Jamie Abrams*Raw Food*Yoga*Teacher

Gandhi's Happiness & Buddha's Love

' Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. '

~Gandhi 

 

‘ You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.’

~ Buddha

 

 

Handstands and Watermelon

I think I may have uncovered a little somethin' somethin' that will get your a.m. mojo zipping, zooming and zinging. If you feel groggy with the summer heat look no farther! 

In the morning I shake off the night with a varying yoga routine on our patio, listening to the cicadas and sea waves rolling up on to the piers below. Each session has a different tone and theme contingent upon how I feel. 

However, there is one pose in particular that I have brought out of hibernation and it has quickly become a regular. I have gotten back into the habit of practicing handstands. 

Handstands can be easy to leave off the morning menu, but I have been making a concerted effort to kick my legs up the wall, engage my arms and melt my heart into a handstand. But, before I marry my hands to the floor, I enter the sacred contract with myself to check my ego at the edge of the mat and be present and accept where I am in that moment. Some times my handstands feel easier than on other days, but I am always guaranteed to experience the post-handstand high, which is worth every sweat drop. 

If you still aren't convinced that reversing gravity should be on your carte de jour maybe these benefits will persuade you: give your vital organs a much-needed rest, improve circulation, respiration, along with elimination, increase concentration, mental clarity and provides the bone-strengthening benefits of weight-bearing exercise to the wrists, fingers, elbows, arms, and shoulders, which may help to prevent osteoporosis. 

Click here to read an excellent article on beginning a handstand practice. 

After my sun-filled yoga session I tend to refuel with a whopping plate or two or three of watermelon. As a matter of fact, these days I can't seem to get enough. 

Yesterday, we consumed an 8kg mammoth in a couple sittings and the day before a 7kg melon. Luckily, watermelons in Croatia are well priced, no doubt because they are locally grown. 

To be honest, I can't recall eating nicer watermelon anywhere else on the planet. Croatian melons are superior in quality - to me anyway. And of course it helps that they haven't been shlepped around the globe to make it to my mouth. 

Most people think melons are just a bit of water in a pretty pink and green package, however they are a summertime superfood and have the most nutrition per calorie of common foods. 

Here are some watermelon perks that should encourage you to get the juicy fruit running down your chin and elbows (of course you don't have to be as extreme in your consumption as I have been!): excellent source of vitamin C, B, especially B1 (thiamine) and B6 (pyridoxine), high content of lycopene, potassium and magnesium etc 

Click here to read more about the health giving mammoth we call a watermelon. 

Basically, what I am suggesting is that If you want to start off the day feeling like a powerhouse then include at least one handstand in your morning yoga routine then follow it by a watermelon breakfast. It really is a win-win combination. 

*As always please be mindful of your body when trying new poses. If in doubt seek the advice of a qualified yoga teacher.

The Yoga of Breastfeeding

I have had a few strange, but often curious looks from people when I have mentioned the topic for this TM column.  Understandably so. I don’t think many people see the deeper connection between yoga and breastfeeding or that many people associate a successful breastfeeding relationship with having a supple, strong body and peaceful mind. 

Even though I was in reasonable shape when my breastfeeding career began, I was utterly surprised by how physically taxing breastfeeding could be on my muscles. In the early days, when my babe seemed to suckle for what felt like hours on end, I would wind up with achy arms, shoulders and back. My legs would feel restless like I had just been sat on aeroplane for 12 hours without moving. I laugh now at my initial weakness of body. 

Not only was I tackling the purely physical side of nourishing my buttercup, I was grappling with my cerebral thoughts. During those long feeds or those times when I felt like all I did was have my ta-ta’s hanging out all day, my mind would alternate between the ecstatic bliss of what I was doing and the monotony of it all. 

Even with my many years of familiarity with meditating and yogic practices of softness and mindfulness, I still struggled with the monkey living in my mind. I was/am still working at entering my own silent abyss with ease. The stillness of breastfeeding could rattle up my monkey, causing me to feel trapped or like I was being held hostage. When it got all too much for me I couldn’t transport myself out with mind-dulling TV and my head generally was too full of fogginess to comprehend a good book. My self-love and yogic practices were being put fully to the test! [Personal note: I do not feel that self-love and yogic practices can be separated - rather they are a mutually exclusive entity.] While I can’t speak for every lactating mama, I can only assume every mom has had instances during nursing that weren’t all filled with creamy hues and rosiness.

