I consider myself a spiritual being here to help serve our world. In my personal life, I am both a spiritual counselor and a woman in recovery. 19 years ago I founded Shepard Moon Concoctions and consider it to be one of my greatest spiritual expressions. This endeavor has also been a consistent source of some of my life’s most valuable lessons, and these past couple of years have been no different. Every Mother’s Day, this sentiment rings truer for me than the last.
These are not easy times
Life is never steady, but I think most of us would agree the past year has been particularly tumultuous. I feel it in the pit of my stomach daily – the stress of the divides in our society manifesting as a tangible sensation internally. The constant bombardment of fearful information and problems seemingly lacking any workable solution. This is not an easy time.
And yet here we are.
Carrying the 'essence of mother' into our lives
I don’t believe that this is a desperate time, let alone that it calls for desperate measures. I do believe that this is a time that calls for compassionate measures - measures that are drastic in their own unique, thoughtful way. It's a time for “mothering” each other rather than “othering” each other. Now that Mother's Day has passed, let us take the essence of "mother" and carry it forward.
I believe the best attributes of mothers are unconditional love, nurturing, and comfort. Moms see the best in us. They calm us when we are upset and listen to us when we are hurt and angry. They defend us even when we’re wrong. Not all of us are blessed with a parent who exudes these qualities, but hopefully, we can hold them in our heads and our hearts, and courageously try to embody them ourselves. And if there is anything that all of us need right now it is mothering. No matter our race, our gender, sexuality, our social class, religious or political affiliation, we are all hurting on some level. We are all wounded and we all need to be nurtured.
When I need nurturing, I turn to my spiritual practice. Like my waistline, this endeavor has expanded over the years! I used to consider my practice as the hour I take each morning to read something inspirational, light incense and silently meditate. Over the years it has grown to include mindfully walking my dog Bodhi noticing the changes of the season while he carefully chooses which bush to “bless“ with his marking. Then I began blessing every house we passed, knowing that within each, there is a unique story unfolding.
Self-care as a spiritual practice
But recently even this has not always been enough to keep me balanced. Though I rarely watch the news, my body often feels shaken by the discord and fear that thickens the air. It's taken its toll and I found myself hitting an emotional bottom a few months ago. There’s often profound value in hitting these bottoms, however. Though each one is different, I've found that my way out is the same.
I slow everything down, taking more time to care for myself and create space in my schedule to simply be still. I nurture myself by taking more walks, more time off, getting more massages, connecting with close friends and family, resting, and meditating more. I spend Sunday afternoons, cooking nurturing meals for my work week. Each morning, I allow myself more time to gently begin the day and draw long baths for myself each evening before heading to bed earlier than usual.
After several weeks of this focused care, I once again feel a deep sense of peace, even as the storm clouds of contentiousness swirl all around. As I feel more peaceful, I can bring more peace and compassion to each person and situation I find myself in——even those I may strongly disagree with. I can bring the essence of ‘mother’ to a planet in need of mothering.
(Author's note: 5/6/21: This blog was originally written and published in 2017. I went to update and edit it to reflect current circumstances a year after Covid 19 pandemic first appeared. I didn't end up changing a word. That's the beauty of 'eternal truths'. They simply remain the same under all circumstances! Blessings and stay safe!).
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