Mama Renew

This month’s Mama Renewed is Amanda, who describes herself as a mover and shaker – a lover of dancing and a soulful activist.  We supported her through new motherhood in a Mothers Unfolding group, and now as a seasoned mother with our new Mama Renew group on Vancouver Island.

About Amanda

I am mama to Cosmo-Rae, my wondrous four year old girl, and life partner to wonderful Kevin.  I’ve been working for the last decade as an organizer, advocate and facilitator in the student movement as well as involved in several social justice pursuits.  Three words to describe me are Loving, Compassionate, and Striving.

Why Mama Renew?

When my daughter was only 4 weeks old I joined a Mothers Unfolding group in Vancouver.   I was able to get some distance from my experience of complete overwhelm and learn to breathe for myself, along side my babe.  It is no surprise then, that when another major life transition occurred I immediately sought the support of Mama Renew.

I recently moved with my family from bustling East Vancouver to the beautiful Cowichan Valley.  I had a strong sense that Mama Renew would help me grow some friendships and community.  I also wanted to give one of the most precious gifts to myself;  dedicated time to explore my inner being.

New Insights

I discovered that what I have been doing for self-care since my daughter was born no longer meets my needs and desires.  When she was a baby I counted on deliciously long showers, dancing, and copious amounts of fantastic face cream each night.  The sessions gave me a chance to reflect on my core needs and doing so has  transformed my idea of self-care.   I now know that I do best when I create the time and space to go inward, feeling my core self and listening within.

I loved exploring the concepts of ‘village’ and asking for help.  These ideas are at the heart of my personal vision for the world and yet I often struggle to be intimate in community and won’t easily ask for help.

I also experienced the blessed richness that comes from women gathering with intent.  I was reminded how when women are given the chance to be real with each other, shared wisdom flows and we all become stronger for it.

Challenges

I often have a hard time knowing what to let go of and what to say no to.  I’m a yes person, seeing the mighty oak in the acorn comes easily to me.  However it can get distorted just as easily.  I want to learn the power of discernment -  learning to say no to the right things.

Moving Forward

Moving from a large city to a town, leaving my beloved work and watching my child make greater steps towards her independence meant that I needed to get some insight and find renewed inspiration for the journey ahead.  Mama Renew has done that for me and I feel gratitude.

We published a new article on Babyvibe today exploring the blessings of nesting.  For now, we will share an excerpt with you:

They call it nesting – this overpowering urge that women have to clear, clean & organize in the final days before birth. It doesn’t take long postpartum to understand why we nest . . . .

Turns out we spend a lot of time at home as new mothers. Having a precious new life in our home brings a new level of awareness to our surroundings. That pile of papers that you’ve been ignoring for months? Now you find yourself staring right at it as you sit nestled on the couch feeding your baby. It was easier to ignore when life was moving faster…

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Celebrating Valentines day may have involved chocolate, cards, and perhaps some good old fashioned romance, but we’re here to offer a different sort of gift.

One year ago we posted about a friend who had been in a longterm relationship, then was listed as single on facebook, and then suddenly reemerged as “engaged.”  A closer look at her profile page revealed the following text just below:

Engaged…with myself.

It’s about time!

I can’t stop thinking about how marvelous that is.  What a gift to all of us who are in relationship with her through facebook.  With a simple status change, she announced to her community of friends that she is committed to loving herself.  We could all use a relationship like that….

And yes, one full year later she is still engaged!

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How’s your relationship with marvelous you?

Perhaps you could use a special date together to help rekindle the romance…

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The first in our series of Why Hollyhock? posts…if your little one is too young for you to attend our Mama Renew Retreat this year, let this be a nudge to remembering why Mama Time is so important.

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Imagine stepping out of the routine to a place where the only responsibility you have is to care for yourself.  No dishes, no work, no carpooling, no sibling squabbles.  Nobody else’s needs come first.

As you imagine such a reality you may find yourself thinking that you couldn’t possibly take 3 nights away from your family, or feel reluctant to ask for that much time & investment for yourself.

We have to step out of the routine to step back into ourselves. It has been said that we have to say a lot of small “no’s” to make room for a big Yes.

This as an opportunity to say a Great Big Yes!