Fortunately, Mother Nature designed us perfectly to by and large experience enormous ripples of satisfaction and love while we nourish our cherubs. While it could be very easy to blame my modern western lifestyle for any short-comings and all the counter-intuitive messages it gives me everyday about raising my child, I would rather not squirt my precious breastmilk on the antagonist. Instead, I tried (I use that word because after all I am human, too!) to tap into that peaceful space that dwells within me at all times and not allow myself to be totally consumed by the guilt of feeling bored or wondering when my nursling would ever release my breast. 

For me this is where the ability to utilize yogic thinking truly ups the anti. My interpretation of the meaning of yogic thinking is just that it is another phrase for positive thinking and affirmations, believing in something greater, the law of attraction, meditation, mantra japa etc. Basically, if I remain calm, allow positivity to abound, it is the natural order of the Universe to sort the rest of it out. If I was really in a mental tizzy it became paramount for me to find a mantra to soothe my soul and begin deep yogic breathing. This would eventually bring me back to a euphoric equilibrium. 

Of course I can’t possibly leave out the importance of proper breathing or yogic breathing on my triumphant breastfeeding passage. Like many women in modern society, I had never seen a baby breastfeed (although I was breastfed) and had very little practical knowledge. Everything I knew about breastfeeding was theoretical from books. Although I was aware that I might have a slight disadvantage for not having practical familiarity, it wasn’t enough to prevent me from doing everything humanly possible to make my breastfeeding relationship with my angel work. 

In the first weeks after birth I battled to get a proper latch-on. My nipples were severely cracked. I cried at nearly every nursing session. But in my heart I knew I had to march forward – for me there was NO other way to feed my baby. While my midwives and my LLL leader patiently helped us, I would begin deep three-part breathing, fully oxygenating my body, and then I would get on with it. As with any relationship, there is ebb and flow, so later when things became awkward due to teething, toddler titty twirling, tot boobie gymnastics or my own restlessness, I would call in the goddess of yogini breathing to get me through.

Not only had yoga been a crutch for me pre-pregnancy and during my son’s birth, but it helped me create a magical breastfeeding bond between us. You don’t have to have years of experience on a yoga mat to benefit from its healing powers, just a little faith and motivation. I also think it is worth mentioning that it does not matter where you are in the spectrum of life - now is as good as any time to breathe more deeply and realign your body and mind. So lactating or not, mama or papa, old or young, the following yoga postures (asanas), yogic affirmations (mantras) and yogic breathing (pranayamas) will manifest a more easeful body, peaceful mind and blissful life. While I can’t make any guarantees, you don’t have anything to lose unless you call spontaneous laughter a side-effect.

Yoga asanas to nurse a woman’s body into a full-time lactating queen:

Eagle (Garudasana – just the arm position), Cow Face (Gormukhasana), Wide Legged Forward Bend – variation w/ hand interlaced behind back and moving towards head (Prasarita Padottanasana), Cat-Cow, Cobra (Bhujangasana), Camel* (Ustrasana), Fish (Matsyasana), Downward-Facing Dog (Ardho Mukha Svanasana), Thread the Needle, Rag Doll, Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar), Half Locust – Superhero variation (Ardha Shalabhasana)

As with any yoga postures, proceed with care, listen to your body and if you are a complete newbie seek the advice of a qualified yoga instructor. *Camel ~ the beginner’s variation ~ is suitable for new mamas. Wait until at least six months postpartum to enjoy the full pose (hands to feet) to insure your uterus has returned to its pre-pregnancy position. 

[Psst…go to www.yogajournal.com most of the above poses are pictured and thoroughly explained.]

Yoga mantras (affirmations) to quiet your inner-monkey:

~ I am at peace with myself and my surroundings.

~ I breathe in the serenity of my beauty.

~ I am peace (use any descriptive word such as love, happy, exuberant etc.).

