Parenting is a Spiritual Path
an Outer Path
an Inner Path
a Secret Path
There is no finish line.
Outer Journey
The Behaviors and Habitual Patterns
We begin with the outer world; the experiences, behaviors, struggles, and patterns that appear in everyday life.
Looking at our outer world can be horrifying. Our children’s behavior, our yelling in response. Being a parent is an ordeal! Once we face that fact, we can begin our work. Reality is raw, difficult, messy and sometimes, comical.
Instead of reacting or rushing to change what appears before us, we learn to slow down, observe, and become curious.
When we observe with openness and curiosity, what once seemed like a problem begins to reveal a deeper meaning.
Inner Journey
Remain present with whatever arises
As observation deepens, we begin turning inward.
We start noticing our emotional reactivity, our habitual patterns, and the ways the past continues to shape how we see ourselves, our children, others, and the world around us. (And we thought the outer layer was scary!)
Even though the journey inward may feel like we are traversing through thorn bushes, it is worth the bruises.
Rather than judging what arises, we learn to remain present with it; and through that presence, understanding begins to emerge.
Secret Journey
Wisdom is already yours
Over time, with conscious observation and brave acceptance, the separation between outer and inner begins to dissolve.
What appears outside of us and what moves within us are deeply connected.
Here in the secret layer, we learn to stop making everything so solid. Not every issue is the size of the Empire State Building! We must recognize this to live in the freedom of the secret layer. This is harder than we realize. We love to block ourselves.
As we learn to observe both our outer and inner layers clearly, we begin to recognize that the wisdom we were searching for was never somewhere else.
It was already here, waiting to be seen.
So funny! Why do we make life so difficult?!
