Posts Tagged ‘meditation’
082: How to Use Mindfulness to Cope with Pain or Illness as a Mom // Candace and Becky of Mindful Art Company
We’ve all heard the old saying, “Moms shouldn’t be allowed to get sick!” And it’s true–we shouldn’t! We need to take care of our families, and family life doesn’t just pause when Mom isn’t feeling well. It’s hard enough for the household to continue functioning for a week when Mom gets a bad cold or the flu, but when a mother faces chronic illness or pain, that can be a truly devastating trial.
I’ve personally had a taste of this because I was diagnosed with a chronic health condition several years ago, and the medication I take for it causes kidney stones. For me, the most difficult part is how discouraged I sometimes feel when I can’t care for my family in the way that I would like to.
Several months ago, in the midst of kidney stone pain, I reached out to Becky Farley and Candace Little, the founders of Mindful Art Company, and asked for their best tips on using mindfulness to cope with illness. They sent back the three takeaways that are the basis of our conversation today:
- Separate your pain from your suffering. Pain x Resistance = Suffering
- Allow pain to fix you. What is the pain telling you about what you or your body needs? Listen!
- Meditate. Tuning into your body instead of resisting it doesn’t necessarily take away the pain, but it makes it easier to deal with.
These three strategies have been so helpful to me as I’ve battled my own health problems the past year, and I hope they will help many mothers who are listening, as well.
Show Notes
-Instagram: @mindfulartco
-Website: mindfulartco.com
–Meditation Art Kit or MAK Pack: 4 lessons, and with each lesson you get a meditation, a story, and an art project to create common emotional language with your kids. (And they are also super fun!) Use the code HALFOFF for 50% off any of their downloadable products this month!
–Self-Compassionate & Art Workshop in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 15th. Use the code 3IN30 for $30 off.
Codes expire 5/31/19~
We are so grateful to Mindful Art Company for being a sponsor of the Declutter Your Motherhood Workshop in Utah!
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034: How to Meditate in the Midst of Mayhem // Dr. Leah Weiss
Do you laugh aloud at the thought of having a few minutes to meditate during busy days with your children? What if I told you that you could be meditating THE ENTIRE DAY, even in the midst of chaotic, everyday moments with your little minions?
Dr. Leah Weiss–an author, a mindfulness expert who studied with the Dali Lama, a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and a mother of three little children–teaches that this is possible. It just requires that we redefine (or rather, correctly define) the word “meditation.”
The word “meditation” is a translation from the Tibetan word “gom.” Dr. Weiss points out that a more literal definition of this word is simply “familiarization” or “getting to know your mind and heart.” When explained this way, busy moms can let go of visions of silent meditation rooms and burning incense (though those things are great too!) and instead embrace every moment with their children as an opportunity to “familiarize” themselves with their own hearts and minds. In fact, motherhood itself can become meditation.
Join me for this fascinating conversation with a renowned mindfulness expert who teaches us the Tibetan process of “dampa sum,” meaning “good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end.”
Show Notes
“How We Work: Live Your Purpose, Reclaim Your Sanity, and Embrace the Daily Grind” by Dr. Leah Weiss https://amzn.to/2sz6Wby
“Motherhood Matters: Are You Willing to Suffer?” by Laura Fanucci: https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865638913/Motherhood-Matters-Are-you-willing-to-suffer.html
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