~ Om Shanti

~ Om Tat Sat

~ Om Mani Padme Hum

There are a boundless number of mantras/affirmations that can be used to transmute the negative mind-chatter. They all don’t have to be cheesey and new agey either! The key is to use one that feels delightful to your soul and just keep repeating it (in your mind or vocally – your darling will love to hear such positive vibrations exiting your mouth). Eventually, the constructive thoughts will prevail! 

Yogic Breathing ~ Pranayama:

Hands down, my favourite pranayama is deep three-part breathing. From this base of expansive breathing all other breathing techniques become possible and it allows your body to fully unfold in any yoga asana. Safety note: yogic breathing should never be forced or laboured. If at any time you feel shortness of breath, dizzy or faint, discontinue the practice and resume your normal breathing. 

Start by sitting in a comfortable position – any position that allows your spine to be long and expanded (you can lay supine on the floor). Place your right hand on to your abdomen and your left hand on to your chest. All exhalations and inhalations happen through the nose. Begin by inhaling through your nose, drawing the breath down to your belly. You should feel your right hand expanding out as the air presses the abdomen out. Continue to draw the breath up through the diaphragm into the lungs and then into the chest/heart. You should now feel your chest expanding into your left hand. Continue the breath up into your collar bones and throat. Now, slowly exhale through your nose in reverse order – chest, lungs, diaphragm, and abdomen. As you exhale you should first feel your left hand soften on your heart and your right hand on your abdomen. With each inhalation you are working to expand and each exhalation naturally contract and relax. Eventually each one of these parts will flow one into the next making it a seamless breath. Continue breathing wholly and completely. 

This should be our natural breathing pattern, but stress and modern life have shifted us into shallow chest-breathers. If this three-part breath is practiced often enough it will eventually become your natural breathing rhythm. If you are lacking in inspiration watch any sleeping baby to see how they entirely employ their full lung capacity. 

I extend a special kudos to every goddess mama who embarks on a yoga journey at such a precious time in her life. Conceiving, birthing, breastfeeding and raising aware kiddies is a monumental task and by inviting yoga into your family’s life you are coming one step closer to relishing more moments of infinite bliss. 

(This article was originally published in The Mother Magazine issue 37.)

If you truly want to see yogini breastfeeding in action follow the link to watch a one minute video ~ this is not to be missed and most likely the best minute you spent all week!!

http://tinyurl.com/ykweute

Getting Back On The Mat

This is an article that I orginally wrote for The Mother magazine issue 36. This really is a timeless piece whether you are a mother trying to get back on the yoga mat or a person just trying to get on the mat in the first place! If you are mother, father or anyone that has a child in your life then I highly recommend a subscription to The Mother ~ it is truly worth its weight in gold.

Getting Back On The Mat

Pre-pregnancy, I had been teaching yoga for six years. I had at long last discovered a style  of yoga that tantalized every morsel of my body, leaving me to tingle for more. My teaching and personal practice was wildly flourishing. Finally I was at home with my yoga. 

Then I became pregnant. Initially nothing in my routine had to change. I was feeling fit and strong – well, between being sick into paper bags and out of car windows.  As my bump grew I had to accommodate the physical change. During the late stages of my pregnancy I had to halt doing almost all yoga poses, which was bizarre for me. In times past when I had day-dreamed about my paradisiacal pregnancy and birth, yoga was always an integral component. But my body just couldn’t handle the additional doses of elastin. It just made my body too unstable and hyper-flexible. So I resigned myself to doing only aquatic exercises, although I did manage to perfect a floating tube yogic deep relaxation, which was at the very least entertaining for the other pool users and lifeguards. 

After the quick, ecstatic gorgeous birth of my babe I was taken aback by how horrendous my body felt. I was a young yogini in the pink and a lettuce-gobbling lady in a total wreck. I wondered when the Mac truck had steam-rolled me?  I was baffled in regards to my physical state, on top of which I was scrambling to cope with all of my new mumsy emotions, too.

Let’s face it, in the early days of mamahood I didn’t even have the opportunity to wash my hair let alone think about doing yoga postures. Breastfeeding on cue, baby-wearing and napping at any squeaks notice took over my time. 

