The practice of infant massage, combined with meditative techniques, can accomplish this. Infant massage is an ancient tradition that has been handed down from mother to daughter in India for centuries. There, it is generally done in complete silence, or with the mother singing. It is a profound communication of love, passed from heart to hands, to infant and back. It isn't something one does to one’s child; it's done with the child, with the emotion of love and acceptance freely passed back and forth — no judgements, no fears, no tension, just pure love. Whenever an ancient pattern is repeated over and over, whether it be a form of qigong, walking the labyrinth, or any other practice, we are accessing the energy present in these patterns. Energy never dies; it only changes form. Infant massage is one of those patterns. The energy we are tapping into is the wisdom of the ancient mothers of the world who have practiced this beautiful form with love and attention with countless children over the centuries. Begin the massage with a meditation, asking for the presence of these wise women. If it fits your belief system, ask for the presence of the Divine Mother. This will assist you in accessing the help that is available at all times. It's so common for parents to feel alone in their task of parenting. Gone are the days of extended families to share the burdens. Isn't a new baby in the house a good enough reason to reconnect to the spiritual in your life? Infants are little spiritual beings. They have just come from the spirit world, and are still in contact with their angels and guides. By acknowledging and connecting with this part of them, you can access this wisdom for yourself. As with anything new, it may take a little practice and time, but the benefits are worth it. Allow your heart to open, and focus all your attention on your baby. Let go of expectations of anything dramatic happening. It may just feel like you are imagining or daydreaming, but let your thoughts drift where they may. Censoring and judging are the worst enemies of intuition. Don't be afraid to try this. I hear stories from people about the intuitions they have had about their infants, only to have them confirmed when these children began to talk. Babies are more aware than we could possibly know. Children are naturally intuitive, as any nursery nurse knows. I have seen a room full of sleeping babies erupt into crying when someone angry or hostile enters without ever going near one of them. Acknowledging this gift and keeping it active as they grow up will do more for their safety than any verbal cues on asking permission could ever accomplish. Through the practice of infant massage, you are strengthening their energetic boundaries so their ability to sense danger, and also to know safety, is intact. Elly Leduc is a registered nurse, a certified infant massage instructor, and a certified Healing Touch practitioner in private practice at Healing Touch in Olympia, WA. She may be contacted through her Web site, <http://www.babymassage.net/>, or by telephone at (360) 438-1244. Her beautiful and inspirational Baby Massage: A Video for Loving Parents will soon be available in a Spanish translation. |
Do you feel disconnected from your infant and your family? What if there was a simple way for you to create the connection and maintain it, even in times of stress? Would you use it?