Sharing cup

Things have been hectic around my family life. Zoe and Owen have been fighting more than usual and testing boundaries. I am finding myself getting frustrated and feeling guilty as a result. I hate that feeling of guilt it seems to creep in and leaves me wondering, aching for wisdom in my parenting skills. This evening after yet more fighting I decided to change things up a bit. I told the kids that after supper we were going to have sharing cup.

A sharing cup is akin to a talking stick. A cup is filled with herbal tea and each person sitting in a circle takes a turn sharing her/his feelings. The others in the circle stay present and holds the space for the person who is sharing. After sharing, the person takes a sip and passes the cup to the next person. I've done this ritual many times with my women friends.

Well tonight I did that with my kids and it was awesome!!! We went to the loft upstairs, lit 6 candles, sat in a circle and took turns sharing. What we shared wasn't all that significant but what came of it was most wonderful. We felt heard, listened to and loved. We even did a short meditation afterward. It was awesome and we plan on doing it more often. Now I am going to take a bath and go to bed guilt free and happy. See ya!