Then when my darling was about three months old, I started doing some gentle postures with him. My body felt so tender and raw. I think I spent most of the time weeping on my yoga mat wondering where my old body had disappeared to. I was deeply mourning the loss of the ‘old me’ on so many levels. At the time I couldn’t see past my buxom breastfeeding boobs to really distinguish that this was the ideal kind of yoga for me. I needed to be in that unprocessed space to release the woman I used to be so I could fully embrace the woman I had become. Even though I had advocated for years that the practice of yoga came in all shapes, sizes and forms, if it weren’t for those soul-searching moments I am not sure I would have fully comprehended the meaning. 

However, while the Scorpion in me was trying to figure it all out, my physical body remained in the dumps. My emotional and spiritual bodies swayed from pure elation to discouraged, low and overwhelmed. Yoga had been an anchor to me in the past. But its essence had somehow slipped out of my yoni when I gave birth and it felt so elusive. 

I recall going to my husband when my sweet boy was about six months old, telling him I didn’t think that I would ever teach yoga again.  The yoga world seemed so far away from where I was and that maybe motherhood was giving me a fresh start to turn over a new leaf. He was shocked to hear my revelation, but as always he was supportive. Upon reflection that was just my Ms. Hollywood coming out, creating a bit of drama, or maybe I was slightly hormonal!  

It was then around moppet’s first birthday that we made the modest transition to a raw food diet. As a family we had reached a place where it finally felt like I had enough gumption to start forming a personal habit of doing yoga again. Beginning anew was really daunting, but I knew that I didn’t want to feel like something that the cat dragged in everyday. I kept reminding myself that our bodies have cellular memory and soon enough my body would feel sparkly. 

Perhaps it was the clarity of eating more raw foods, but I also admitted mentally that I had built a whopping imaginary fortress around how I could do yoga. Pre-baby days I dedicated 1-2 hours yoga per session. The notion that I needed a set amount of time alone made it impossible for me to get back into a yoga groove. The rigidness of doing yoga in a controlled way had completely shoved me off my mat entirely. Once I let go of that fairytale concept my yoga practice unfolded.

My asanas (poses) have been transformed by Zenchai. I try to quietly get on with my session, but for him seeing mummy do something that looks so cool is just temptation to play. Most days my postures are flavoured with him using me as a climbing frame or using my various body positions as a car park or tunnel. I really love sharing my mat with him. I must divulge that having him jump all over me while I do certain poses is extremely therapeutic. It is hard to tell if he consciously knows this, but he often gives me quite delightful adjustments – almost exactly how I would adjust a student in class.   His skill is just one of those mystical gifts that only children bring to us. Sometimes having my sweaty mat to myself is an enticing thought, but then I wouldn’t be blessed to have spontaneous moments of ‘yoga hugs’ or ‘yoga kisses’. My most magical memory was when I was in a headstand and he came directly in front of my face to give me the biggest kiss and to stroke my face. You definitely wouldn’t get that kind of wholesome TLC in a group yoga class or by practicing alone. 

I can now appreciate how healthy it is for him to see me taking care of myself and how important it is for him to see that mama has a life outside of wiping bums.  

As a mother, I have more opportunity to practice the living yoga, which is just as powerful as the mat practice. I can only hope you will be more savvy than me by staying on your mat even when it feels impossible or unrolling your yoga mat for the first time and jumping into the twinkles that await you in the great yoga abyss  

With my heart held high and feathers proud, the most humbling yoga experience I have had to date has been becoming a mother.

Vibram Five Fingers

Here I am sitting at my computer on a really fabulous mid-August day with the scent of lavender and sunshine pouring in through my window. So why I am here and not out on my sun-drenched decking? Good question! But one I am not privy to answer. :-)

I do have a little something to share so my sunshine deficiency meter is somehow not feeling so gutted. But you’ll have to thank my husband for this one. If it weren’t for his extremely disciplined ways and near- obsession with exercise I may not have made this discovery. 

You may sense the gloatiness in the next few lines, but I am the proud owner and wearer of a pair of Vibram Five Fingers shoes. Okay so what is the big deal about these babies? Well they are by far the healthiest shoes for feet – ever. That might be a bit of an extreme statement, but I am rather bold like that. 

