Recap:

• Whatever way we live will be impressed upon our child; so we need to have the right relationship with “stuff”. 
• Focus on our relationship with our children rather than regulating them. 
• Contentment is the opposite of Attachment → Fear → Anger/Annoyance 
• Without likes/dislikes, our mind is quiet 
• Feeling “I do” is an expression of the Ego.

How to practice Vairagya (Contentment) and Anahankara (Surrender)?

1. E.A.T: Enjoy Alone Time: Create alone time everyday and enjoy it. 
2. Give more virtues without expecting reciprocation.
3. Work on deserving less from our actions: When kids are demanding, don’t expect them to obey because we are doing so much for them. 
4. Remember how many others help us in caregiving: reduces the sense of separation - goes from “me and my” to “we” and eventually, “HE”.

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Recap:

• Focus on the ends (to feel light), not the means (e.g. being fixated on cleaning a certain way etc.)
• When you want to commit to something, reflect on its utility. Once we know the utility, it is easy to commit. 
• The greatest utility is to be happy (independently joyous). When we are happy, everything seems easier.

How to practice Atma Vinigraha (Direction)?

1. Practice pushing back on ego, experiences, equipments so that we are left only with that which is deep (awareness).
2. Thought level: Remember that we are trying our best, we are also children, with another parent with greater responsibility than us. 
3. Word level:  Do not react to words; being quiet helps us respond more thoughtfully. 
4. Action level:. Do not be controlled by comparison; more choices (vacations, homes, jobs etc.) leads to more comparison. 

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Recap:

• Discipline or cleanliness in our external world (clean body), naturally leads to discipline in our inner world (clean mind).
• Shaucha can also be described as being Organized. This leads us towards inner purity from outer cleanliness and helps us be more objective about our responsibilities.
• In our culture, from the age 0-23, we should train ourselves and nurture Vrata Samyama (Commitment). From the age 24-47, we should nurture Kriya (Responsibility). From the age 48 onwards, we should train ourselves in Seva (Service)

How to practice Shaucha (Diligence) and Sthairya (Commitment)?

1. Simplify lifestyle. The less we have to manage, the easier it is to be organized.
2. Understanding. When we understand our responsibilities, we will be unaffected by likes and dislikes. 
3. Learn/Debrief to learn. Learning from every experience, helps us be committed and keeps one interested in learning from that expereince.

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Recap:

• We are more authentic when we are less annoyed with ourselves and others. 
• Adapt ourselves functionally, not fundamentally, i.e. change how we communicate (i.e. respectful towards parents, careful towards children, casual towards siblings).
• Acharya is one who leads themselves; they are unique. Upasana is to sit near one who is dedicated in a certain field. 
• Role models are those we think about all the time. As you associate, so you think, so you become.

How to practice Acharya Upasana (Dedication)?

1. Be careful. Care fully about ourselves, how we lead our lives and treat others around us. 
2. Practice living independently. Enjoy our own company more, without depending on other people’s validation.  
3. Label less. Be less judgemental of ourselves, our experiences and others.

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Recap:

• Two qualities that attract us to others are depth and authenticity.
• When stuck with too many priorities, check that we are working harder and smarter. Reflect on what kind of person we want to be and whether our path is leading us there.
• Invest in some alone time every day so that we begin to have faith that we are not alone and Bhagavan is always with us.
• Negative emotions are useful only if they propel us to be better. Think long-term.

How to practice Arjava (Authenticity)?

• Follow your own advice in all spaces at all times. If we are not following the path of “rightness” consistently, we are imposters.
• Model behaviour we want to see in others.
• Share based on practicality. When discussing topics such as death or mental illness, do so in a way that pushes the other person a little bit out of their comfort zone. For example, talk about change instead of death (i.e. if you depend on that which changes, you will not be happy). Be patient. 

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

During Week 7, we pursued Virtue #4: Kshanti (Forgiveness) to understand that as children of the Divine, it is natural for us to make mistakes and when we do, forgiveness is the path to growth.

Recap:

• To change behaviour, we should choose education, not shaming. A guru helps us learn how to practice values.
• If we didn’t make mistakes, we will all be Achutha (one who never makes mistakes) like Shri Krishna. We are not there yet, so practice forgiveness as Bhagavan is looking for reasons to forgive us.
• The closer we are to someone, the more chance there is for conflict. Hence we need more compassion, forgiveness.

How to practice Kshanti (Forgiveness)?

