Undoubtedly, women are a force to reckon with. They juggle, wiggle, contend, they task – they do it all! Born multitaskers, women as women are absolutely fierce… but when it comes to her role as a mother, she is undeniably the spring from whence starts all creation! Being a mother is about playing the pivotal role in the magical process of bringing another being into the world… and then caring and praying for it till she breathes her last. It’s about loving and knowing a soul even before seeing it. Carrying and caring for a life so completely dependent on her, is a mother’s essential reason for existence.
May is the month of reawakening – a time when summer’s heightened influence springs forth new creation in nature – birds get in a frenzy to build nests to home their offspring. May is the month of pollination for insects bursting with new energy after the hibernation of the cold winter. No wonder May is the month chosen to celebrate our mothers – the beginning point of all life on earth! We honour all creations when we honour our mothers. Honour, respect and love thy mothers. Mothers are symbolic to all perpetuation, the life force and the energy that sustains all creation.
Mothering energy is rooted in the feminine psyche, which holds within it – intuition, nurturing, receptivity, collaboration, creativity and emotional intelligence. In its purest form, the mothering energy guards, protects and ensures the wellbeing of all around. There’s no force as strong and primal as a mother’s instinct and love.
A mother will essentially walk the extra mile, run a marathon – do all she can for her cubs. But Mommies too, from time to time, need some time off. Mothers need to talk about ‘Self-Mothering’ – a rare and discordant concept for most mothers! ‘Self-Mothering’ is about self-care and balancing out the energies that constantly flow outward. But…. who’s going to replenish the watering-well of motherhood when it runs completely dry? It’s about self-tending and internal harmony. Mommies need self-care too.
Grandparents provide a reprieve, but not often enough or physically sufficient enough. When we learn to mother ourselves, we acknowledge that our inner world is our responsibility. Mothers need to move away from relying on outside forces to remember that they have a right to feel safe, wanted, loved and respected. When we mother ourselves, we accept responsibility for our peace of mind. We actively cultivate an inner environment of safety, support and love – this energy brings us more into the present moment and reconnects us with our creativity, vitality and unconditional love – bringing us to forefront of care we so desperately need as mothers.
One needs to ask questions… How do I ensure my own emotional and physical safety? How do I nourish myself – mentally, physically and spiritually? Where do I feel safe and find my own emotional support? Who are my people? What makes me neglect myself and my needs? Do I give myself permission to be creative and play? In mothering others, where am I lost?
Mothering yourself is the toughest and most difficult task for Mommy dearest. The process is tedious – it’s like moving through concentric circles, beginning with the center and taking responsibility for our most basic needs. Getting enough exercise and rest may pose problem with children screaming in the next room or right in your ears, enough to blow your eardrums! Certainly not a simple task. Try doing a pedicure within minutes of your tightly packed schedule. From moving through hair blow-outs, to considering the messy bun as your style statement, there isn’t much room for improvement.
The changes need to be slight but they need to be brought in and they need to be constant. Helping yourself to an occasional coffee date with a friend doesn’t categorize you as ‘selfish’. Ordering in sometimes actually gets you cookie points from your little monsters! Dressing up, wearing heels is not a crime, all children love and appreciate a hot mommy! Make yourself pretty inside out, that way your confidence soars and you manage yourself and people around you better. Learn that sweats, tees and slides are not a uniform you put on, alongside your child’s school uniform.
Being a mother deservingly puts a woman on a pedestal. As a woman, you have a capacity to connect with the Divine Mother and uplift all around you. Being a mother is being a creator, and thus, you have that same divine energy within you. A known fact that the ancients recognized was that all power stems from the feminine source. All power and supreme energy, that each of us possess, is the manifestation from our mother’s womb – a sacred place, perhaps the safest too.
Your mother held you within her for all those months and while her belly grew and nourished you, your place in the world was reserved only because she wanted you there. Her love is unconditional, her sacrifices from the moment of your conception are innumerous. So, in turn, should not your gratitude, love and devotion aspire to match hers?
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