I can see how a mother and her newborn would experience a genre of greed …this need to possess…to be connected and not quite ready to share with the world. My mother told me I was like a tigress with my babies when they were newborns and she could relate so well as she was the same with my sister and me.
A psychologist explained to us in a class last year that an infant is born one year too soon. Gestation continues outside the womb but the connection mother/child is most important. The couple needs to cocoon together for longer than many industrialized cultures allow.
key connection
budding human nature
symbiosis
~
mother and infant
hoarding every moment
tenderness and bliss
© Tournesol ’14
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Our host says: “This week we are going further with exploring the powerful ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’, mantra. This week it’s the fifth ‘sound’ , “me” … I will give the mantra here again:
Om purifies bliss and pride (realm of the gods); Ma purifies jealousy and need for entertainment (realm of the jealous gods); Ni purifies passion and desire (human realm); Pad purifies ignorance and prejudice (animal realm); Me purifies greed and possessiveness (realm of the hungry ghosts); Hum purifies aggression and hatred (hell realm).
As we look at the mantra’s fifth sound “Me” than we can see that it purifies greed and possessiveness (realm of the hungry ghosts) and this is what is said about this mantra by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche:
“The mantra Om Mani Pädme Hum is easy to say yet quite powerful, because it contains the essence of the entire teaching. When you say the first syllable Om it is blessed to help you achieve perfection in the practice of generosity, Ma helps perfect the practice of pure ethics, and Ni helps achieve perfection in the practice of tolerance and patience. Päd, the fourth syllable, helps to achieve perfection of perseverance, Me helps achieve perfection in the practice of concentration, and the final sixth syllable Hum helps achieve perfection in the practice of wisdom. “So in this way recitation of the mantra helps achieve perfection in the six practices from generosity to wisdom. The path of these six perfections is the path walked by all the Buddhas of the three times. What could then be more meaningful than to say the mantra and accomplish the six perfections?”
—Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones.
This fifth sound is connected with the fourth and together with that sound it refers to Wisdom. Om Mani Padme Hum is a very strong mantra and in it self the world of Buddhism … it offers us the basic rules of Buddhism, one of the pilars of haiku.
This sound is about purifying greed and possessiveness, but what is wrong with greed or possession? I am greedy in a positive way: “
Our host’s inspired haiku is here:
looking for more
hunting for gold and diamonds –
haiku community
© Chèvrefeuille
Tournesol dans un Jardin 
A beautiful haibun … magnificently written.
LikeLike
Thank you, sometimes it’s nice talking about greed in a positive or necessary way:)
LikeLike
you’re right … btw, I was looking for purity and I think I must have dreamt that it because I didn’t find anything ….
LikeLike
That explanation about mothers and children and the gestation makes a lot of sense.
LikeLike
Yes, I had never heard that until I took that course on Borderline Personality Disorder. But if you look at other cultures who carry their baby around even when they work whether it is the mother or a grandmother or grandfather…the infant is attached to a caring adult always. It must make such a difference in growing up. Maybe that’s why many North Americans are often in therapy…or feeling there is something missing from their childhood.
LikeLike
It is very possible. And think how much perspective it would put in what you’re doing with your time if you’re taking a child strapped to you all over the place.
LikeLike
Indeed…I was so fortunate to be born at home and my mom had me near her all the time she worked as a hairdresser…customers held me when she could not…always had someone to hold me.
LikeLike
Aye, my mom held us often and when she couldn’t I had a lot of older siblings that did.
LikeLike
Explains so much about growing up unconnected.
LikeLike
I know eh?
LikeLike
Greed, as you wrote of it was positive, nurturing–unfortunately my mom had the other greed goin’ on: okay you’re born, now don’t keep bothering me…
LikeLike
Oh dear, I am so sorry. My mom was slurpy kisses and thousands of hugs:) I remember kissing her each time I went outside, so that would have been about 10 times a day sometimes.
LikeLike
See, that is ideal–you just can’t over-hug a child, seriously!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A great post — I remember my heartbreak at having to return to work — having to leave the kiddo with a sitter — really, America needs to find a way to allow parents and babies to stay together a bit longer before having to be separated. Seemed like there was never enough time to be with him — always wanted more — couldn’t have it.
LikeLike
we only had 4 months but I took 8 months and found a sitter near work to nurse him morning, noon and night still:) Now in Canada we get a full year paid.
LikeLike
And that’s the way it *should* be.
But it won’t happen here in America. Too many right-wingers thumping their chests and spouting about how it’ll hurt the smaller businesses. 😦
LikeLike
It is unemployment insurance …govt that pays…not companies
LikeLike
Conservatives here always talk about cost to businesses, costs to tax payers, etc.
LikeLike
We past lots of taxes here:)
LikeLike
But for a good cause. It helps the nation as a whole – and as individuals — so well worth it. 🙂
LikeLike
yep, and in Quebec we have $7 a day daycare, …of course all across the country free health care too. But we went to Plattsburgh to do some grocery shopping (your food is so much cheaper) and boy the roads are so much nicer too.
LikeLike
Really? Must have been New York roads — because the roads here in Peeay are notoriously bad! LOL
LikeLike
New York and Vermont highways are great:)
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
I have been missing the Friday WP prompts. So delighted to come across this; your piece and the wonderful explanation.
While it is true that it is nice to have help and be able to sleep those first few weeks… I too only wanted and coveted the time I had with my newborns – I would often let them sleep for hours in my arms. Each time I hold my grandchildren I am reminded of how lucky I am to be their grama.
Some cultures, well of the past anyway considered the first five years to be spent at least with the mother. But then the child (more often the son) was whisked away to start apprenticing –
As for hugs… my grown children are in close to or in their 30’s and always receive a hug on meeting and leaving. Touch is so very important even if nothing is said. Or even if the wrong thing is often said… My own parents often argued, misspoke – lacked the ability to give praise. But I knew they wanted to and did care as best they could. And it is that memory that I grasp tightly, hang on and pass on to my own.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are an amazing person, poet, mom and grandma…I love hearing your stories and you have so much to give your grands. (((hugs))))
LikeLike
Wonderful post! Really enjoyed reading and reminiscing. We do leave our young too soon.
LikeLike
missed the link up heres mine; http://adasalcove.blogspot.com/2014/12/me.html not quite so tender.
LikeLike
thanks, I like it when readers include their link for I don`t always have a chance to go back on the prompt page.
LikeLike
Yes we do, society, in the past made us feel we were suffocting or spoiling them. Now times are changing…hre anyway.,..mothers and fathers alike carry their child on their back or chest for walks, grocery shopping…and our government (unemployment) pays for one maternity leave that can be transferred to the father too. i had 4 months in 78 and 81.
LikeLike