My lavender beauties give each of my toes space to act individually. If any of you have ever been to one of my yoga classes you’ll know what I am on about. I am a self-admitted toe-spreading addict. The importance of being able to move your toes in such a fashion is near-critical to a stable yoga practice. You can fully root and ground yourself before embarking on the yogic odyssey of bendy bliss.   

However, if you are the sporty type, which I make no claims to be, you can up the anti in your performance. These shoes were designed to allow you to run the way your body is supposed to. We aren’t actually meant to run heel to toe, which is why there are so many running injuries. Without going into depth I’ll refer you to a really enlightening read called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. This book is a fascinating read and must for runners.

By the way, running is only one of the many sports that this shoe is great for. You can read more about them by going directly to the Vibram website.

I have indulged in a bit of beach yoga wearing them. They did offer great grip in some of the balancing yoga postures, but I have to confess I prefer walking and doing yoga on the beach barefoot. Since going barefoot is not always appropriate, my lilac Vibram stunners give me the next best thing.

Without a doubt I can guarantee that you will strike up some interesting conversations while wearing these in public if not get a few blatant stares (if you are trying to meet someone romantically this could be the trick!). A friend says I look a bit like I have frog feet when I wear them, but I don’t think I have ever seen a frog with cute purple-hued toes! The benefits of having free toes and improving my yoga are well worth any smart comments. 

Reconnective Healing

My goodness, it feels like it has been ages since I have given this blog some loving! Lately life is happening so quickly that I feel unsure whether I am coming or going. While many big things are on the horizon, my day-to-day existence has been fairly routine. Not to harbour any excuses, but my computer did have a case of swine flu, which resulted in some pretty hefty repair fees and prior to that I think my body was soaking up as much vitamin D in the sunshine as possible. Admittedly I am not secretly denying the fact I lapped up the rays while they were here. These British summers are so unpredictable.

What I would like to share most is about a little adventure I went on a couple weekends ago. However, before I spill the bean sprouts I’ll have to back up a few months. My scrumptious friend on a last-minute whim asked me if I wanted to attend a lecture in London by a fellah named Dr. Eric Pearl. Since it is rare that I get to take off my mama hat, I jumped at the chance to have an evening out in the city even though neither of us knew too much about him except that he was meant to be a rather exceptional bloke.

So off we pranced to his talk. I was totally unprepared for what I saw, felt and experienced. Dr. Pearl, in his very comedic way, described how he had become an instrument for a ‘new’ frequency of healing. His description of how this process unfolded within him would have made me giggle right off my chair had I been sitting on one. While recounting his story he was also able to strike a major chord with me, debunking a lot of the so-called new age spiritual rituals of healing. Dr. Pearl’s ethos was so down-to-earth that I had to smile at the simplicity of it all. Between the laughter and drama of his talk, he threw light on (no pun intended!) our capacity to access this healing gift.

We also witnessed him facilitating a healing for a woman. Without diving into her history or even knowing anything about her except for her name and without touching her, he was able to help heal a physical issue in her arms. She’d had this affliction for over five years without any improvement from conventional methods. In five minutes with this healing process she experienced a permanent improvement in her mobility. It was really phenomenal to observe.

After the lecture was over I was giddy with excitement. Granted, I must confess I did buy his book and get his autograph (does that make me a total geek?). What really ignited me was the possibility of using this healing frequency in my yoga classes or with my private yoga clients. The physical improvements that a person could experience from this energy could have such a huge ripple effect and impact the various layers of the person’s life.

I went home that night with the feeling that I was on the brink of something major.

The next day I spoke to my friend. We both decided that we wanted to learn more. The little taster we had wasn’t enough to quench our hunger to access these healing frequencies. In short we booked ourselves on to his Reconnective Healing I/II course in Prague, which took place a couple weekends ago.

Aside from being in a splendid city, the weekend opened me up in ways that I am still trying to comprehend. I saw some rather unusual things, heard some very intriguing ideas and felt the new frequency. It wasn’t until I got home that the wave really hit me. I was in a serious head fog for nearly a week. I lost the whole concept of time – it actually confused me to look at the clock and see how quickly the day had disappeared (more so than normal!). And I consciously feel that I experienced a physical healing on my hips (I was born with hip dysplasia, which causes my hips to pop in and out of the socket.). I am sure healing was absorbed on a much deeper emotional / spiritual levels.

