Buddhist Meditation

by Daphne V
(USA)

I am a struggling Buddhist. I meditate to calm my mind and relax my body.

It helps me manage a chronic medical condition I have. I gave it up for awhile because I have a young child and just never had 20-30 minutes of uninterrupted alone time.

Lately I have been trying to start up again when she is in school. My daughter is now five and she has always been interested in Buddhism. Her first word after "Ma ma" and "Da da" was Buddha. I kid not.

5 Year Old Meditator

I try to teach her basic ideas about it in a kid appropriate way. Recently I found her sitting next to a three foot high statue I have of Buddha in my front hall. She was up on the raised platform next to it in the full lotus position with her eyes closed and a very intense look on her face.

When I asked her what she was doing she shushed me, "Mommy. I am trying to meditate. You are not supposed to talk to someone when they are trying to meditate".

I was proud and flabbergasted. I had no idea she had ever seen me meditating nor that she was able to actually sit still for any length of time. I sat down in front of her and pretended to join her. I really just wanted to watch. A minute or so went by and suddenly there was an all too familiar audible squeak from her bottom.

She looked up and said, "Wow. I meditated so hard I farted". It was certainly one for the baby book.