Confessions of a Raw Mom

Raising children is a momentous task, not for the faint of heart. And throwing ‘Raw’ into the mix adds to the scope and dimension in a myriad of ways. At first, its ALL about the food! That enough is daunting. Then before we get a grasp on this, it becomes about so many other things- our communication, our intentions, our healing, their potential, etc. All parents and grandparents and guardians consider these issues and endless others…yet, when we go raw, it can seem intensified by the fact that we know we are going upstream and that we are pioneers in many respects…

It’s late and I can’t sleep…I have over 800 emails in my inbox and have been reading over the survey results we put out regarding the Raw Mom Summit, and it moves me how many people took the time to respond. I want to hear from everyone who cares enough to share about their experience, their needs, and their thoughts. Everyone matters.

As I read people’s testimonies and surveys, I imagine how much people care, what will make a difference, how to help…? And I wonder, How do YOU feel about how you are bringing up your children? Do you feel good about your choices and day-to-day decisions? Do you feel overwhelmed? Usually or just sometimes? What is the hardest part? Do you feel you are meeting your own standards? Or do you feel you are failing? What do you most need to improve? What do you need to make that happen? Do you follow or lead? Do you hug and touch enough? Do you listen well? Do you talk and teach too much? Do you observe? Do you take time to love and nurture yourself? Do you feel in or out of balance at this moment? Do you feel good about yourself as a parent? Do you laugh and love and ENJOY?

I must admit right here and now, that I often have felt consumed by the feeling that this is all soooo urgent! That I MUST get it right! And my very striving and earnestness HAS detracted from the sublime pleasure and satisfaction of my experience of mothering. I have had a lot of fear and worry. I have been so very intense = tense about doing everything right.

Whew!

I exhaust myself! When listening to the RMS interviews, I could HEAR ALL THAT in my voice, my questions, my stories, my trying to prove myself worthy. At times I really got in my own way…

I didn’t GET THIS until I heard/saw myself. What a mirror. I have been trying so hard…too hard. And guess what? It isn’t necessary.

After listening to the calls of my friends and associates and mentors that I had hand-picked, I had many revelations. But it all boiled down to one thing:

LOVE. Love myself. Love the process. Love my children and their process. Love my husband and his process. Love the world and the food industry and its process. Love my listeners and their process. Love my critics and their process. Love all the contributors and their process. Love everything I eat. Love my choices. Love my mistakes. Allow. Accept. Grow. IN-JOY!

I just see no point in living in anything else. Life is so beautiful. Life is so precious. Life is fleeting. Every moment I spend hugging or smiling or laughing or dancing or skipping or tickling or kissing or consoling or giving seems more infinite, more lasting~ time expands!

I have always believed in tithing, but since marrying and staying home haven’t been able to do it regularly. Suddenly I see that any moment I am not giving something feels like a wasted opportunity. There is always something to give. In any situation that is lacking I can give that.

I am so grateful for the blessing of thousands who appreciated the RMS. And I am so grateful for the blessing of the handful of those who shared their criticisms with me so as that Bernie Seigel says, I can ‘polish my mirror’. I have grown so much. I have listened to Byron Katie and David Wolfe and Victoria and Dr Cousens and Lorenna Kacera and everybody’s call SEVERAL TIMES now and am STILL getting so much out of them!

I am so touched and amazed at the generosity of everyone who participated. Thank you for being part of my process, and letting me be apart of yours.

What an amazing community we are! What vibrant, passionate, colourful, and pioneering folk we are. It’s a JOY to be sharing and growing and contributing and unfolding together! Blissings on your children and grandchildren and children-to-be and inner-children and ALL children, young and golden. We are all Earth children, learning and we all deserve and need LOVE.

As Jean Liedloff says to me everytime we are hanging up “I am sending you HUGS through the airwaves”!

Shiny Blissings,
Shannon Shakaya Breeze

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