Presence in Parenting

Today we start the "Presence in Parenting" series on this blog. Over the next few weeks women from around the world will guest post on the blog. They will discuss, tell stories, and hopefully inspire to ways of being present as a parent in today's society.

Is presence the same as living by your children's rules? Is it giving in to every little demand that the little cutie pies come up with? Is it the same as playing with your child all day? What does "Presence in Parenting" mean?

I know that mindfulness is by some called the new black - I was told the other day at a session, I love that expression. : ) To be mindful has been used as a pill to bring peace, be more effective and you name it. But it means awareness. Ha... well is that it... awareness? It does not mean to be something that you are not, it is to be aware of what is in this moment, without judgement.

So can we be mindful parents, just as we are? And can we come from all over the world, with all of our different stories, live in our different relationships, and religions? We can, and I belive that the world is in need of being where we are with the people we have brought into this world... To be aware, with whatever is. To show up in our lives instead of always in the future or past.

I am truly grateful for those of you willing to share. Thank you. We will post the stories twice a week.

Please comment, and share and if you would like to post please write me.

xo

Book fetishism... or something.

Today I had lunch with a good friend in the making. Great food, delicious chai and conversation. A set up that can only make you happy. After lunch we went to the international book cafe Books & Company in Copenhagen. For the last few years I have bought all of my books on amazon, no offence amazon but it just isn't the same as walking in to a real bookstore. When I walk into a book store, I just feel happy. The colors are amazing, the smell of new books, 1000s of people's knowledge, thoughts, creativity just sitting there waiting for me to be inspired.

Did anyone else watch "You've got mail" and afterwards want to open their own bookstore? What is it, that is so peaceful about books? What creates that feeling of depth in places where people read?

I spend way to much money, that I don't have, on books. But when it comes to reading all them I tend to fail. Some days there is just too much going on. Online, telefon, kids, relationships, TV all taking time. I miss the moments when I could get lost in a book, and be sad when it ended. I think that the trip today has created the need to curl up with a pot of tea and just read. So now which one of the 10000 books is it going to be? : )

Books bought this month:

Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, Dr. Christiane Northrup

Reconciliation - Healing the inner child, Thich Nhat Hanh

The Kindness Handbook, Sharon Salzberg

Birth Reborn, Michel Odent

Primal Health, Michel Odent

Buddha's Brain, Rick Hanson PH.D with Richard Mendius MD

Healing Trauma, Peter Levine

Hmmmmm... I think that is it.

Challenge of the week: Go to a real bookstore near you and just take in all of the colors, smells and inspiration. : ) Oh and maybe don't bring a creditcard.

It's important

It has been a while since the last post. I have been trying to find some direction in business, blogging and life. Well I found A direction and sticking to it for now. In the next few days I will have two articles come out... One in Elephant Journal and one on a Danish site called JuniorBusiness. Both are about presence in parenting. I am Sh*tting myself. I feel so strongly about the subject but also feel a little scared that people won't "like" them. So why are we (some of us) so afraid of not getting other peoples approval?  Why is it important? I am working on letting go, and will let go of the articles from my mailbox in a moment.

The reason why I want them out there, is to bring some attention to presence in parenthood. Create a talk about how do we slow down, and just be with our kids. Is there a lack of moments where we just are. Has the culture created a situation where we don't even know how be present anymore? And in that process I am showing my dirty laundry. Where I lack the ability to just be as a mother and I guess that is hard for me, still, to admit.

Starting April 4th there will be a series of women from around the world guest posting here on the blog. Sharing their thoughts, stories and tips about the subject. I hope you will join the talk, comment and read their awesome posts. I hope it will create food for thought, and maybe shift some focus in the way we do things right now. The world is in need of a little less doing and a little more being.

xox

The wonder broom

Do you know the feeling of repeatative movements having a calming effect on you? Or do you just feeling bored? : )

Working meditation is a part of a lot of mindfulness or vipassana retreats. Do you we bring the working meditation into our homes? Or are they tasks that just need to get done?

We are used to vaccuming a lot in this house. Little feet and hands everywhere and with that crumbs and food galore. I just bought a broom. I find it very calming to sweep my floor. It was my way of turning an annoying mess into a little meditation practice. It is peacful compared to the vacumcleaner and the only time I really like to vacum is when I hear dirt going down the tube... is that just me?

To go with the broom my partner bought a power hoop... repeatative (painful) movement that I am still trying to find the calming in using.

Do things like that calm you down? Knitting, sewing, rowing any other -ing?

“How to make 5 mill. by grinding your teeth...”

Using social media is rather new to me. I have had my personal facebook page for a long time, but never thought to go full on with it for my business. Diving into it was just out of curiousity. I have been a bit overwhelmed by it the past few weeks. For several reasons... I’ll get to them in a minute. One important thing for me, was how do I stay authentic and still go about in the fast and quick fix world of social media? I found out there are A LOT of answers to that question. I have very high expectations regarding my work. Morally, ethically and quality wise. I work hard. I can’t stand that I have started a course too soon in the past, or if I know that someone feels that they aren’t getting what they wanted from me. I try my best to give my all, when I teach, and give a big part of me everytime. I spend most of my time reading, researching, meditating and often way too much time. I just feel that it is my duty when I teach what I do. It doesn’t come from a place of selfpromoting, or wanting to be the best at everything, but from somewhere in me that sees no other way of doing it. I am working on lightening up a bit...  : )

The important part for me is that I am honest, that the people who give me money know who I am and what I stand for. I am not trying to be an expert, talk in weird fraises because that’s what some masters do, let my language clean up totally because that promotes inner peace, look as if I have been touched my an angel all day even though my morning started with my little cutie pie headbutting me in total rage. I am working hard on being real.

So... I joined the social media world in my search, and I am amazed how good people are selling their products. I have been bombarded with experts telling me how to do this and that to become an expert, guru or 1st lady... in 10 easy ways of course. Adding up the all the 10 ways, I am now trying to wrap my head around 1000000 ways to become succesful, beautiful, rich, fabulisious and stay authentic. When what I really want is to be me, and for someone to see that maybe, just maybe that is enough... to be yourself.

I am sticking to social media because I have found a lot of people who are interesting. I am going slow down a bit again, and remind myself that I am actually already doing enough and going to go back to being for a bit, and that is truly authentic.

Have you ever been caught up in all the offers online? And forgotten what you already know?