When the Whole World Tips: Parenting through Crisis with Mindfulness and Balance

by Celia Landman

"A wise, welcoming book. Hard-fought and friendly, it provides practical instructions on how to stay centered when our children are suffering."
—Anne Lamott, bestselling author

Move from helplessness to stability in challenging times through the practice of mindful equanimity. By adopting a spiritual approach to parenting and caregiving, you can protect yourself from burnout, increase your resilience, and develop a greater sense of empathy and balance. Drawn from Buddhist wisdom, this new approach to showing up in overwhelming circumstances is about slowing down, letting go of the illusion of control, and caring for yourself so that you can be a presence of love and support even in the most difficult moments.

We love our children more deeply than our own selves, yet are powerless to keep them from pain. Drawing from her own experience parenting a clinically depressed and suicidal child and another through physical injury, Celia Landman guides parents at their limit back from helplessness to stability through the ancient practice of equanimity, or balance. Rich with real life examples from parents in the midst of caring for children in crisis and plentiful resources, each chapter offers accessible practices for parents to care for themselves in order to care for their children.

Contemporary neuroscience and developmental psychology research demonstrates how a parent’s state of anxiety is directly communicated to the child and can intensify their pain. Landman gently guides parents to restore their own balance through understanding how to keep their heart open and their hands off the wheel of controlling how their child’s life unfolds. This shift into equanimity frees emotional enmeshment and can bring relief to both child and parent.

Woven throughout are practices to help parents understand that their emotional state of being is as important as what they do. When we recognize that being a presence of love and care is already doing something of great value, it can reconnect us with purpose and restore our trust that we are capable and enough.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published November 21, 2023

Reviews

[Saby Samar · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘When the Whole World Tips’ by Celia Landman is a powerful transformative book on parenting, self-care, self-healing, and most importantly on mindfulness. The narration blends in spirituality and memoir of the author, mainly built around raising children and siblings. Celia Landman fills the book with her experiences from her field and anecdotes from her life. She being the eldest child in the family and a mother to a daughter who frequently relapsed, she knows what it takes to be a child who suffers and sounds invalid…yet you cannot do anything as a parent. You have fears and insecurities…but the world hardly talks about it. No matter how serious and big the issues are, the author believed in Buddhism that worked like magic in soothing her sorrows.

The book is written with an objective to help others in turmoil they face while parenting a child. Celia delves into a multitude of spiritual and self-care topics by inclining towards Buddhist techniques; she also clears pre-conceived notions about Buddhism, as her father comes from Tibetan origin.

The author beautifully weaves together concepts of healing, spirituality, positivity, mindfulness and meditation…providing readers with practical advice to reshape their mindset. Indeed the book is a treasure trove of wisdom, accompanied by vivid stories, concise quotes, and actionable guidance.
In my words, I found it more than a book. It is a daily companion that encourages personal growth and spiritual enlightenment. This book is a valuable resource that can help you free from cluttered mess of the mind and the heart.

[Alison Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A personal story of parenting through crisis and how years of mindfulness practice has allowed the author find balance and compassion during difficult times. She outlines the practices as simple to follow as a recipe, and weaves them through her story to illustrate the benefits of practicing in times of stress and loss, but also to enhance joy, patience and presence in daily life. A useful guide, the author invites you to begin this practice, and keep practicing. The practices are useful for all, not only parents.

[Alexa H · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far the best parenting book I've read. I appreciate the author's teachings and find her personal narrative so helpful in applying the practices to my own parenting journey.