The Tuffets

In January while learning about Buddhism, I practiced zen meditation and chanting everyday for 20 minutes. I knew that sometimes the kids were watching, but they generally tended to make fun of me, chanting "Om-so-hummm" whenever I entered a room.

But little did I know that this practice was making an impression on them, and that they were intrigued by the practice of cultivating a "super mind," as one audio book I listened to called it.

Fast forward to last week. Gryffin was on a field trip to the Plaza, and when he came home, he shared two stories:

First, about how he saw a homeless man, and told his chaperone Nayelli not to spend money on him during their Starbucks hot chocolate break, because he wanted to give his money to the homeless man instead. Sweet Nayelli bought Gryffy a drink anyway, and then gave $7 to the man on the street. My heart was filled to the brim! Thanks Nayelli.

His second story was about the ride home on the bus. Gryffy said that he meditated during the bus ride, and that's why his mind was clear enough to remember that he was supposed to walk home with friends instead of waiting in the usual car line. He also said he performed extra well on his MAP test. He attributed both to meditation!

Seizing any budding educational/expansive opportunity I can find, I asked Gryffin and Lorelei, "Do you want to start meditating everyday, and have a little meditation club this summer?"

They agreed. Off to World Market we went to buy meditation pillows (we each picked out our own), and using the Insight Timer app, we've been meditating for 5 minutes each morning and evening in the hallway above the stairs, where we keep our tuffets stacked at-the-ready.

We call ourselves the "Tuffet Trio" or just the "Tuffets." Sometimes we burst out laughing, sometimes we hold hands, sometimes we chant. Sometimes we're actually quiet and mindful. But above all, we're intentionally together, bowing reverently toward one another as the bowl dings to end our time. We end by saying Namaste, meaning: I see the divine in you.

Love my little zen masters so much!