Power to Nurture – Part 3…

Hi Everyone,

At the end of another Power – so are you feeling the power?… I’ve received some amazing emails about this power, with such similar stories, that it’s blown me away. After several years of presenting talks and workshops, you hear a lot of stuff that people are battling with, but ‘nurturing and self-care for women’ has got to top the list. Sad that it’s still this way, yet inspired that many more are awakening each day, so congratulations. Though I can’t stress enough how important it is for us to support and encourage each other through to stand in our own power. Because you know, ultimately women are the greatest contributors to upholding the patriarchy – sad but true. Women fight and compete amongst themselves out of a compulsion to be validated in a ‘man’s’ world. Fortunately we are each becoming more aware and are making individual change 🙂 … Of course, I do not wish to under-value the men in this group as they too need to be supported and encouraged because they too, need to learn to do this for themselves. And they too are often ignored. So thank you for your courageous determination to be a part of this group – you are the few amongst many and I feel fortunate to know you 🙂

Here are your contributions:

For many this power was timely … Some are sitting exams and stress was taking precedence over self-care and nurturing. Several mothers with young children recognised that ‘everything else’ tends to take precedence over self-care and nurturing. Several mothers with older children still notice that others take precedence over self-care and nurturing. And some fathers with with young children notice they don’t practice self-care or nurturing …………….. (Well done everyone for the wonderful recognition and making effort to change it 🙂

• Feelings of guilt towards husband working while enjoying beach on hot day, at end of pregnancy. Worries of ‘looking too comfortable or lazy’ but catching self in wasteful thoughts and changing them …………………………….. (Well done!)
• Several understood and appreciated the reminder that nurturing is not just about the physical but the whole being…………….. (Fantastic)
• Some decided to make a ‘poster’ of they 4 types of nurturing to put on fridge as a reminder …………… (Wonderful – I used to have sticky notes everywhere 🙂
• Some were aware of own reactions under pressure and the need to nurture mind as well as body, without ‘guilting’ themselves into it ………….…….. (Well done, it’s good to be firm but gentle with ourselves)
• Nurturing ‘seeds and plants’ in garden while nurturing self, enabling self to ‘clear and clean’ old self perceptions and ‘cultivating open space’ for newness.  ………………….. (Beautiful!)
• Nurturing the self through ‘setting up home and enjoying garden’ and ‘planting’ and ‘watering’. Also nurturing self through enjoying being around ‘happy people’ ……………… (Fantastic, yes indeed, we need to surround ourselves with like-minded and positive souls)

Look forward to our power for December.

Lots of love Annemarie