About two years ago, I went into the bookstore hoping to find a book about meditation.  I had an interest for a long time, but did not know how to get started.  While in the meditation section, I came across today’s Wednesday Words of Wisdom choice for today.  It is called, Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali.

I was raised in a Catholic household.  Most of my childhood friends were raised Catholic.  If they were not Catholic, then they were Christians.  Finding a book about Buddhism was not a planned part of my spiritual path, but I do believe it was one I was destined to discover.

Buddhism for Mothers is not a religious conversion book.  It is an informational book about Buddhism and how using the practices can give a way for mothers to reconnect with themselves.  The book provides support for mothers to become calmer and happier.

Sarah Napthali’s, Buddhism for Mothers, is written from her perspective.  She is a practicing Buddhist and a mother of two boys.

The book begins with an overview of Buddhism.  It also gives a history of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, born around 560 BC in the Himalayas.  It makes for interesting reading, for those of us who have never studied Buddhism, to learn the foundations.  I will not go into the details of Buddhism, but say the book does do a good job to help understand the Buddha’s teachings.

Buddhism for Mothers takes the reader on a journey.  It helps discover how to become a more peaceful parent.  Something I always need to work on.  Each chapter focuses on a topic to aid mothers in finding calm. Here are some of the chapter ideas:

Parenting Mindfully

Finding Calm

Dealing with Anger

Worrying About our Children

Creating Loving Relationships

Finding Happiness and Losing Our  Self-Image

Meditating

The chapter on meditation is very helpful.  Medical findings have long pointed to the positive effects of meditation on health.  Meditation helps to create a deep sense of calm and the puts the body in a state of balance.  The author provides clear guidelines on how to begin a meditation practice.  I found her descriptions informative and easy to follow.

This book taught me so many new terms: mindfulness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity and attachments.  Each term is defined and then examples are provided for better understanding.  All are explained within the Buddhism content.  There is much to learn, but this book provides a good beginning.

I use the practices of Buddhism daily.  I also, pray daily.  One valuable thing about this book, was learning I did not need to change my current religious ideas.  While I do not agree with all the teachings of Buddhism, I feel understanding it has benefited me.  Especially in my role as a mother.

Being open to new ideas and learning about other religious practices, is a personal goal of mine now.  This wonderful book opened my narrow view of how a mother is ‘supposed’ to behave.  It also provided me a strong foundation in meditation techniques.

Whatever your current religion, you may find this book to help provide ways of coping with the day-to-day challenges of motherhood.

Talk with you soon my friends.