The transition to spring brings an energy of newness and creates a beautiful time for us to begin practices that will nourish and sustain us throughout the coming months.
As a self employed Mama, I’ve consistently struggled with making myself a priority, amidst the demands of work, mothering & Life. And, while I’ve explored a variety of meditation practices over the years, I hadn’t fully connected with one until very recently.
Just before the transition into the New Year, I listened to a podcast interview with Karen Brody, creator of Daring To Rest, a program and book dedicated to supporting women to find a new level of relaxation and restoration, through yoga nidra.
I connected with the simplicity of this practice.
All it required of me was a comfortable place to lay down and a device to listen to the guided meditations on. Within weeks, I was feeling more grounded and refreshed and I was sleeping more soundly and waking with more energy.
It’s been suggested that yoga nidra (AKA yogic sleep meditation) retrains the body and brain to access the deeper states of rest, so they are more easily accessed during nighttime sleep. Research has shown regular yoga nidra practices provide a variety of health benefits:
- improved positive well being & vitality
- reduced stress & tension
- improved mood (including reduction in mild to moderate anxiety & depression and reduction in feelings of guilt & fear)
- improved sleep & reduced fatigue
- improved hormone balance (including influence on hormones involved in the stress response, reproductive health & thyroid health)
There are a variety of recorded yoga nidra meditations available to explore online, through a variety of sources. I’m particularly fond of the Daring to Rest book and the associated guided meditations, as they truly support informed, intuitive mothering.
If your needing support in any of the areas of health mentioned above, I encourage you to invest in a copy of Daring to Rest (I picked up my copy at Chapters!) and begin your journey with this deeply nourishing program. And, if you’d like some additional, individualized support for recovering from the chronic stress, exhaustion, hormone imbalances and shifting mood that are often associated with juggling mothering and Life, I’m here for you – locally at the Om Mama Health weekly Breastfeeding & Mothering Support Drop In and in the clinic or via Skype for 1:1 consultations.
With love,