We all want a calm and happy baby, but did you know it all starts with the mother.  If the mother is calm during her pregnancy, and not experiencing any stress, she has better chances of a calm and happy baby.  Meditation is just one tool pregnant women can implement to help calm the nervous system which the baby will also feel.  It also strengthens the bond between mother and baby before the baby arrives.

Meditation has so many benefits, not only for the pregnant mother but the baby as well.  It allows you to deeply connect with your baby in a beautiful way sending messages and building a strong bond before the baby enters the world.

Meditation Benefits

• Reduced anxiety, tension and stress
• Alleviate pregnancy symptoms
• Increased calm and pleasure
• Enhanced immune function
• Increased vitality and energy
• Stronger connection and bond with baby

There are several pregnancy meditations available, I will be producing one in a few weeks time.   Please find below some instructions to get you started in developing a meditation practice with breathing and visualisation.

5 Simple steps for developing a meditation practice during pregnancy

Step 1 – Set aside 5-20 minutes of uninterrupted time alone and in silence.  Turn off any distractions.

Step 2 – Sit comfortably with your spine straight and rest your hands on your thighs with your palms facing up

Step 3 – Slowly inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. Feeling a deep relaxation after every breath. You might want to use a mantra (word) on each inhalation and exhalation.  For example, if you want to feel more calm, on every inhalation breathe in calm and on every exhalation breathe out stress. Do this several times.

Step 4 – Repeat the breathing exercise for 5 minutes

Step 5 – Visualise your baby in your belly and imagine them happy and free.  Imagine a golden white light around your heart, send them your love, imagine your baby surrounded by the beautiful light of your love.  You can use this opportunity to send them a message or a vision of the life they are entering.

I will be releasing my own pregnancy meditation podcast in the next few weeks. Subscribe to our Database to receive it first or Like our Facebook page.

Feel free to leave a comment below on meditation practices that work for you, or if you will implement this meditation practice or even the visualisation. 

Happy Meditating.

Namaste, Michelle xxx

Typically people think of feelings as something that is very touchy feely.  But what if I told you, your feelings would give you more clarity and direction in your life, as you become more in tune in how you want to feel.  Stay with me here, I have been reading some great stuff by Danielle LaPorte (who is absolutely amazzzzzing!) and now I am looking at how I want to feel each day to guide me on what I need to do each day, instead of the other way around.  Since I started doing this more, I feel more energised and my day flows a lot better.  So, stay with me, you are about to look at your life very diffe

rently – through a different lens

Danielle says “We have the procedures of achievement upside, down. Typically we come up with our to-do lists, our bucket lists, and our strategic plans – all the stuff we want to have, get, accomplish and experience outside of ourselves. All of those aspirations are being driven by an innate desire to feel a certain way. So what if, first, we got clear on how we actually wanted to feel within ourselves, and then we designed our to-do lists set our goals and wrote out our bucket lists.  How do you want to feel when you look at your schedule for the week? When you get dressed in the morning?”  Danielle LaPorte, The Desire Map

For example, say for instance you wanted to feel more energised every day.  Instead of setting yourself a gruelling workout routine which you don’t like doing, maybe you could take small and easy steps to make you feel more energised, like an easy walk or eating green leafy vegetables or having a green smoothie or juice.  Small steps to success will make you feel more energised and invigorated.

By now, you might be thinking so how do we come up with our “core desired feelings”? Well, Danielle LaPorte says to look at different areas of our lives. Download the Worksheet which has each of the life areas which include: Livelihood and Lifestyle; Body and Wellness; Creativity and Learning; Relationships and Society; and Essence and Spirituality.

Before you start this exercise, make sure you are in a quiet place with no interruptions.

For each of the life areas, write down the words that come to mind.  How do you want to feel in that area of your life? It can be anything, the sky is the limit. Work it baby, you just put the pen to paper and write the first thing that springs to your mind for each.  By the end of the exercise you will have a big list or maybe a small list of words (feelings).

Next step, highlight or circle the words that really resonate with you. Some might just stand out straight away like for me, FREEDOM and CONNECTION were two core desired feelings that were very strong and came up through most of the areas of my life.

Once you have narrowed it down to 10, narrow it even further to 3-5 words. If you need more words, that’s fine too. Get some sticky notes, and write down your core desired feelings on each. Put them up on your bathroom mirror, fridge or diary and see how they feel to you over next week.  This will determine if some don’t feel right or another word may come up for you.

So, what next, now you have your core desired feelings?  Start planning your week, day and year with your core desired feelings in mind.  I will release a printable planner which will help with this. Subscribe to my mailing list to receive it directly in your inbox.

