One Week as an Earthling...One week as a Mother This week has been the most beautiful experience of my life, the word that’s arrived daily is calm When we speak of newborns I wouldn’t have said calm is the first word that pops to mind but our little earthling has brought just that, a sense of balance and calm into an already chilled life Another realisation was I never knew all my observations of animal and human behaviour, of emotions and awareness would be the ultimate guide to being a mother, but they have been just that If there’s nothing else more of a reminder that we are part of nature, that we are wild animals, that we are the same as all the other creatures and beings that live on this beautiful earth, a newborn is the perfect reminder Her inability to talk her way through, and only express her feelings and needs in actions and energy, is just what animals do and all I am doing is watching learning and responding as I would do my animals The biggest challenge this week has been sleeping on her back, a deep pull to have her on my chest and for her to be close was balanced with the knowledge of her safety at night Watching her responses as I laid her down, newborns after spending so long curled up in the womb have the biggest opening response to the heart and soul, she would immediately react with sensory overload as her heart and soul laid bare to the world, known as the startle response I can see how it stays with us when we practice and back bends re-open these deep protective reactions So instead of causing her to have to cope with this response which was distressing for her, the swaddle allows her to stay cacooned and calm to sleep when she can’t be hugged or on her belly This resonates as I think to the end of my yoga classes, as I watch adults cacoon under heavy cotton blankets and lay on their own back, a sub conscious understanding that we are vulnerable when we are open, and to help us manage that sensory overload we place a physical layer over us Happy one week Olive, you’re going to teach me the world Love your mother Xxx