This post a part of a project I am calling the Awakened Mama Community. I am featuring spiritually conscious mothers in this space to encourage us to find our Tribe, to connect with like-minded mamas, and to help them boost their digital spaces. During these interviews, Awakened Mamas pick five (out of eleven) of their favourite questions to answer. If you want to be a part of the venture (I am happy to feature you!), please email me at: awakenedlittlesouls[@]gmail.com

Awakened Mama Community Featuring: Hannah of @kippdee.family

Please introduce yourself to readers:

Hello, my name is Hannah, I’m 29 years old and I live in the UK. I have a 2 year old daughter and I’m at stay-at-home mum. I’m still at the beginning of my spiritual journey. Trying figuring out what serves me and which rituals feel beneficial. I think my spiritual journey has been slow moving because I do not have a like-minded community around me. I’d say I’m open-minded and curious about many aspects of spirituality, but very aware of how little I know.

Can you share some challenges you’ve faced on your spiritual journey and how they contributed to your personal growth especially as you took on the role of mother?

My spiritual journey began before motherhood, but as I didn’t have any guidance or like-minded community, it felt as though I was just making it up as I went along. Now I’m a mother, I still don’t have that like-minded community, and I struggle to find the time to continue with the few rituals I was incorporating into my life. Not having a like-minded spiritual community around me has helped me to grow, though. As an adult I struggled to make new friends, but I feel this is something I have gained confidence in.

How does your spirituality connect with or influence your relationship with nature and the environment and how does this influence your parenting journey?

I LOVE spending time in nature – we are all nature. I feel more at peace and more connected when I’m in wild places. I’ve never fully pinned down my spiritual beliefs, but I know for sure that nature is definitely my guide. As I parent, i feel it is vital that I raise my daughter in partnership with nature. I want nature to feel like home to her. A place to connect, to find peace, to take risks, to adventure, to grow, to learn, to reset, to go slow, to go inward and so much more. Nature has so much to offer, so much to teach us. My hope is that as my daughter grows, we can integrate more spiritual practices within nature. Meditation, forest bathing, giving menstrual blood back to the earth (something I recently started doing when my period returned for the first time after giving birth), celebrating the solstice.

How do you cultivate mindfulness and presence in your daily life, and how does it impact your parenting?

I haven’t yet found a way to reintroduce my meditation practice since my daughter came along. However, my daughters presence alone has made me more mindful. Mindful of the daily occurrences. Things like, how I communicate with her, not using my phone around her, no screen time, getting outside daily, slowing down, romanticising everyday tasks, showing gratitude, giving thanks before eating each meal.

How do you approach teaching spiritual values to your children, and how do you encourage their own spiritual exploration?

For me, I think this will come in time as I develop my spiritual values/rituals/beliefs more. My approach to teaching my daughter is purely based on me role-modelling. As she gets older I’m sure this will change.

How do you maintain a balance between your spiritual life, family responsibilities, and personal pursuits?

I find this really difficult. My focus at the moment is my daughter. I’m trying to integrate small rituals into our every day life that are in alignment with my spiritual explorations. My desire for personal pursuits came back into play last year when I began writing a children’s book. This is slow moving because I find that my creativity comes and goes. It’s difficult finding that balance and finding the time to dedicate to personal pursuits. I just keep telling myself “all in good time”, but I have given myself some loose goals to try and boost my productivity without putting pressure on myself.

Bonus Question! What are your aspirations for the future of your spiritual journey, and how do you hope it will continue to influence your family and community?

OK, this is me answering my 6th question 🙈 I hope that my spiritual journey will bloom. I hope to find more guidance and bring in rituals that I align with. I hope that as my child grows I can find more balance and share my spiritual practices. I have a friend that could perhaps be interested in a spiritual practice (we talked about doing yoga/ cacao ceremony/ meditation together once a month).

Endless gratitude to Hannah for being a part of this digital tribe of spiritually conscious mothers that I am trying to build (the very first!)! Be sure to follow Hannah on Instagram @kippdee.family!

And remember, if you want to be a part of the venture (I am happy to feature you!), please email me at: awakenedlittlesouls[@]gmail.com
xx C