Connecting with Mother Nature
On a cloudy and breezy fall morning, I recently had the privilege of facilitating a workshop on self-compassion in motherhood. Located at a flourishing community garden, the grass still wet from the prior night’s rain, Mother Nature offered an expansive space for participants to be fully present and learn about self-compassion through her example.
Reconnection and Reflection
The workshop encouraged reconnection with self, reconnection with mothers in community, and reconnection with Mother Nature as one of our original more-than-human attachment figures. She showed up, unapologetically and authentically, without putting on a brave face, a smile, or a streak of sunlight, and still, participants stood in awe of her beauty and the gifts she so clearly possesses.
Acknowledgement and Honoring
With an opening land acknowledgment, Mothers were encouraged to consider the Indigenous ancestors who tended this land long before we came to visit this space. Reflections of gratitude and pondering sameness and differences, among people, in physical places, and throughout time, were pondered with deep reverence to the Piscataway and Susquehannock nations.
Meditation and Inner Landscape
Through grounding and earthing meditations and activities, participants tuned into nature and their own inner landscapes, cultivating nervous system regulation and relaxation. The gentle rustling of leaves, the earthy scent of wet soil, and the cool breeze provided a soothing backdrop for moments of introspection and self-compassion, fostering a deeper connection with the natural world and their own inner selves.
Embracing Imperfection
The beauty of imperfection in nature reminded participants that this can be true in motherhood, as well if we embrace it. The piled up laundry and messy family meals can be signs of a phase in parenthood that passes with time, just as the budding autumn blooms grow amidst the fading summer flowers. There are flowers that grow wild and free quietly amidst the weeds, and some that vibrantly take up space, visible from afar. Both deserve a space in the garden and are worthy just as they are. And, both are beautiful. Comparison doesn’t do justice in nature. The flowers aren’t noticing how tidy the garden plots of the other flowers. They’re just…blooming…
Social Media and Self-Criticism
The temptation to believe that other moms have it all figured out is especially prevalent with increased “windows” into others’ lives via social media these days. A breeding ground for self-criticism and judgment, because that snapshot scroll is just a moment in time. It doesn’t offer the behind-the-scenes full picture that being in community does. Similar to the appearance of flowers from a distance, from a closer view we get to know the details and intricacies of others’ lived experiences. So often what’s assumed at surface level has more layers beneath. The appeal for fostering true community among mothers is increasingly strong and it has a greater capacity to grow when we offer nurturing care to ourselves.
The Seeds of Self-Compassion
The seeds of self-compassion are mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness. To embody self-compassion means to be able to tune into what’s happening in the moment, to recognize that we’re not alone and that many other mothers feel similarly, and that we can hold ourselves in the same nurturing care as we might a child or a friend. It takes time, practice, and gentle tending to plant, nourish, and grow the seeds of self-compassion into a thriving garden.
A Guiding Light for Motherhood
I invite you to take these insights to heart. Embrace self-compassion as a guiding light on your motherhood journey – one that encourages mindfulness in every moment, connects you with the community of mothers who share your joys and challenges, and allows you to extend the same gentle kindness to yourself that you readily offer to your child or dear friends.
Join Us in Future Workshops
Our workshops offer a unique opportunity to deepen your self-compassion practice and continue this transformative journey. Join us in future workshops where we explore the boundless wisdom of nature, share stories, and nurture the resilient spirit of motherhood. Let’s bloom together, embracing the wild and beautiful tapestry of our lives as mothers.
