Dear Enlightened Mommas,
I hope this post reaches you as we are in the start of another, new school year and for some an un-school year. This can be a busy and overwhelming time for many.
When we become aware of what is present for us in the NOW, we can experience a greater sense of ease and perhaps, even, a little extra joy.
I wanted to start of by sharing with you how www.enlightenedmommas.com came into existence. To do that, I need to go back to last October, 2014 and even a little further back to my past. Let’s start with last October. Way back then, I decided to take a break from all social media connections, other than my snail mail, I was on a social feed, silent retreat. During that time, I went inside to reflect on what is most important to me. My motto, I borrowed from Gandhi, is, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
As a parent, it is essential to me that I model healthy, emotional and social connections so, that my children will feel supported by me as they go through whatever growing pains they inherently have to go through on their road to adult-hood.
Connections with our own inner compass and with one another are essential for emotional health and wellbeing. There are so many ways in which we can connect and some of those ways are more effective than others, in assisting us to be our best self. From the days of engraving symbols on stone tablets to the pony express and now with the use of high-speed cyber connections and satellites orbiting the earth, we have come a long way baby!
The irony is, that with all of the means of communication and sources of information, sometimes it is still so hard to say what we want to say and then when we do say what we need to say so often, the message sent is not the message received. It is easy for our wires to get crossed and our circuits to become frayed.
I started to wonder, how can I, improve my communication style so that it aligns more fully with my deepest heart’s desire and hold myself accountable to my heartfelt intentions to be of service in the world? How can I be, my most authentic and real self, in all that I do. I took some time to acknowledge the person I was before I got married and had children and then looked at who I have become as a Mother to three and a wife to one and also a very committed Spiritual Seeker.
As I began to examine, all of the aspects of my own little personality, I came to see that I had disowned so many parts of my self, so that I could fit into some ideal mold of the perfect Mother.
Through questioning and examining my own choices, I have come to a place of acceptance for all that is. I am starting again, free from attachments to what I thought I was supposed to be. Here’s what I believe…
We are all equal in darkness and in light. Everything under our skin is dark and it is only when we open our eyes that we can see the light. Some choose to live more fully awake on the outside while others may feel most aligned looking inward. Some sleep through this world while others remain wide-awake and there is a whole lot of in-betweens.
We are always between two worlds, like the old Cherokee Proverb says, “There is a Battle of two wolves inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, lies, inferiority and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy and truth. The wolf that wins? The one You feed.”
I have experienced the dance between these two wolves. I can be fierce, strong, righteous and protective. I am a Firecracker and a Warrior and when necessary, I know from past experiences and even some recent ones, I can easily embody the qualities of the dark wolf. I once, needed this part of me for protection, but when I became a Mother, I found that much of this way of being no longer served me to guide my children in the way I wanted to. It’s not that I can’t…it is that controlling through fear, ego and force steals the light from our kids’ hearts. And that, is a path, I am unwilling to walk.
So, I put all of that up on a shelf and opened up to my Enlightened Momma. I am also, kind, gentle, empathic, psychic and highly intuitive. And with that, I bring my inner comedic to keep me smiling when things seem a bit too heavy. When I live in this space, I easily see the best in everything and everyone. I know I can be both wolves, and for me, I choose the other good one and call this place, my home. It doesn’t mean I ignore the other wolf. She is always there.
What I know to be true for me and I think this applies to most people, is that when I don’t acknowledge all parts of who I am, I get lost in the pack. From time to time, I need a place to let myself play, to be free, and to occasionally howl at the moon. We all need this. Enlightened Mommas was created to give space for Mommas to howl…to let things go and then to soften so that the love can ooze back in.
What Feeds The Good Wolf?
When we recognize that we are responsible for creating the world in which we want to live and then we go out and do something about it, we feed the good wolf. When we surround ourselves with others who are also working to “Be the change” we receive constant fuel and nourishment for what otherwise, might be a very long and arduous journey.
So, we can ask ourselves, “What kind of world do we want our children to live in and what kind of world do I want to live in?” And, “How can I help create it?”
I know there is an abundance of greatness in this world. There are places where love leads the way and egos, are left at the door…they exist…I have been there. In my ideal world, everyone is loved, honored and cherished for the unique, Divine essence they are. We can show up and say what we are feeling without being criticized or judged for it because when we express ourselves, others see it as an opportunity to acknowledge what is present inside them, as well. Everyone is seen as someone with a special path and all of the inner resources to handle what they are going through. Judgments are not necessary because we know that it is not our job to judge what is best for another human being. It is our job to support each other, to discover who someone is and to love each other as we are moving through what we are moving through.
In my world, all children, are seen as precious beings of light who were sent here to answer their own calling to be of service in the world. In my world, when a child is struggling grown-ups get down to their level…on the floor if necessary, to see eye to eye. And in my world, when a parent is struggling, we step up and say, “May I help you?” I dabble in this world and move in and out of it. When I am there, I know this is the place that my heart calls home.
There are millions of "Mom" Sites on the web. Google “Momma,” it’s a little scary what pops up! Don’t do it with your kids around. Enlightened Mommas’ intention is to change that. Our intention is to fill the web with so many positive, upbeat and inspiring messages about Motherhood and The Greater Good, that the first thing that pops up on the Google search engines is a message about love. Because that’s what we are doing…every day we are putting all of our love into another little human being. And sometimes, our love engines get depleted…and sometimes we might not look so loving in our actions, that’s when we need the community to help us, to move us, to lift us and to fill us back up.
Enlightened Mommas was created as a space for all of us to raise the vibration around parenting, especially, Motherhood. We have an opportunity to make extraordinary experiences of connection and empathy become, a normal, everyday occurrence?
If you like what you see on Enlightened Mommas and want to be a part of it by sharing your words, your inspiration, your goals...connect with us or simply share our site and invite other Mommas to run with the pack!
Much Love and Light!
Erin DiMaggio
Creator and Founder of www.EnlightenedMommas.com