Those of you who say Yes will be surrounded by stunning ocean, mountains, and spring flowers.  You will eat food so delicious and nourishing that you’ll buy the Hollyhock cookbook to try and recreate the goodness at home. You’ll soak in the oceanfront hot tub for sunrise or stargazing and anytime you please in between. You can choose from daily yoga, dance workshops, massage treatments, kayak outings and more.

Every moment of our time together is designed to nurture and inspire, gently nudge and deeply challenge, and give you the space and time you need to reconnect with yourself as a woman and mother.

See you there?   Space is limited!

For mothers of todders, tweens, teens & empty nesters

Visit the Mama Renew and Hollyhock websites to Learn More

or call Sarah at 604.254.1100

and Hollyhock at 1-800-933-6339 x232

Last night I was blessed to join in a circle of fellow Kindergarten parents to explore the theme of the “hurried parent.”  We began by each sharing a recent treasured moment with our child. You could see each parent’s face transform as they described the beauty revealed from those moments of absolute mindful presence with their child.

Me, I found myself reflecting on the routine moments in the day  -  bath & bedtime, meals, bedtime stories…  As a self-employed working mother these are my primary moments with them. I felt sadness as other parents described forest explorations and games, feeling the loss of the hours I am not able to share with them.

In our family we are striving to no longer use the word “busy”, but my life is indeed full. Very full.   I’m doing good work, and I know that my boys take pride in what I give to our wider community, and that my work is an integral part of what helps me feel whole.  This does not change, however, the sense of loss I feel as a working mother.

As we talked, I thought of these routine moments I share with them, and how beautiful they are.  We have our rhythms and rituals, our secrets and treats.  I can’t change how full my life is, but I can have both compassion for myself in this delicate balance I strive to maintain, and I can give my whole self to the moments I share with them.

Miss Ruth, the Kindergarten teacher, took me aside this morning and shared words of experience and perspective as a working mother.   It is good to know that we are living these full lives within a broader community, and the circle of support is there to both honour where we are, and give us that gentle nudge when we need it.

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Today is the first day of Spring, or at least traditionally it has been celebrated as such within the Celtic calendar.  And February 2nd, of course, is our modern equivalent – Groundhog day. Whether you’re still buried in snow, or seeing the first signs of spring (we found a crocus today!), here are a few musings on this ancient celebration.

February 1st is the festival Brigid, called Imbolc, which translates as “in the belly”, referring to the ewes who begin to lactate at this time of year in preparation for the birth of their lambs.  Brigid is the Gaelic goddess of poetry, healing, smithcraft (metal working) and fire.  Imbolc is known as a festival of the hearth and home, where candles and fires burn bright on this day to represent the pending return of the sun and the warm days to come.

Winter can be a long and cold time.  It can bring isolation for some, and getting out of the house sometimes feels overwhelming (20 minutes to put on snow pants, hats, gloves & boots and then they announce they have to pee – been there?  I have…) Spring is close, but it may not feel close enough.  Our culture is woefully lacking in ways to honour this transition from winter to spring, helping us feel the warmth that is ahead.  Here are a few ideas of our own:

Bask in the warmth and glow of some candles or a fire tonight.

Get out the seed catalogs & start planning this year’s garden!

In honour of Brigid, read through a favorite book of poetry.

Go out for a family walk & search for signs of spring –

green buds, snow drops, cherry blossoms preparing to bloom…

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Welcome to Mama Renew! Blog, Groups, Retreats, & more.  We hope to offer you moments of inspiration and clarity, insight and questioning, and a sense of being part of this beautiful community that is Mama Renew.

Why Mama Renew? For us, the picture above says it perfectly:

Nurturing Community. Building Connections.  Being True to Ourselves and with each other.  Speaking our Minds.  Living from our Hearts. Sharing in our Journey and Helping Each Other find our way.  Laughter is good too.

If you live in BC, be sure to check out our fabulous groups for new and seasoned mothers.

Seasoned Mother?

Reconnect with a Mama Renew Group

New Mother?

Enjoy Mothers Unfolding with your baby

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“Both Mama Renew and Mother’s Unfolding have been hugely positive for me in my own journey-  I’ll continue to renew, unfold, renew and unfold some more. Thank you for creating a safe space for me to explore and grow!” – Janice, 2009

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