Little Buddhas

 Image care of here, where you can purchase and try for yourself.

Fairy Eggs have been all the rage at my kids school lately.  They start life as brightly coloured little beads not much bigger than a grain of rice.

When mixed with water they then expand to about 150 times their original size into wonderfully squishy and slimy balls.  Solid, yet jelly like, and in such a gorgeous variety of transparent colours.  There is something quite sensual about the feel of them in your hands.  The beauty of a bowl full of these colourful eggs is quite charming and magical.

My kids attend a school where Buddhism is offered as a choice for their religious education.  We are not a religious family but both Brad and myself have spent much time contemplating our spirituality and we are both drawn towards Buddhist philosophy.

Brad, more so than I,  has dedicated a lot of time to meditation practice and has completed three vipassana meditation retreats both in Australia and in Nepal.   I had my first foray into vipassana last year at a 10 day retreat in the Blue Mountains. Vipassana means; to see things as they really are.  It is an ancient Indian meditation technique.  A remedy to the universal ills.  A pathway to truth,  to freedom from suffering and misery. 

Last week my son came home with a bag full of fairy eggs.  He had been given them by his Buddhist teacher.  That day the class had done a meditation about fairy eggs.   I was intrigued by the concept.  Later that afternoon I bumped into his teacher at the pool where upon I asked her how on earth you do a meditation about fairy eggs.

She explained: Firstly she had asked the children to think about the fairy eggs and describe them.  They had said things like; they are beautiful and colourful, they start out very small and grow much bigger, some larger than others.  She had asked them to describe how they felt watching the eggs grow.  They said things like; it is exciting and interesting and surprising.  Then she asked how they felt about their own eggs, and they said that they really loved them and wanted to look after them and collect more, that they were precious and lovely to hold.

Next she explained to the kids that just like them, the eggs start off small.  With love and nourishment and care they also would grow into beautiful, wonderful creatures of all different kinds.  From there she lead the children on a meditation which began by imagining themselves as these small colourful eggs.  Imagining themselves being cherished and protected, as precious little eggs full of potential.  Feeling the excitement and joy of the life that love provides.  Growing into a something unique and beautiful and loved by all those around.

I thought it was a truly inspired idea.  By using this popular and coveted school yard item she managed to expand their vision and to help them recognise that those benevolent feelings and thoughts they have towards these fairy eggs can also apply to themselves and others,  and from that, great things will flourish.

Fairy Eggs have since been banned at the school for being the cause of way too much misery and suffering.

MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY.