Christmas Morning With An 8 Month Old Baby

All I want for Christmas is an empty cardboard fruit box!

It’s 4.15am on our first Christmas with Joshi and I’m wide awake. And so is he. He woke coz he needed the potty and then after I’d taken him he was far too wide awake to go back to sleep. (This is very rare by the way – he usually goes back to sleep within five to ten minutes of a night wake).

Well, I thought “there’s no point in resisting this,” so I got up, put him in the ergo baby carrier, lit a candle, made myself a cup of roibos tea, tidied up the kitchen and then stood out on the balcony under the stars. There we stood, listening to the sounds of the night – the breeze moving though the chimes, the rustling of the leaves in the trees and the songs of a few early Aussie birds. It really dawned on me in those moments – just how beautiful and enriching being with nature is. I mean really being with nature. Soaking in it. With no distractions. Everything was so delicately serene and still.

Anyway, an hour later, Joshi fed and fell asleep. Hmmmm, awake and alone at 5.15am on Christmas Day – what do I do now? I think it could be time to meditate. And, feeling especially grateful for my wonderful family and friends, I’m dedicating this meditation to all the people out there who don’t have anyone to share Christmas with.

So Merry Christmas everyone. May your day be filled with love that cracks your heart right open, contentment which feels like you’re being cradled in the loving arms of the divine and gratitude which has your throat tighten. With the risk of sounding sentimental – no matter what challenges life hands us there’s still so, so much to be grateful for.

Have You Ever Meditated With A Fly On Your Nose?

Fly On Nose Meditation

It was such a beautiful day I decided to take Joshi for a beach walk. The waves were wild. It was stunning. So I wrapped him in the ergo baby carrier and walked with my feet in the water. Simply divine. It’s these sort of moments which make mammahood feel super, extra, uber special … walking down the beach with my baby asleep on my chest while so many other people are hard at work.

Anyway, as is one of the many benefits of baby wearing, within a matter of minutes Joshi was fast asleep.  “Great!” I thought, “I can meditate!” So I found a lovely spot among the rocks at the end of the beach and sat, closed my eyes and started my practice of sahaj samadhi meditation.  It was so special meditating there – the fresh air, the sound of the ocean. What more could you want? And then. Well then this fly came along and decided to take up residence on my nose.

I once heard this great definition of meditation: “Meditation is your ability to be with what is.” Well then here’s my opportunity to remain equanimous with this fly tiptoeing across my nose! I took my awareness to the fly (how could I not!) and I kept my awareness there. I wasn’t going to allow myself shoo it away. I was going to be with him/her, come what may. Oh I can’t tell you how ticklish it was. If I wasn’t meditating I’d have shooed it away and scratched my nose for sure!  But I’m very pleased to say I didn’t.  I managed to observe the oh-so-ticklish ticklishness creeping across my skin beneath the footprints of those spindly little legs without scratching my nose or getting irritable.   Oooo ooo ooo, those tiny little fly feet sure can tickle.