Meditate to find yourself
Meditate. One more thing to do on your list. You suspect benefits — such as staying calm in the face of a naughty child, enjoying time for yourself, having better concentration... but how do you add this practice to our busy schedules? Accompanied by Sandra Zeller, the founder of Ilado, we explain to you the path to this practice.
Time for yourself
When asked what meditation is, Sandra answers, “It's taking time. Meditation allows us to get away from the action, stress and intense rhythm of our daily lives.” She sees this time as an inner silence. The opportunity “to listen to your breath and emotions.”
The young woman discovered this practice when she was expecting her first child in 2013. Executive at L'Oréal, the pressure was intense. Since then, meditation has not left her and the pregnancy has even given her a new professional project: Ilado. No more big groups, hello freedom and creativity! For 7 years now, Sandra has been selecting the most beautiful rituals from around the world for mothers: bolas, beneficial herbal teas, swaddling cocoons, and very soon a range of cosmetic treatments. The story does not end there.
Meditation for all
During the first lockdown, Sandra takes her things and takes her family into unknown territory, heading for Burgundy. This new life, closer to nature, has a revealing effect.
From now on, mothers' well-being will be the main driver of her professional decisions. “In 2020, the Covid crisis marked the start of a new life for my family. In this new living environment, I wanted to support future and young mothers more closely, by creating the meditation podcast Birth of a Mother. ”
Sandra chooses a free and accessible tool to reach as many people as possible. Her wish? Help moms live their pregnancy better, approach childbirth with confidence and go through the postpartum period more peacefully.
Little seeds on your way
In her podcast and on her YouTube channel, Sandra accompanies the different stages of motherhood. Childhood wishes, pregnancy problems, childbirth, childbirth, parenting, postpartum... the topics are multiple. Its solutions too, between breathing exercises, meditations, visualizations, affirmations.
Sandra adds, “Meditation is not going to transform, but it is going to plant seeds and open doors. I don't want to tell women to do this or that, but rather offer a list of ingredients to achieve motherhood for yourself.”
The birth of a mother
In her soft voice, Sandra continues to explain her vision “Pregnancy transforms life, the couple, the relationship with one's own parents... During childbirth, one does not only witness the birth of a child, but also the birth of a mother”.
Meditation helps to prepare for the time before, during and after pregnancy, which is only the beginning of the great parenting adventure. “Being a woman is an opportunity. Pregnancy is an opportunity to take a step back. We are led to wonder about our changing body. We ask ourselves a lot of questions about the world around us, just like we want the best for our baby. ”
She continues to explain her point of view, shared by many women: “The time of pregnancy is very medicalized. Women are often infantilized. Meditation gives us the opportunity to reconnect with our intuitions.”
Other benefits of meditation
By meditating, mothers-to-be offer themselves a gentle break, away from everyday life and stress. It is a time to ease the tensions in their body and to better experience all its transformations during pregnancy, to listen to their emotions, to recharge their batteries and to connect with their baby.
Meditation is an opportunity to learn to let go, a necessary concept when you are going to become a parent! Sandra adds, “Women are discovering tools to adapt and get through experiences.”
Finally, meditating can also help mothers-to-be discover the power of breathing, a precious ally during pregnancy, on the day they give birth and throughout their lives as women.
How do you meditate?
Get in a quiet place where you won't be disturbed. Allow between 20 and 30 minutes. Simply plug in your headphones and let yourself be guided.
- The YouTube channel
- The Birth of a Mom Podcast
- The Instagram account
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