TIPS 46-48: The Borg, Halloween, and the Oak Tree

MEDITATION PRACTICE FOR MOMS AND DADS, Tip #46: Remember the Borg? Those big, bad mammajammas in Star Trek: The Next Generation that would find you, no matter where you were in the four quadrants of intergalactic space, and declare ominously: "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile." Of course, Picard and crew valiantly fought for their individual identities, as would any of us under such circumstances. But the spiritual path is not the same. It's more like: "I am here, waiting for you at Home, with a depth of peace, love, and understanding that is beyond a single, individual mind's comprehension, that is your birthright. Whenever you wish to stop resisting, you'll get here." And yet, so many of us still fight this call in the name of this concept of "individuality" or "self-identity" as if that gentle beckoning were from a Borg cubed spaceship, terrified that we will be overtaken if we "let go." Ironically, when one lets go to the fictional Borg, one gets outfitted in a heavy robotic suit and can barely walk. When one lets go to the true reality of the Universe, one soars weightlessly, without burdens. Live long and prosper.

MEDITATION PRACTICE FOR MOMS AND DADS, Tip #47: When one becomes a parent, one begins an adventure of awareness that is keenly connected to one or more other deeply feeling beings. It's not "all about you" anymore. The choices you make for yourself, like embarking on a meditation practice, making earth-friendly choices, and more, become that much more important to the open-hearted beings you steward. This living, loving practice includes how much Halloween candy you choose to gorge yourself on. At least, show some discretion as to which brands of candy you totally pig out on, throwing in great memories from your childhood, with a few wise words between gooey, chewy, blissfully chocolatey mouthfuls about enjoying the experience without guilt, even though the rest of the year even one piece would drive you into a "teaching moment" about how refined sugar and cheap chocolate causes rotting teeth and pimples and is destroying the planet and promoting unfair economical practices, etc. The next morning, practice mindful quiet sneak-walking when removing a scrumptious York Peppermint Patty from your kids' Halloween basket, and appreciate every secret bite as you eat it for breakfast, throwing in a few childlike giggles between chews.

 MEDITATION PRACTICE FOR MOMS AND DADS (which is essentially everyone since we all care for others along this path), TIP #48: The next time you are terrifically stressed out because you are late for the orthodontist or unable to get to soccer on time because you cant find your daughter any clean socks or... (insert everyday stressor here)... stop for a moment, breathe deeply, and consider the oak tree outside, the air it exchanges life-giving gases with, the clouds that will sooner or later congregate to feed it water. It is unconcerned with dirty socks and missed appointments. And yet it grows, indescribably beautiful, calm, and upward, and will continue to do so even thirty years from now, when you are worried about being late for your geriatric checkup.