Now two weeks on I am undeniably being shown the course in which I should take with this amazing gift. The synchronicities are just too blatant for me to ignore. However, not to be a complete dark horse I’ll keep schtum for now. I am still processing and registering what it all means.

In the meantime if you feel drawn to rub eyeballs with Reconnective Healing send me an email and we can book in a session for you. These sessions can be given in person or through what is known as distance healing. I will very shortly be putting the nitty gritty of Reconnective Healing up on my website.

For those of you desperate to know more, you can go straight to the source by clicking on the pretty rust coloured link below:

www.thereconnection.com

 

Heal Image By: bluewinx15(back)

Brown Paint & Freebies

This evening Zenchai and I were at loose ends as to what to do for dinner. So I did what I am most famous for: a whip-up! I put this together in about five minutes and Zenchai christened it "Brown Paint". Be sure to scroll down to read about my latest project and a VERY special FREE event happening on June 22nd.

Brown Paint

Ingredients
½ C cherries (pitted)
2 small chunks of frozen banana (optional)
2TBS raw chocolate powder or raw carob powder
1 tsp vanilla
¾ -1 C cashews
½ C gojis (soaked for 15 minutes)
2 medjool dates
H2O for blending ~ roughly 1 Cup

Preparation
Toss all items in your high speed blender and whiz it around until creamy smooth. And then wait for the happy mouths around the table (I was even offered the world's largest hug).

My latest SIZZLING ditty:
As many of you know I am a RawMom Team Member. RawMom has just released a HUGE announcement for a FREE event. But I'll come back to that in just a moment. For this virtual affair I was invited to birth a FREE bonus. I tapped my fingers away and How to Melt Your Inner Wicked Witch: A Guide to Relaxation was spawn. It is a mini manual to accompany an audio recording of Yogic Deep Relaxation. Both of which, I will send out to you for FREE if you are on my blog mailing list. If you don't yet have a free subscription just enter your particulars in the boxes on the upper right-hand side of the page. I'll send out this invaluable resource on June 22nd.

This takes me grandly to the RawMomSummit (RMS). RMS has to be the HOTTEST event of the summer, not only because it is totally FREE, but it is featuring some of the best known names in the conscious parenting ring and raw food arena. Click the following magical link and voilà, you can be transported to the most happening virtual festivity of the year.

http://tinyurl.com/mhsyyt

Smooches! xx

Our Ecstatic Birthing Tango

This post is one that is very dear to my heart, not only because I share one of the most intimate moments of my life, but it also marks my 100th blog post! I hope this brings tingly, warm fuzzies...

We celebrated Zenchai’s 3rd birthday last week. To honour his bubbly spirit I would like to share our ecstatic birthing tango. I wholeheartedly believe my yoga history, healthy diet, strong resolve of mind and heart and supple body contributed to us experiencing a birthing paradise.

For many moons I have been deeply connected to the natural process of giving birth. This passion stems from a time in my life when I did not have any children nor was I contemplating having them, but rather I was completely awe-struck with the female body’s capabilities. Most people gape in astonishment at the women’s ability to squeeze a watermelon through a lemon! I was no exception. 

I read everything I could get my hands on regarding childbirth, breastfeeding and natural fertility. On many occasions I have flirted with the idea of becoming a midwife. And who knows? Maybe one day I’ll cross paths with an old village midwife and she’ll extend an offer to apprentice me. I can dream can’t I?!

 When I did become pregnant I knew exactly how I wanted to have my birth – at home, birthing pool, candles lit, aromatherapy scenting the air, homeopathy kit in hand and midwives that I had formed a loving relationship with. True enough Zenchai’s birth was not far off the mark.

As my two due dates (one based on the standard 28-day menstrual cycle and the second one based on my longer 32-36-day menstrual cycle) whizzed by, Claude and I were left wondering if our babe was ever going to make an entrance into this world. We had silly bets about when Zenchai (we didn’t know if we were having a boy or girl – I didn’t have any ultrasound scans) would come, like when all three of our azalea bushes were in tandem bloom. We also tried all the usual coaxing methods – over-ripened pineapple, hot curries, vigorous walks, sperm on the cervix (sex), homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology (my therapist told me my feet didn’t even feel like a pregnant woman’s!) But Zenchai had his own agenda and still does today!

