Hi Reader,
Can you feel the sun getting brighter and the days getting longer? How about the hint of Spring in these warmer days? Yes, even though there has been wind, ice, rain, maybe some cabin fever, political chaos, likely some existential questioning and your own personal struggles... there is still power in noticing the changing light and the sun getting higher and higher each week! This isn’t to gloss over our struggles and challenges, but to give us an anchor, something to ground into - the present moment, our senses, a glimmer of beauty, an acknowledgement of awe.
I listened to a podcast last week that discussed awe and beauty being the antidote to heartbreak and emotional distress. This reminder to connect with wonder and artistry, both in big and small ways, really struck me. I have had some really low moments and tough challenges in this initial postpartum period... Yet I have remained (mostly) grounded; in part largely to these little moments of awe - a walk in the woods with the afternoon light hitting the snow so it sparkles, sitting in front of our glass door (or sometimes outside when it’s not intolerably cold) with my eyes closed feeling the sun, watching our amaryllis blooms explode or just catching a glimpse of one of our sons' purity. It is in slowing down, fully experiencing and reflecting on these moments when I am most consistently brought back to myself.
The other thing keeping me grounded is community and connection. Many of you have reached out and that means a lot. I am also so supported at home that even though I have faced struggles, I feel safe and moored in some way. We have had so much help from family and friends, I have a Good Beginnings volunteer, and I have several online communities that I stay tethered to when leaving the house isn’t the easiest thing. Additionally, before Liam's birth, I made a plan with my virtual assistant, Sarah, and she is doing the bulk of the work with these newsletters. I am truly using this maternity leave to focus on my own healing and our transition to a family of 4. I wouldn't be able to do it without these webs of support and connection.
What is anchoring you in these times of transition and greater uncertainty? Are you able to find awe most days? Do you feel connected to others? See this month's feature below for a 3 part breathing class connecting you to your breath and pelvis, offering stability and anchoring on a physical level.
As much as we anchor into the present there is always some future planning to be done, this is the dance of life. My maternity leave will soon come to an end and I will return to work part time in March. I am both full of an excited anticipation and feeling slight unease for exactly what my capacity will be. I will be resuming work slowly and checking in with myself daily and weekly; living, adapting, noticing.
For those of you that I had been working with prior to my leave, you should have recently received a personal email from me. If you think you should have gotten that email but didn’t just reply here. For those of you who want to reconnect, check out my online offerings and stay tuned for updates as I get back in my groove. I do have one workshop scheduled for March so if you or someone you know is recovering from a Cesarean delivery check out the details below!
Here’s to feeling anchored and grounded with moments of awe and beauty (even if some parts of life feel rough right now) and remembering that none of us are alone.
With connection,
This month's feature:
Connect to how your pelvis breathes and feel how this can decrease lower body aches and pain! Journey into how breathing impacts your pelvic floor, SI joints, lower back, hips and so much more!
Did you know??
The pelvis and diaphragm are mirror images of each other. And the abdominals, the muscles of the thighs and the lats all come together to meet at the pelvis. The pelvis is a major hub of the body!
The Breathing Pelvis course is a wonderful introduction to these connections and what we can do to feel better in our bodies using our breath, imagery and gentle movements.
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This course will guide you to connect with your breath and feel more grounded in your own body. Even just doing the free preview, which is all about breath imagery, can offer a great dose of bodily presence and ease.
Upcoming Event!
C-Birth Recovery Workshop: 6 Weeks and Beyond
with Dartmouth Women's Health Resource Center
Saturday March 22, 2025 10AM - 12PM
Come to this workshop for guidance on what to do now, the anatomy of what happened and why you can have pelvic pain even though you delivered through your abdomen!
$30 registration fee, pre-registration required
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JUST FOR YOU:
Some Self-Care Healthcare Free Resources!
In addition to finding community connection and a sense of anchoring in the awe and beauty all around, taking care and knowing what's best for yourself will always bring you back to you. Why am I always talking about that? Read on to find out!
"A phrase I use to describe my work is self-care healthcare. So, what does that mean? Let's start with what it doesn't mean..."
Start your movement practice with the alphabet!
Change often comes through small, incremental adjustments to posture, breath or connection to our core. Try using these fundamentals to say goodbye to “out-of-the-blue pain" and start feeling more whole in your body!
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Pelvis Party
Free Video Class!
Settling into new routines can bring a lot of changes and unpredictability our way. In this video I dive into an overall theme of grounding, starting from the hips and moving our way through the body to the feet, core, shoulders, and head/neck.
Starting movement practices with the hips and pelvis can help us feel our strength and give a sense of being rooted.
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Find more free videos for self-care healthcare in the Yoga Therapy Showcase!