If you want to go deeper in this exercise, get yourself a copy of the Desire Map http://www.daniellelaporte.com.

In the comments section below, share your core desired feelings, how you felt during the process.  I’d love to hear from you.

Enjoy the process.

Love and Light

Namaste

Michelle xx

Wednesday, 8 May – Beginners Hatha Class (Studio GBW, Baulkham Hills)
Saturday, 11 May – Mixed Level Hatha Vinyasa Class (Yoga Vibe, Wetherill Park)
Sunday, 12 May – Beginners Hatha class (Yoga Vibe, Wetherill Park)

Teaching Schedule in May
Every Tuesday 7:15-8:15pm Studio GBW (Baulkham Hills)
Saturday, 4 May 9:30am Mixed Level Hatha Vinyasa Flow, Yoga Vibe (Wetherill Park)
Sunday, 5 May 11am Beginner Hatha Yoga Vibe (Wetherill Park)
Saturday, 11 May 9:30am Mixed Level Hatha Vinyasa Flow Yoga Vibe (Wetherill Park)
Sunday, 12 May 11am Hatha Beginner Yoga Vibe (Wetherill Park)
Friday, 17 May 6:15pm Yin Yoga Yoga Vibe (Wetherill Park)

Come along to a class and feel totally blissed out and relaxed.  I always tailor my classes to my students, so if you are pregnant, I will help you through it.

“The practice of patience guards us against losing our presence of mind. It enables us to remain undisturbed, even when the situation is really difficult. It gives us a certain amount of inner peace, which allows us some self-control, so that we can choose to respond to situations in an appropriate and compassionate manner, rather than being driven by our disturbing emotions.” Dali Lama

This quote from the Dali Lama resonated with me on so many levels because it got me thinking about how my son has taught me one of my greatest lessons – to be more patient and present.  Parenting has been the biggest spiritual awakening for me.  I have learned so much about myself looking through his eyes.

When I became pregnant with my son, I was so overjoyed and I couldn’t wait to have him in my life.  Throughout my pregnancy I would wish for the next trimester, and wish for him to come out. Then when he was born I couldn’t wait for the next milestone, and the one after that. Now, looking back, five years later I rushed through my journey into motherhood.  I was always thinking about what I had to do next, crossing things off the to do list. What matters most was spending quality time with him and really being there. Being fully present and patient and just enjoying the moments is what I should have practiced as entered my journey into motherhood. Instead I was driven by disturbing emotions that came up for me, I lost my patience and I felt vulnerable and uncomfortable.

My son DJ who I love to bits

I have also learned that I need to learn to connect with DJ’s divine essence. He is such a beautiful boy.  I need to open my eyes more, stop thinking so much about the future and the past.  Stay present.  Enjoy the moments. He won’t be a child forever.

Children grow up quickly and they won’t be children forever, so we really need to enjoy the time we have with them and make sure we teach them lessons to help them grow into amazing beings that will make a difference in the world.  I am so grateful for having my son, he is happy and healthy and makes me smile everyday.  Here are some tips that I have implemented in my own life to become more patient.

Tips To Help You Become More Patient and Present

1. Accept yourself as you are in this moment

2. Don’t rush, slow down

3. Practice gratitude. Write down a list of things you are grateful for at the end of each day.

4. Practice love and kindness

5. Forgive

6. Remember to breathe

7. Allow stillness – start a meditation practice

8. Practice yoga

Post a comment below on your biggest lesson in becoming a mum or what you will takeaway after reading this blog post to implement in your own life as a mum. 

Thank you for reading this blog post.

Namaste xx

Are you a new mum? Are you feeling exhausted?  Here are some tips for new mums to help create more balance so you have more energy to give to your new baby.

1. Get connected.  Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, recognizing any discomfort in your body, the flow of your breath and your overall wellbeing state.
2. Breathe more.  Next time you start to feel anxious, sit down, close your eyes and breathe in through the nose and exhale out the mouth, slowly and deeply.  Try this simple breathing technique to calm your nervous system.
3. Be present.  Simply being present means putting your full attention and awareness to the present moment (here and now) instead of thinking about what’s happening tomorrow or your to-do list, bring your awareness to your feet and take some deep breaths to bring you back to a state of presence.
4. Meditate for at least five minutes per day. If you don’t have the time, a simple two minutes following your breath and saying a simple mantra will work.
5. Do yoga.  Even if you can’t get to a yoga class, just do some simple cat/cow poses in your living room, or next time you are breastfeeding, say to  yourself, “this is my yoga practice” and be present and just look at how miraculous it is to breastfeed
6. Be patient. Trust the process of life and things are meant to happen a certain way for a reason.
7. Create a self-care ritual that feels good for you. This could include yoga, meditation, read a book, facial, or taking a bath.  Do what feels good for you but remember take your time, don’t watch the clock.
8. Gratitude list.  Before you go to bed, make a list of what you are grateful for.  Maybe you managed to get more sleep, or you had some time to finish your tea instead of it going cold.