Two weeks or three later, depending on how you look at the dates, I woke-up to use the loo very early in the morning. To my surprise I had a show. Since this was way beyond Zenchai’s due date I knew that it was going to be ‘the day’. I told Claude and he drowsily commented that we should phone the midwives. I thought it was too early, so just climbed back into bed.

We both returned to sleep. As I swung from sleepiness to wakefulness, I noticed waves of sensations running through my body. I woke Claude again just before 11am to ask if he would call the midwives, just to give them a heads-up. I crawled out of bed and went straight to the kitchen. For whatever reason, I was determined to make a lemon cake. I began getting the ingredients out; I even went so far as chopping a few lemons. But I abandoned my cake attempt when I realized how ridiculous the idea was. I couldn’t concentrate on the lemons when I had something way more profound happening in my body!

Instead, I sat on our Swissball, looking out into the garden, focusing on my breathing. I am not sure if it was my heavy breathing that woke Claude from his sleep, but he came down to check on me only to find me in full-blown labour.

He decided to call the midwives to tell them the birth was becoming imminent (my waves were every three minutes). I decided to escape to the stairs. I began rocking and making very cow-like noises. At one point I broke down and wept on the steps. I just sobbed in Claude’s arms, babbling something about how we were really going to become parents. Then I was sick (obviously I was in transition!) After some comfort, I went back to my own world. Claude was madly rushing to fill the birth pool. I crawled up the stairs to the toilet. It felt like a natural place for me to go. Sitting on the toilet was always comforting when I had severe menstrual cramps in the past. (Claude said to celebrate Zenchai’s 3rd birthday I should have just sat on the toilet for three hours meditating! You didn’t know that I am married to a comedian did you?!)

Around 12:30pm, our first midwife, Louise, arrived. I was still holed up in the toilet, had just been sick again, but was totally oblivious to the world around me. Claude said it looked similar to seeing someone possessed; my head was rolling and I was breathing loud and incessantly. As I remember, it was if I had left my body and some other force had taken over. It was like I released myself to Mother Nature and totally allowed my body to flow. I don’t in fact recall thinking. There was NEVER a moment when I thought I couldn’t do it, that I needed pain relief or that I was in pain. I felt the intensity of what was happening, but was too far into the meditative-trance state to actually feel the physicality of the birth process.

Our second midwife, Heather, arrived around 3pm, just as I was feeling the urge to push. Picture four adults cramped into a tiny toilet (about the size of a small closet) preparing for a baby to be born – a tin of sardines comes to mind.

I don’t consciously remember pushing. My body just pushed; it knew what to do without me having to urge it. Claude and Louise (luckily, she is tiny!) were crouched beneath me while I was on the toilet. Both midwives thought it would be a good idea to put a towel between the toilet and the seat as Zenchai was coming quickly. While Heather lovingly supported me in very awkward standing position so Louise could secure the towel, Zenchai shot out of me like a rocket! Claude, with the quick assistance of Louise, received Zenchai and handed him to me. At 3:59pm on May 21, 2006, Zenchai was born – without intervention or drugs - all 8lbs and 21 inches of him

When I first held him I was overwhelmed – not only by him but by what had just  happened. The intense but speedy birth left me in a fuzzy place, although that could have been attributed to the huge cocktail of hormones I had coursing through my body. There is nothing at all in this world comparable to the post-birth hormone high. 

I was so utterly intoxicated by the magical little being I had carried in my body for nearly 10 months and birthed so blissfully. I had known all along he was a boy.

I may not have used the birthing pool or any of the other frilly things, but Zenchai’s birth couldn’t have been any more brillant. He may have taken his time choosing his arrival date, but when he was ready there was no stopping his miraculous entry into our lives.

Happy 3rd Birthday, My Sweet Boy!!

Pop over to RawMom by clicking here to read about how we jubilated Zenchai's big day. And click here to read the interview I did with one of the most inspirational mamas on the planet!

