Parenting: Full Impulse Self Development

Its true that for a lot of people the thought of becoming a parent is the antithesis of walking a spiritual path. It is a full time job, and requires a dedication of most of our time. How are we supposed to tap into our "Zen" a midst all of the consistent duties which are inherent with raising children? 

Well the truth is that being a parent is the "Full Impulse Self Development" path. In other words, the conditions of being a parent is the most direct means of learning the most about yourself, and therefore provide a wonderful opportunity to do the healing required to Evolve. Here are some of the things that will come to the surface;

• Past conditioning from your parents will shine through your own parenting. This is  perfect opportunity to heal and forgive your parents for any subconscious "grievances".
  
• Emotional Habits that have been designed over years of 'comfort'. How you responded with anger, fear, and frustration will not foster the concerted growth of you and your offspring.
  
• Your Old World Perspectives, or the way you saw the world when you only had to worry about yourself, will fall away. This will include relationships with others that were in harmony with that old world perspective, and goals that you thought at one time were important, will become irrelevant.
  
• Lower Mind impulses such as greed, selfishness, laziness, and vengeance will seem to intensify during some part of this process, as the Ego battles to remain the primary focus.

In addition to all of this, being a parent provides a fertile opportunity to develop all of the qualities which lead to greater spiritual understanding and demonstration. Patience, compassion, peaceful engagement, and quality demonstration are Essential when it comes to raising a child and developing spiritually. 

It is not necessary to 'separate' parenting from spiritual practice. In fact, if you think that's something you have to do then I would advise you re-evaluate your spiritual path. For our lives reflect back to us what we hold as Truth. 

Aum

Getting Back to the Basics

How utterly exhausting it can be finding one's "path". By path I mean, our general direction and mode of travelling through life. What we carry with us, what we maintain in our consciousness, what we strive to achieve, and so on. 

In my own experience, I've dedicated a fair chunk of my life "paradigm hopping"; never satisfied with what was considered "truth" and "the way". And after over a decade of study and practice in several practices, philosophies, and cosmologies, its become clear to me that there is a consistent template which has always been present in whichever particular subject I was studying at the time.

This template can be colored anyway a person likes, and is found in almost every major religion and spiritual philosophy on the planet. Its truly the "link" which binds them all together, and lies as the true motivation of any real spiritual seeker and practitioner. 

The follow short list is what I consider to be "The Basics". These points are what make up the "backbone" of self development, and is open to varied manipulations of form, yet at the soul level must remain untouched as our guiding "Path". 

• Evaluating the nature of our thinking and the "thinker"; discerning between lower and higher Mind. Pursuing "Right Minded" thinking.
• Healing emotions. Specifically, determining the source and cause of negative emotions such as fear and anger; releasing them and clearing space for higher vibration emotions such as Love, Compassion, and Grace.
• Finding focus with the Mind. Learning to keep the mind centered and calm.
• Evolving our Perception; seeking to elevate our Altitude of Awareness; harmonizing with Higher Mind.
• Cultivating healthy habits and consistent spiritual practice with a focus on cultivating peace, patience, and prosperity.
• Developing mind-state of Philanthropy. Being at service to our fellow man. 

When I distill all of the different spiritual and religious teachings I have learned over the years, these seem to be the Constants. The goals behind the jargon, behind the words, behind the "message". 

Integrating these constants into our lives leads us to a heightened state of Being, where the mode of our living reflects more profound and pure intentions and aspirations. And it seems that such practices reflect a nature which is before and beyond the physical, the very soul of the Kosmos. 

The Universe "responds" to such a life practice, and good flows back to us, not as reward for our efforts but as demonstration of some primordial law of correspondence. 

Take a look at your own spiritual or religious practices, and see if you can find what the "true" motivations which lie at the heart of the tradition. Assess what You really want, and if your "path" is in harmony with it.