Parenting, I believe, is a blessing that gives us the opportunity to extend human life, nurture it and orient spiritual being to the energies of the human body. These tasks are best accomplished with the objective of allowing spirit and body to consciously experience the joy of being one together. To do this, parents need to be consciously vigilant of both their children and their own thoughts and actions in respect to them. Who the parents are so are their children likely to model physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

An important consideration about parenting is being a spirit-body in society. Our society tends not to concern itself with this state of being. Rather it is oriented to the physical aspects of living, such as, the safety and survival needs of its citizens and its own. Society allows its members to believe and express their spirituality through religious institutions. It does not permit spirituality to be a part of its decision making function.

Society has been placing increasing demands on its members to accept and dedicate themselves to the institutions it establishes that maintain its existence. In response its citizens have been increasing their activities in order to gain status, power and money. Such are the rewards society gives to those who can comply. The demands can be overwhelming. The more energy is spent accumulating rewards the less energy people have to concern themselves with the reality that we are also spiritual beings. Being aware of spirituality can be perceived by society as a threat because it will raise people's consciousness. Consequently people will scrutinize many of society's practices.

The nature of society has much to do with parenting. As parents loose awareness of their spiritual selves they also loose it for their children. And as societies demands on its people increase, its institutions take on more of the parenting role. Institutions tend to make servants of society as it does their parents.

Another important consideration about parenting is that our egos want us to exclusively live in the realm of the physical and in an energetically unbalanced manner in order for then to maintain supremacy over us. Those of you familiar with the charkas know that a very large majority of people is enmeshed in issues and afflictions resulting from dysfunctions of the 3 lower charkas. The energies of these chakras have to do with the orientation and development of the self in the physical world. Restricted in this way we are prevented from evolving our spirit-body nature through the more spiritually oriented of the other 4 charkas.

As you can surmise there is a strong correlation between the needs of society and those of the ego. It seems very likely the ego created society as a way to propagate itself. Awareness of this association is necessary in order to begin freeing ourselves from ego and societal directed living that perpetuates dysfunction from one generation to the next.

I believe the spirit-body, when fully conscious, is in balance and unlimited in potential. Then, the dreams about "being" that the spirit brings into the union can be realized in cooperation with the physical abilities of the body. This coherence is the stuff of creativity. Balance and potential are true treasures that parents need to assist their children in launching and to keep clear and dear in their lives. Think about the possibilities if children could grow up in a world of wonder: knowing they can create with their bodies what they know in spirit, without the need for so much preoccupation with the businesses of competition and survival - acts of spirit-body fulfillment.

To do this it is best that those who parent be in touch with their own power as spirits in body. If this level of consciousness does not exist it can be recaptured from the layers of conditioning, limiting beliefs and fears that the ego and society weave so to control us.

It is only when the spirit-body union is consciously active in us that it can exist in society. Following are some suggestions to help you know why you do what you do with your life; and thereby move you towards becoming a fully conscious person and parent.

1.Take a survey of the major goals you have accomplished in your life. For each goal answer the following: what are the reasons it became important to you? What gave you more satisfaction, the act of fulfilling it or the rewards and recognition you received for its accomplishment.

2. What goals are you working on now? Answer the questions above about them.

3. What are some major expectations you have for your children? Which of these have to do with physical matters? Which have to do with their spiritual development?

4. Imagine living in a world without limitations such as money and rules. What goals, respective of your highest ideals, would you like to accomplish in such a life.

5. Considering such a limitless world how would you like your children to live their lives.

"You are what you eat". Contemplate this statement. It says a lot. It implies, particularly, to be mindful of what food you put into your mouth. If you acknowledge that food is an important source of body energy; then we need to have it from as pure a source as possible. The more natural the food the better it is. The less chemical processes and additives contained in food the better it is. The less time elapses between the harvesting of food products and their consumption the better it is.

Below are some common sense reminders about food:

 

1. Eat food that is grown organically and locally.

2. Tantalize your taste buds, eat food you grow yourself.

3. Eat at home as much as possible.

4. Prepare your own meals with love and care and loving yourself and those with whom you share the table.

5. Eat pleasurably but not simply for pleasure. Be mindful of the nutrients your body needs.

6. When eating out look for restaurants that pride themselves for the quality and freshness of their ingredients and the cleanliness of their facilities.

Frank Vircillo
Hypnotherapy Unlimited