Smooches xx

Top 10 Gorgeousness Products

Being an eco-yoga-RAWarrioress raises many interesting queries for people. Aside from the usual ‘Where do you get your protein from?’ and the ‘What do you eat?’ questions, I also often get asked what sort of beauty care items I use. I have to admit I keep my beauty regime fairly simple. I like to think my yoga practicing, raw vegan food eating and Earth mama lifestyle lends itself to looking after those details. But in the spirit of favorite top 10’s, I’ll share with you some of my much loved potions, lotions, creams and masks!

Top 10 Gorgeousness Products

1. Trilogy Rosehip Oil – I splash a couple drops of this on my face every morning instead of a traditional face cream
2. Beautiful on Raw Face Cream – But when I am in the mood for something creamy and vanilla like I lather this on my face
3. Beautiful on Raw Face Mask – Gentle enough to use everyday. I love this mask!
4. Soignee Shampoo – Divine softness for your hair
5. Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream – Great for any dry bits of skin
6. Inika – An Australian range of vegan make-up. I have only tried the mascara
7. Lush’s Angels on Bare Skin – I don’t normally use facial cleansers, but I do like this one on occasion
8. Green Juice – Okay so not something you put on your skin, but I have to say a daily green juice is worth its weight in gold
9. Yoga – Again I had to sneak this one in there – headstands and backbends will give you a luminescent glow. Seriously! Try it for yourself.
10. Smiling – Will always bring out your inner-bright

PS. I know the above photo isn't terribly flattering nor the image of yumminess, but if it got you laughing then I am all too happy to share it. Oh, and yes the blue mask did wash away and it didn't leave me looking like blueberry! The mask pictured above is one by Astara. I only tried it once and it was exquisite.

Amazing April ~ FREE Events

April is shaping-up to be a very electrifying month with severeal FREE events! Here are a few of them that I am sure will get you beaming from the inside out.

1)    I know this is short notice, but TONIGHT (Wednesday) you can hear a BIG announcement about a world-wide FREE Raw Mom event. This event is going to be HOT (even if it is raw!) and not just for moms interested in raw foods. This baby is for anyone keen to raise healthy, conscious munchkins. So why not grab a Go-Go ball or two and catch this great radio show with Shannon Leone, Raw Mom Extraordinaire and friends: Angela Stokes and Dhrumil.

You can log in and listen from your computer at (if you can't hear the event live not to worry it is being recorded):

http://www.visionarycultureradio.com

2)    There's a super-exciting teleseminar happening and the whole, wide world is invited.

Spring is here and you know what that means?

It's time to DETOX!

As luck would have it, Tera Warner of The Raw Divas is hosting a FREE teleseminar this week all about Detox and I really think you should check it out.

She's going to be discussing the most common mistakes people make during detox and how you can tell if you're due for a clean-up yourself.

If you're looking for solutions to your cravings, this is going to help a lot, too!

--> http://tinyurl.com/cm76z4

She's hosting it with detox maven, Dr. Ritamarie and it promises to be a great call! You can read more about it here:

--> http://tinyurl.com/cm76z4

Tera's gone out on a limb with this one and says she'll be making a CRAZY announcement at the end of the call for anyone who is actually registered for the event and attends
this call.

It's happening on Thursday, April 16th. I'm signed up and hope you'll join me!

Detox vibes coming at ya!

To read more about the 6 week Diva Detox click the pretty link below:
http://tinyurl.com/dchg38

3)    Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) does exactly what is says! Watch this little clip to get a taste for what it is and what it can do. Then get scrolling to the annoucement below about the EFT world Summit. If this doesn't change your life then I'll eat my socks!

EFT World Summit is a FREE event!

But what's even better is that you won't have to travel, or book a hotel, or sit in a meeting room...you can experience the entire event from the comfort of your own home!

EFT World Summit features some of the top minds and practitioners in the world of "Emotional Freedom Techniques," such as Carol Look, Dr. Patricia Carrington, Brad Yates, Bob Doyle, Carol Tuttle...in fact, there will be over 16 instructors in all, 18 sessions in all...

Just take a look here at what you will experience, at no charge to you:


All these experts will gather together their combined knowledge to immerse you in the world of EFT, to help you create better emotional and physical health, prosperity, clarity, energy focus and much, much more...

Never before has a panel like this been assembled...and it may never happen again, so I'd like to encourage you to get registered right away.  Remember...the event is FREE...