In western culture, the popularity of Buddhism is increasing rapidly. Nowadays, many Americans follow the path of Buddha to have peace in their life. Certain principles of Buddhism have entered the Western culture that teaches people how to become good parents says Jonah Engler. The ideas of compassion, Zen, and mindfulness are some of the most important key principles of Buddhism. But do you know the inner meaning of these concepts?
When you incorporate the principles of Buddhism into your life, you will be calmer and more peaceful in your life. From solving relationship problems to overcoming parenting challenges, your entire perspective regarding parenting will be changed when you go through the principles of Buddhism. You will get to experience all the emotions without reactivity.
Here are some essential Buddhist-inspired principles you should know that will help you in your parenting journey.
Remember that Stable Mind is a Powerful Mind
As per Buddhism, your life will constantly evolve. Where you are now today won’t be the same tomorrow. Due to this reason, the stability of life doesn’t come from the external circumstances of life. But the stability of life comes from the methods we relate to the circumstances that are constantly changing. We are the only ones responsible to choose how you can cultivate a stable mind.
Most people go through different stages of mental state. Sometimes, people use the terms “good” or “bad” when they face the rise and fall of their mental state due to different aspects of life. Love from your daughter is good, but being stuck in the traffic for hours is bad. Buddhism will encourage you to fulfill all the events with the same equanimity. Not to mention, you will be able to provide yourself with a proper sense of mind control and power. Upon remodeling the principles, you can also teach your kids to follow the path of Buddhism. If you want to develop a stable mind, you need to practice mediation.
Incorporate the Concept of Impermanence into Your Life
In human culture, most people don’t like the idea of changing. This is because people assume that change is painful and bad. People prefer consistency, routine, and habit. However, the wisdom of Buddhist notion tells that all things are in constant motion, impermanent, and extension.
Jonah Engler says that death is a part of life. All living things must die. No one is immortal in this world. Life and death are simply a natural cycle of the Universe. You can teach this perspective to your kids not as a scary thing, but by showcasing the natural cycle of life. Give them real-life examples such as apples rotting, flowers wilting, or leaves falling from the trees in autumn.
Instead of fearing the change, you need to accept change so that you can move on and grow in your life. You should teach your kids that change is a natural and inevitable process of life. Every day is unique and different. This is why you need to view gratitude as the opposite of entitlement.
Cope Up With Anxiety
Anxiety will always be a part of your life. It doesn’t matter how much you meditate, you cannot remove anxiety from your life completely. Buddhists know that due to the impermanence of life, the underlying anxiety will always exist. However, you should not view anxiety as a negative sign in life. Anxiety is one of the most common experiences that will help humans stay alive in an impermanent world. Therefore, when you experience anxiety, this is not a sign that you need to fix something in your life or your child’s life. Anxiety is one of the most common emotions every human feels. However, the suffering from anxiety will be decreased when you accept and acknowledge it.
Pay Close Attention to the Emotions of Your Child
When you incorporate different aspects of Buddhism into your life, you will realize how beneficial the process is for your mental and physical health. Buddhism will encourage you to pay close attention to the fluctuations of life. You should also notice what the fluctuations are all about. This is why you cannot differentiate emotions as they are neither good nor bad. Buddhists recognize emotions as a part of their life. They know that emotions are one type of message with information about the exact moment of life.
When you know that emotions come and go, you will be able to teach your kids to control emotions in the best possible way. They will have to experience the emotion to get control over it. Parents should not obstruct this process by changing their feelings.
Trust That Your Child is Resilient
You will face disappointment and loss in your everyday life cycle. Nowadays, many parents protect their children from various life complications and difficulties. This is an instinct of the parents. However, Jonah Engler says that parents should let their children struggle safely.
Safe struggles can be everything from setbacks and disappointments around friends, games, chores, homework, sibling conflicts, etc. When you allow your kid to struggle, you will be able to enhance their problem-solving skills. Not to mention, they will be able to gather the courage to face life situations. They can solve various problems without taking your help.
There is a great quote by Shanti Deva, one of the most famous Buddhist teachers of the 18th century. He said that when you walk on the Earth, your feet might get cut. You can either lay down leather or hides of the leaves or you can use something to wrap around your feet.
When the parents try to protect their children from a life’s complicated life lessons, they are directly decreasing the opportunities for character development of the children. Make sure your children overcome the obstacles all by themselves. They might experience sorrow or anger, but you should let them suffer for a while to develop their natural resilience.
Conclusion
These are some important life lessons parents should learn from Buddhism says Jonah Engler. Buddhism is undoubtedly beneficial for both you and your children. What are your thoughts? Make sure you comment below to let us know.