let them dance. Give them the materials to create and unique artworks are manifested direct from their spirit. Or just ignore them a little, let them get into their zone and there you got it, children running around sparkling everywhere dazzling up your home!

Other times, I believe, that they might like a little challenge, or need a little bit of learning to give them the tools so they can run with it, lifting them up to a new level of experimentation in which to shine their light.

For children as young as my son, I wouldn't recommend pushing anything on them. Let them learn what they want to learn. Figure out what they are interested in and try to engage them in a way that they can learn - make if fun or maybe they need it to seem sophisticated and grown up. Whatever works. Try giving them a few tools.

I have to say, I love that my son wanted to learn this song on his own accord. That is what makes it so sweet. It manifested from within, and so it radiates back out.

And if you think we are a very serious family over here, let me tell you we surely are not. As much as we embrace spiritual authenticity and try to teach our kids as much as they want to learn about the spiritual paths we are on, we are equally and directly oppositely as silly, free and fun.

For example, immediately after recording this Gayatri mantra sequence, our next track was called, "Monstertrucks and Popcorn." Don't think we'll release that one any time soon!

Further Reading
Singing Mantras to Kids - Gayatri Part 1: read about my discoveries two weeks ago after I started singing the Gayatri Mantra to my son before bed. Includes more about the Gayatri mantra. 

Singing Mantras to Kids When Sick: Medicine Buddha Mantra

The Medicine Buddha (image credit)

Last week, my son woke up in the middle of the night in a state of panic because he was wheezing, chest tight, having difficulties breathing.

As any yogi knows, the breath is so intimately connected with ones state of mind. When the mind is erratic and stressed, so is the breath. The sooner one can calm their mind, the sooner their breath will slow and deepen.

This is exactly what my son needed to do - take deep slow breaths. But he couldn't. He was too stressed, and locked in "fight or flight mode" with his heart racing, endorphin pumping through his blood, less and less oxygen coming in. ACK!

So I worked my mom magic to get him calmed down, and together we laid in bed while I sang to him. He loves me singing to him before he goes to sleep. Even to the point of wanting to leave a special night out early so I will still sing to him {melt}.

Tonight I decided to sing some mantras to him while he tried to stay calm and breath despite the obvious discomfort and noise. I find mantras easy to sing over and over again, and I don't get as bored with them as our regular lullabies. As I wrote about previously, I sung many Gayatri Mantras. He connected to this as he has been trying to get the second and third verses so I think it helped to calm his "rational" brain.

Then I sung some of my favorite mantra - the Medicine Buddha mantra. I used to practice the full sutra at my temple in Toronto, under the guidance of Rinpoche. He gave regular Medicine Buddha empowerments to help strengthen the power of the mantra for those who wished to practice it.

The practice of Medicine Buddha, the Supreme Healer (or Sangay Menla in Tibetan) is not only a very powerful method for healing and increasing healing powers both for oneself and others, but also for overcoming the inner sickness of attachment, hatred, and ignorance, thus to meditate on the Medicine Buddha can help decrease physical and mental illness and suffering.  (Source)

When I sing it now I am transported back to my beloved Riwoche Tibetan Buddhist temple, with its beautiful golden statues shining in front of me, and the pure light of Rinpoche beside me.  Above me, when I chant I visualize the Medicine Buddha himself - lapis lazuli in color, right hand in the mudra of supreme generosity holds an arura. His left hand in meditation mudra holds a begging bowl.

His sits on a lotus flower in the Buddha Field and his light rains down onto me. The light from his body combines with the healing nectar from his bowl pours down onto me like honey hitting my head. As I continue to chant his mantra - Tadyata Om Bekandze Bekandze Maha Bekandze Radza Samung-gate Soha - I turn into the Medicine Buddha himself. My voice purifies the air and all who are around me.

The Medicine Buddha (image source)

I stop and my son keeps requesting that I keep singing. I ask what he wants to hear and its the mantras. You sure, no twinkle twinkle little star, or rock a bye baby,  I say. But all's I get is a clear definite no, so I keep going. For hours in fact, listening to his labored breath us both half asleep, I lay there with him singing mantras and sending healing love hoping he falls into a peaceful sleep. Eventually we do, and he wakes up better, but still with a chest cold sounding like croup. But his breathing is definitely better, and I am so thankful.

HEARING THE MANTRA: 

Here is a recording of two Khenpo Rinpoches singing the Medicine Buddha chant. It is a different melody than I learned. The melodies differ according to your linage and teacher.

Here is a clip of me singing the Medicine Buddha mantra how I learned it, according the my teacher, Ven. Khenpo Sonam Rinpoche. (Just a sleepy audio clip from the wee hours in the morn)

VISUALIZATIONS:

"By visualizing yourself as the Medicine Buddha you are not pretending to be something that you are not, and that by visualizing the Medicine Buddha and his retinue in front of you, you are not pretending that they are in a place where they are not. By definition, buddhas are omniscient. Whenever someone thinks of them, brings them to mind, or supplicates them, they are aware of it and respond with their compassion and blessing...

In the final analysis, the situation is identical to their actually being present anywhere they are thought of. Therefore, it is always appropriate to regard a buddha that is present in one’s mind as actually being present in front of one. When you think that the Medicine Buddha, together with his retinue, is present in front of you, it is really true that they are."  Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche, Teachings on the Medicine Buddha Sadhana and Medicine Buddha Sutra.

Singing Mantras to Kids: Gayatri Part 1

The 5-faced and 10-armed
Goddess Gayatri who rules
over the five senses and
protects the sense of those
 who chant her mantra

Sing mantras to your little ones before bed. If it comes from your heart it may just replay itself through their dreams and show up unexpectedly.

Today I caught my 4-yr-old sweetly singing the gayatri mantra as he played by himself (and also heard him singing it while he pooped)!

The Gayatri Mantra:

AUM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAHA,

TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM

BHARGO DEVASAYA DHEEMAHI

DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAT.

Meaning:
Gayatri Mantra is known to be the foremost mantra in hinduism and hindu beliefs, and is known for inspiring wisdom. This mantra is based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda (3.62.10). Gayatri is a Sanskrit word, where Ga means to sing, Yatri means protection.

The meaning can be translated as,
"O thou existence Absolute, Creator of the three dimensions,
we contemplate upon thy divine light.
May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light.
May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction."


Om: The primeval sound
Bhur: the physical world
Bhuvah: the mental world
Suvah: the celestial, spiritual world
Thath: That; God; transcendental Paramatma
Savithur: the Sun, Creator, Preserver
Varenyam: most adorable, enchanting
Bhargo: luster, effulgence
Devasya: resplendent,supreme Lord
Dheemahi: we meditate upon
Dhiyo: the intellect,understanding
Yo: May this light
Nah: our
Prachodayath: enlighten,guide,inspire


Who is Gayatri?
The Goddness Gayatri is a consort of the God Brahma and the goddess of learning. Gayatri, the five-faced Goddess, is said to have domain over the five senses or pranas, and protects these five life-forces of those who chant the Gayatri Mantra.

Here is a beautiful version of the version of the Gayatri Mantra sung in the traditional fashion in North India: