Hey mama,
Thank you for choosing a time that feels of service to practice together.
Now take your time to find a comfortable and supportive way to stand,
Sit,
Or lie down for this guided practice.
Feel free to use any props like blankets,
Holsters,
Pillows,
Or blocks to support your practice today.
Let's begin.
So just starting by maybe closing your eyes or softening your gaze.
And take a breath in through your nose.
Exhale,
Sigh out through your mouth.
We'll do some breathing exercises at the beginning and then go into just some relaxation practices.
So sitting or standing or lying down however feels comfortable for some breathing awareness practices.
And let's bring palms right to baby,
Right to belly.
Letting elbows kind of rest down or hang.
And go ahead and take that breath in through your nose.
Exhale,
Sigh out,
Make the noise as you exhale.
So do that again,
Breathing in through your nose.
Exhale,
Sighing out.
Just allowing the breath to be natural and normal.
And let's take another breath.
This time breathing in through our nose and then humming on the way out.
Breathing in through your nose.
Exhale humming.
Once more breathing in.
Exhale.
And coming back to a natural breath.
And this is allowing our bodies to signal that we are breathing,
We're safe,
And we're actively learning to relax.
With the audible exhale,
It's really signaling to our minds that,
Hey,
Time to soften,
Time to let go,
Time to release.
This can be used either now in this moment.
It can be used as times feel stressful.
And especially can be used during birth and after.
As you're learning to bond with baby in the external world together,
Stresses are going to come up.
So using these breaths to allow your body to relax and settle in the moment when you need them most.
Go ahead and we'll take another deep breath in through our nose.
And exhale sigh out with a.
And just as if you were drinking out of a straw,
Maybe a paper straw.
And inhale as if you were drinking out of the straw through your mouth.
It's a little bit different this time.
So we're breathing.
And then exhale.
As if we're blowing up a balloon on the exhale.
Breathing in through your mouth.
Exhale blowing up the balloon.
One more time,
Breathing in.
Exhale.
And letting the breath come back naturally.
Knowing that you have the power to take space just by taking a breath.
You can be physically and emotionally strong as a partner,
As a mother,
As a mentor,
As a daughter.
Just by taking time to breathe intentionally and with awareness.
Maybe choosing one more time to take your favorite breath,
Whichever one that was.
Breathing in and really letting it go.
Allowing the breath to be natural.
And get into a guided relaxation around empowering,
Empowering mothers to be,
Empowering women,
Empowering daughters,
Empowering baby.
And just letting the words land however they do in this moment.
During times of uncertainty,
Stress is going to come up.
It's natural.
Don't fight it.
Knowing that you have the strength already within you to choose how you need to respond to stress in that moment.
It's not always going to be pretty.
It most definitely won't always be perfect.
Really empowered to accept just as the moment is.
With uncertainty and challenges.
The word mbuntu,
Which is a South African isikosa word that comes up to me about empowering each other and knowing that we are so much more than ourselves.
Mbuntu is a meaning of humanity.
It means I am because we are.
I am because we are.
And as a daughter or expecting mother or already a mother,
Using the words I am because we are to lift you during this time.
If you ever feel alone in this journey,
Think the simple mantra of mbuntu.
I am because we are.
Think of all the mothers out there that you were connected to,
Whether you know them personally or you've only seen them in books or on TV or online.
Now despite any personal relationships,
Think about your mother's journey and your mother's mother's journey and beyond that.
Letting the journey of the mothers before you and the mothers to come.
Their challenges,
Their strengths.
To birth a beautiful baby.
Inviting them into this world.
Just as the world was.
I am because we are.
There would be no me without mothers.
You have all the strength that you need to care for your baby.
To welcome baby into this world just as it is.
And there's a poem by Mark Nepo called Even in the Dark.
Let the words touch you just as they do.
They might land and stick or they might run off like the rain.
It starts with to be broken is no reason to see all things as broken.
Seldom seen growing along the ocean floor.
The white plume anemone is a watery blossom.
It is the white lace opening under tons of black opening as if bathed in the sun while so far from the sun.
This is the trick to staying well.
To feel the sun even in the dark.
To not lose the truth of things when they go out of view.
To grow just the same.
To know there is still water even when we are thirsty.
To know there is still love even when we are lonely.
To know there is still peace even when we are suffering.
None of this invalidates our pain but only strengthens our way back into the light.
Maybe just placing palms to baby if not already.
And say the mantra out loud to yourself and to baby.
I am because we are.
Say it here as many times as you need.
Say it in your head when you're struggling.
Say it out loud if you feel lonely.
There is so much support even if you can't see it.
There is so much strength within you already even at moments when you might not feel it.
Next time you stand up tall,
Really stand up tall.
Touch baby,
Touch belly,
Let your shoulders roll down and let the heart raise.
You can do this.
Sending all of my love.
Thank you.
