As parents we strive to the best of our ability to raise our children to have happy lives that are inevitably built on self-esteem and confidence. We realize in adulthood how childhood is of crucial importance for a flourishing professional, social and emotional lives. So we put pressure on ourselves as parents, but is that really necessary?
Teaching values such as respect and politeness to our children, letting them learn the path of knowledge through going to school and also countless cultural and sporting activities which we organise, however, is the path not of the child but of the parent who wants to be perfect.
We have to prepare our children for a world that is expanding fast and is constantly accelerating, an increasingly complex and competitive environment that today presents us with challenges of an unprecedented scale due to global warming acceleration and its share of consequences on the living, and on the human beings. So let’s face it, this world scares us and our role as a good parent is more than ever put to the test.
We ourselves are so caught up in these ever-accelerating lives that we sometimes lack perspective and instead do what we have always done, but with the added stress of accomplishing it faster and faster. Being in constant action reassures us, we act so we think we can do the maximum, the best. This frenzied pace of us and our society is also imposed on our children. From the beginning to the end of the day, they are finding themselves in constant action and stimulation, keeping busy by learning how to become the perfect children and waiting to take over the torch of modern life.
I do not have the solution for the problems of tomorrow, but I’m sure that continuing to run in the same direction, repeating the same actions as we have for years with no end and thinking the same way will lead us straight into a wall. We must relearn how to take our time, to stop, to contemplate, to feel, to marvel, to love, and to just be.
The greatest gift we can offer to our precious treasures, our children, is to let them be, to give them the free time they need and to guide them to their inner richness, where their deep nature and unique gifts lie dormant, to help them find their self-confidence and self-esteem.
As a mother, I first had to learn to stop myself and just to be. The transition from a state of being to another is not easy, especially when my strategy has always been to act, do and be on the run. One day, life put yoga on my path (read my article “The first step towards my new life”) and in a subtle, determined and effective way, its rich practice and philosophy expanded my whole being, chasing away the torments of daily life and making room for my inner light which wanted to grow and flourish.
I am cured of this constant over-activity, overconsumption, over-stimulation. And because of that I changed careers ( read my article “From dream to reality”). Yoga taught me to reconsider my values and pushed me to become a better mom, a loving one who welcomes her children and helps them find their uniqueness through patience and love.
Because what I discovered in yoga is beautiful and created something magical on a physical, mental and emotional level, I decided to dedicate my time to young and old alike and accompany them to find their inner being, the spark within that can grow to become a beautiful and luminous flame that blossoms in self-confidence and self-esteem, to help it shine forward and transform the world around us into an immense fire of mindfulness.
If my story resonates with you and the little spark was kindled while reading, I invite you to discover my Zen for Monday workshops for yourself and my Wednesday Yoga & Fun for Kids for your children.
