5 things you can do as a full time mum to maintain Spiritual Practice.
We tend to think that in order to fulfill our spiritual practices, we need a lot of self-care time. Or simply - time for “ourselves”. But when it comes to having that time taken away, or being very limited, how can one stay on a spiritual path & connection?
No group of society knows this better than mothers. Not only are their outer obligations attached to their children, but their minds are too. So even when they do get a chance to close their eyes and meditate, is it difficult for the mind to detach from the child.
I personally got a hard hit of this after having my daughter Bhuvaneshwari. From having a career based around spiritual study teaching and meditation - I was soon unable to even make those practices for personal practice.
Initially, I was heartbroken about this. Confused, and even regretful and resentful about the path that I had chosen in motherhood. But I soon realised that there must be a reason, and also a way, that I can make motherhood the spiritual practice I used to do in isolation.
My daughter is 2yrs old next month, and II finally feel confident to write an article like this with the tips I have been implementing in remaining with spiritual practice, despite only having 1hr to myself a day! And I am glad to say that they have and are working really well for me.
I hope by sharing these it will help other mothers too :)
Start a small study of Bhagavad Gita chapter 3 Karma Yoga - which is the Supreme knowledge of how to spiritualise your action. This might be reading from a commentary you resonate with, or listening to a youtube talk as you wash the dishes in the evening.
Keep spiritual pocket books around the house - read a few inspiring sentences a day when you can. I keep a pocket book of Yogananda’s sayings by the sofa and every morning I try to quickly read a saying whilst Bhuvi is momentarily distracted with her toys. This is not always possible, but when it is, it really makes a difference to how I start the day.
Mental japa. When doing tasks - see if you can mentally jap with a chosen syllable or name of a Higher Power that resonates with you. Cooking, cleaning, bathing, taking the bins out… you may think it is impossible to do your action and still jap at the same time but you’ll be surprised - you will actually be more conscious and perform the task with more focus and awareness.
Bring devotional songs into the care of the child. As a baby I would sing many of the cosmic chants by Yogananda to put Bhuvi to sleep. You can also use them in the day or as an activity involving musical instruments! Be creative - chanting and singing brings energy to the heart and lifts us. It will shift the energy of the room, and all involved.
In the rare times of having a good amount of spare time for spiritual practice, I would place meditation and techniques of concentration as most important. It is always good to try with effort, to meditate - even if it turns out to be “unsuccessful” i.e the baby wakes up or the kids need you. Thats okay, What is most important is that you tried and made a spiritual effort.
Remember - all action when spiritualised has the effect of purifying the mind - preparing it for higher knowledge and spiritual realisation. So even if you feel you do not have that time like you used it - the action you are being called to do can still carry the same merit as an hour on the mat :)
Do you have any other tips? I would love to hear from you!
Drop me an e-mail at mail@sva-ha.com
Naina x