# The newborn sat in full lotus

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-newborn-full-lotus-after-breastfeed
- Themes: rebirth, parenting, ownership, awe
- Life situations: new parent, questioning ownership of children

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A Perth parent told him that after breastfeeding in hospital their newborn took its mouth away, sat on the mother's tummy, crossed its legs in full lotus and put one hand over the other — spooking her. Brahm takes it as a sign the child arrives with history.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

when their child was born I think they were in still in the hospital and they just breastfed their kid so they're laying on their back in hospital bed and the child had just finished breastfeeding and so so took his mouth or her mouth forget which away from the the breast and then just sat on her mother's tummy crossed her legs his legs in full lotus, put one hand over the other and assumed a meditation posture and that spooked the woman out. My goodness, here was a baby who knew how to sit meditation and it just came out of the tummy, out of the womb

## Teaching point

Children come with pasts; they are entrusted to care, not owned as property.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A Perth mother said her newborn, after feeding, sat up on her tummy in full lotus with hands folded, which rather spooked her. Believe it or not, Ajahn Brahm's point is tender. Children arrive with their own history and character. They're in our care, not our property. Meet them as guests.

## Source

- [Dealing With a Loved Ones's Suffering | Ajahn Brahm | 05-11-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO-I2TBeOV4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 5:32 to 6:18: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO-I2TBeOV4&t=332s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Investigate Your Way to Freedom | Ajahn Brahm | 19 Dec 2008](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKGmoXR2QE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 20:05 to 20:20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKGmoXR2QE&t=1205s
- [Vesak Day (Evening) | 19 May 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8FTmDTJLoA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 17:23 to 17:58: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8FTmDTJLoA&t=1043s