• In the Past: When we forgive, it is a form of nurturing peace so that we can grow.
• In the Present: When others make mistakes, focus on their intentions, not implementation. Be less impacted by the implementation if the relationship is important to us.
• In the Future: When we forgive, we lead by example. Others will do the same, making life easier for all. 

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

This week, we pursued Virtue #3: Ahimsa (Sensitivity). 

Here is the recap from our October 10 satsang:

• Ahimsa is one of the most important values to convert to a virtue.
• Typical meanings of Ahimsa are non-violence, non-harming, non-injury. We define Ahimsa as Sensitivity or non-harming.
• Whatever we don’t identify with, there is a greater chance or propensity to cause or inflict harm there. Example - If we don’t identify with animals, there is a greater chance we will use animals for clothing, beauty products, etc. If we identify with animals, we will most likely not harm them.
• If we identify only with our bodies (hair, body weight, BMI etc.), then we will only care for the bodies of the people we are caring for. 
• When we realize that we are more than the body and that we are the mind also, then we can care about another’s mind as well.

How to practice Ahimsa (Sensitivity)? 

1. Practice Swadhyaya: Engage in self-reflection to know oneself and identify  with our own minds. This naturally will make us sensitive to the harm we could cause to others. 
2. Offer Quality over quantity: Invest in quality time, quality experiences and quality interactions to become more sensitive. 

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Here is the recap from our September 19 satsang:

- We are seekers first, parents second. Let us not be complacent in caregiving. Our context should not make us lose our cheer. 

- Our relationships with our children are more important than how they behave; choose battles that are focused on significant matters. 

- One who depends on pride (mana), is egotistical (abhimana). It is easy to offend/insult such people (apamana). 

- Being egotistical gives us a strong sense of doership or controllership. Doership leads to deservership (expectation that others must obey us). 

- Obedience comes from the need for respect (can only be earned, not demanded). The more respect we offer, the more we receive. Respect leads to acceptance. 
 

How to practice Amanitva (Humility)? 

1. Be self-reflective on our own blueprints / vasanas. When we reflect that there are millions of doers in shaping the personality of our children, it makes us feel less controlling. 

2. Be self-forgiving so that we evolve from our mistakes. When we translate our anger or self-loathing into action, only then it is useful. 

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Recap from our October 3 satsang:

• Only special parents can care for special children, because they are aligned with the needs of those children.
• We need to reframe our experiences so that we are Seekers first, then parents. 
• To grow out of pursuing success and into pursuing Joy (Shreya), we need to take the path of most resistance. Convert these 20 values into virtues. 
• Only if we practice being Joyous, we can share this Joy with all those that we care for. 
• When we accept our own unique personalities and those of others, then we will not waver from this pursuit/practice of Joy (even if we are attacked). 

How to practice Adambhitva (Integrity)? 

1. Identify the ideal we want to be governed by: Idealize who we can be, one ideal at a time.
2. Harmonize our thoughts, words, actions: Not harmonizing makes us hypocrites, so reflect on how we can harmonize towards this ideal.

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Want to attend Parenting Culture live on Zoom? Sign up to join our (free) weekly CommUnity by parents and for parents. The CommUnity includes:

• Inspiration weeks with discourse by Vivekji, dynamics (group reflection activities), and dialogue (open space for questions and answers)
• Self-reflection weeks with guided reflection, facilitated with a companion workbook
• Whatsapp group for sharing and discussing amongst parents

For those on the journey of self-development, Chinmaya Mission Niagara provides a community forum to listen, reflect, and contemplate. This podcast is produced by evolving adults of Chinmaya Mission, an international non-profit organization working to transform individuals through the knowledge of Vedanta.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more updates about upcoming live workshops, courses, and more!

About Parenting Culture: Season 2023-24

Buckle up, fellow parents! Our Parenting Culture is gearing up for life changing ride in the coming year, and it's all about "Solving Parenting Challenges with Ancient Wisdom.” We look forward to being inspired by Vivekji as our guide with lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and more. Here's the secret sauce: To be better caregivers, we've got to start by tuning up ourselves first. The more we understand ourselves, our life's mission, and spruce up our virtues. the better we can show our mini-me's the ropes to discovering their potential. It's like we're turning into life coaches for our kids! We'll tackle the hurdles of modern parenting with a three-part plan: tweaking what we do, how we feel, and what we think. It's like going from fixing a squeaky door to renovating the whole house, one step at a time. So, get ready to embrace your inner parenting guru and join us for a year of adventure, laughs, and enlightenment!🚀🤩👨‍👩‍👧‍👦