Remember, you need to nurture the nurturer so you can be of service to others, especially your children.

Leave a comment below on what tips you will implement today.

Namaste xx

Understanding our Values on a Deeper Level

Personal values are things that we believe in on a deeper level. They show us what is important to us. They shape our decision making and help us understand what we want in our life.

Work/life balance has always been an important value in my life.  I had an experience at work where I was told I couldn’t work from home one day and I immediately felt the anger.  I was so upset.  My energy dropped all day, I felt as if someone had taken something really important to me, and they did – my biggest personal value.

“Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.”– Gandhi

So, why is work/life balance important to me?  I remember growing up my mum worked so hard as a single mother, working 2-3 jobs. We didn’t get to spend as much time with her as kids.   Since having a child of my own, I can see how hard that would have been for her.  I am so grateful for my mum working so hard but it was through this experience, which shaped my own personal value of work/life balance so I could be there for my children. It shaped everything I have done to help create more work/life balance. I wanted to create a life so I could work from home more. Communications Degree – check; Graduate Certificate – check; New job – check. I believed having all these things would make me happy and create more balance in my work/life.  Sure, my job has allowed me to work from home so I can drop off my son and pick him up but it still doesn’t give me the internal satisfaction. I still yearn for more. I am still looking for the quick fix to make me feel better.

My value isn’t work/life balance it is LIFE BALANCE. Balance in every aspect of my life.  How can we create more balance in our lives when we are always trying to do something externally to make us feel better? Once we achieve the external fix, it will make us happy for a little while but then you will still go back to looking for more answers, or another quick fix.

Since I had my son, I am starting to value time most of all.  He is growing everyday and I don’t want to miss a thing.  He won’t be a child for long. He is turning 5 in March. When he was a newborn I don’t remember much because I felt like I was a walking and feeding zombie. I put so much pressure on myself when I was a new mum and I still do. All because I want to create more balance in my life for my family. This just teaches me that presence is more important than anything and also a personal value.

“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” – M Scott Peck

Earlier I included a quote from Ghandi which resonates with me on so many levels.  ‘Your values become your destiny’. This is so true. My values also include helping people, making a difference, happiness, health, family, presence and of course life balance. My values of helping people and making a difference led me to MummaBliss. It is through my own personal experience of pregnancy, birth and beyond that has led me to create MummaBliss to help women create a better experience which is more connected and empowering in each of the stages of motherhood. I believe this is my purpose, or as Ghandi says ‘my destiny’.

What are your personal values? Have you noticed how they have shaped your life to where you are today?  Post your comment below.

Did you know that we think of 70,000 thoughts per day?  When I first heard this I was astounded by the figure but then I monitored what I thought for a day and I could see how it could equate to that amount. We live such busy lives and often forget about living in the moment, becoming more mindful.

So, what is mindfulness? It’s simply bringing awareness to the present moment without judgement.  I thoroughly recommend watching the movie (or read the book) ‘Way of the Peaceful Warrior’ by Dan MacMillan.

Below are my 5 sure tips to being a mindful parent:

1. Don’t rush. Next time you are giving your child a bath, don’t look at the clock. Take the time to sit with them and play with their toys or talk to them about their day.  Don’t bring your phone with you. Simply be there for them.
2. Be present.  Simply be there for your child, listen intently and when you are spending time with them.  Be fully present with your child.
3. Be patient.  Maybe your child isn’t achieving milestones quick enough or they do something that upsets you.  Next time this happens, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
4. You are their teacher.  They will take on your beliefs and habits into their adult life. Think about what you say before you say it.  They are learning from you.  Be the best teacher you can be so they can have the best start in life.
5. Have fun.  When was the last time you actually sat down on the floor with your child and played with their toys or got out a game to play?  Spend some time with your child and have quality time and fun.  I know this is hard, I am a mother too. I try to at least make time to read books before my son goes to bed to give him some solid time with just me, even if it is just cuddles on the lounge

Remember, being present means shifting your awareness to the present moment. Forget about what happened yesterday or the day or what’s happening tomorrow. It’s about NOW.

Leave a comment below with what gets in your way of spending quality time (completely present) with your children? What distractions get in your way? ie. Social media, cooking, chores, work, checking emails?

Stay tuned for future blog posts on how to create self-care practices during your pregnancy or as a new mum so you have more energy to give your child your fullest attention and presence.

Love

Michelle xx

When I was pregnant I tried everything to keep awake during the day. I was sooo tired and nothing helped.  I have been adding green power smoothies and juices to my day and I have also purchased something called E3Live which gives me loads of energy. Also, another great product to add in your smoothies and juices which is ok to have during pregnancy is Shakti Superfood or Vital Greens. Both are fantastic to add to your smoothies and juices to naturally give you more energy during your pregnancy.  So, here is a green smoothie  recipe below that I always use, but I tend to substitute with whatever I have in the fridge.

Green Smoothie

• 1.5-2 cups of very cold filtered water
• 6 cups spinach, chopped
• 5 cups cos lettuce, chopped
• 2 stalks of organic celery
• 1 organic apple, cored and chopped
• 1 organic pear, cored and chopped
• 1–2 Tbs. fresh organic lemon juice

Optional Ingredients

• Flaxseed Meal
• Avocado
• Chia Seeds
• 1/2 cup of organic cilantro
• 1/2 cup of organic parsley

Directions

Add water, spinach and chopped romaine to the blender. Starting the blender on a low speed; mix until smooth.
Gradually move to higher speeds and add the herbs, celery, pear, and apple. Add the lemon juice last.

I will post my favourite juice recipe tomorrow.

I recommend drinking a green smoothie or juice daily. It has really helped increase my energy levels. I actually look forward to it every morning now.

Making friends with MONEY!

This morning, I noticed a lot of things coming up around money.  My husband has recently been made redundant at work, so with bills piling up and receiving phone calls chasing money, I constantly felt like I was in a tunnel of no return with no way out.  I finally realised what’s been keeping me from being financially free and I wanted to share this experience with my MummaBliss readers because you too can be financially free too. 

Let’s start with a story….. because everyone loves a good story – including me!

When I was a child, my parents separated and divorced so my brother and I lived with my mum, who worked so hard as a single parent trying to make ends meet.  She was working two jobs to support us and give us everything we needed so we could be happy.  She sacrificed her own happiness for brother and I.  She wouldn’t buy anything for herself it was always for us – new clothes, school excursions etc. I remember how wonderful my mum was and still is.  I always remember my mum using the term ‘scrimping and saving’.  My Dad didn’t give my mum much financial support as well, and she did it all on her own, however with a supportive family.  My mum always did things for others, putting others first before herself.  She is finally able to treat herself, and living more comfortably but still working very hard. 

When I compare my mum’s experience with money, I have realised I have taken on that belief but adding a few more beliefs around it – ‘not having enough’ ‘scrimping’ ‘never getting on top of things’.  My husband and I have always lived paycheck to paycheck.  If you are familiar with the Law of Attraction, I now realise that I have manifested the experience of feeling in debt in my life.  I put the negative thoughts and feelings towards money into the universe which vibrated the frequency and translated into that.

I am finally ready to let go of the illusion of money and remember it is energy. I am going to let go of the attachment to money and remember the saying ‘what goes around comes around’. Money always circulates back.  Money is simply energy.  I have the power to shift my awareness from a state of debt into abundance.  I can only do this, no-one else can. 

I don’t want to be rich I want to be financially free without the constant worry and fear around money.  I have held onto this belief long enough so it is time to let it go. I surrender.  I let go. I deserve good things. I deserve happiness. I am creating good feelings and thoughts around money so the universe can respond with what I want.   

Wealth can mean different things to different people. I am wealthy in my relationships.  I have a loving and supportive husband that allows me to follow my dreams; a beautiful son who loves me unconditionally; a loving family and of course a mother who will do anything to help; a secure job which gives me the money to live my dreams and many more.  I am so grateful for everything in my life.  Each person I have met in my life has taught me an important lesson about myself.  It’s a continuous learning journey. 

The moral of the story is…. I finally understand the obstacles. it’s just the thoughts and feelings around money.  So, time to shift my awareness and change my thoughts and feelings around money if I want to create more abundance in my life.

My mum is an inspiration, what she did for my brother and I and I am so grateful. I love my mum, she has always been so supportive.  She is an inspiration to me and I love her dearly. 

In closing, have a think about what areas in your life do you feel suffering? Try to change your thoughts and feelings “change the channel to a more positive one” and shift your awareness to turn your life around – fix your relationships, finances, health, career and more with the Law of Attraction.  If you want to know more about the Law of Attraction, I thoroughly recommend ‘The Secret’