Womb Whispers

Talking with friends, I often hear that they experience motherhood or parenthood as a lot harder than they would have imagined. And I believe it's in part due to the distorted societal views on what it means to be a mother/parent in this world and the unrealistic expectations placed on them.

My guest Hayley Anderson and I are here to shed light on the hardships and challenges parents, and especially mothers, face and how harmful it can be to normalize them by insisting "They're normal.", "That's just how it is." and "It'll get easier".

We dive into:

- The impact normalizing the challenges of mothering and motherhood/parenthood has on your well-being

- Why it's true that "it takes a village to raise a child"

- What birth story medicine work is and how it can help you process your birth experience

- How to release and heal internalised shame

- The healing gift of being present with another person

Resources we mentioned:

Book a Free Consultation with me, for a happy, healthy period or happy, health (peri)menopause experience: https://lisa-jara.as.me

Connect with Hayley:

Website: https://hayleyanderson.co.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_hayley__anderson_

About Hayley:

Hayley is a mother working to restore life-sustaining connections between body, cycles, soul and the land that supports us. Through her offerings as a birth story listener, sensory herbalist and fertility awareness method educator, she guides menstruators and birthing people towards easeful fertility cycles and matriarchal post-birth experiences. She is passionate about creating a menstrual health culture where the cycle is understood as an initiatory pathway to wellness, wisdom, elderhood, cultural and ecological restoration. Her work offers a place for our experiences and stories around fertility, conception, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, matrescence to be witnessed and honoured for the power and significance they carry.

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e44-a-fireside-chat-about-the-challenges-of-mothering-motherhood

Every woman and/or menstruating person is moving through a powerful process of death and rebirth every month.

Today I explain how to read your cycle like a compass, so it serves you as ally and guide through life. Knowing how your cycle works you on all levels (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual) will help you gain a sense of groundedness and predictability, so you no longer feel thrown around by thoughts and emotions, but like you're surfing the waves of your life with confidence.

I dive into:

- The different kinds of cycles

- Why cycle charting is the foundation for building an intimate relationship with your body

- The four phases of your cycle and how you can use them as a compass to navigate life

- A special invitation to a free workshop I'm testing

Resources I mentioned:

Free Mini-Course "Unlock the Healing Power of Your Cycle": https://lisa-jara.com/cyclecharting

Register for "Your Cycle is Your Compass" here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMldemtpjMiG9Q-XNKdgr882MsbSs3vDPOQ

Podcast episodes on the four inner seasons:

Inner Winter: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-four-phases-of-your-cycle-explained-part-1-inner-winter/id1650282292?i=1000626501865

Inner Spring: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-four-phases-of-your-cycle-explained-part-2-inner-spring/id1650282292?i=1000626502028

Inner Summer: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-four-phases-of-your-cycle-explained-part-3-inner-summer/id1650282292?i=1000626502056

Inner Autumn: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-four-phases-of-your-cycle-explained-part-4-inner-autumn/id1650282292?i=1000626503726

Book your Complimentary Consultation with me here: https://lisa-jara.as.me

Or have a look at my program "Happy Healthy Period": https://lisa-jara.com/en/happy-healthy-period

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e43-how-your-cycle-can-become-your-compass-in-life

Winter is a time to pause and reflect and allow the natural composting to happen – in Nature and in your subconscious. But why can it sometimes feel so uncomfortable to rest?

Rest is a Revolution, especially in this day and age, where we easily skip this important and inherent part of a regenerative cycle.

Follow me as I unravel the societal and personal layers and narratives that may prevent you from enjoying the deep, delicious rest you crave.

I dive into:

- Why rest doesn't feel safe to your nervous system

- The productive side of rest

- Why rest needs to be your fuel, not a reward

- Resources to help you rest more easily and deeply

- The 7 types of rest according to Dr. Dalton-Smith

Resources I mentioned:

Book your Complimentary Consultation with me here: https://tidycal.com/lisajara/discovery-call

Or have a look at my program "Happy Healthy Period": https://lisa-jara.com/en/happy-healthy-period

Podcast Episodes:

How I dismantle extraction culture in myself: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-personal-example-of-how-i-dismantle/id1650282292?i=1000624894007

Are you stuck in the Paradise Lie? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/are-you-stuck-in-the-paradise-lie/id1650282292?i=1000636549509

How to Decolonize Time: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-decolonize-time/id1650282292?i=1000628053603

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith and her 7 types of rest: https://www.drdaltonsmith.com

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e42-the-reason-why-it-feels-so-hard-to-rest

Have you ever set New Year’s resolutions only to find that by the end of January you have already forgotten about them? Or that there is this nagging feeling every time you “force” yourself to follow up on them?

How is it, that while we may feel so exuberant and ready to start afresh at New Year’s, it often feels like hard work to keep that momentum going?

Today I dive into:

- Why winter isn't the season for new beginnings (neither is summer in the Southern Hemisphere)

- The crux about goal-setting and why it can be detrimental to your psycho-emotional health

- A juicy practice that you can do instead of New Year's resolutions to help you make positive shifts in more than one area of your life

Resources I mentioned:

Book your Complimentary Consultation with me here: https://lisa-jara.as.me

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e41-why-new-years-resolutions-can-do-more-harm-than-good-and-what-to-do-instead

Stories are how we humans evolve and pass on our experience and wisdom.

And stories that encompass the complex reality of being a human on Earth help us feel less alone and more capable of navigating moments of personal crisis.

This Advent season, let yourself be enchanted and inspired by the story of Inanna's Descent into the Underworld, which is a powerful reminder that the dark times are necessary and an inherent part of Life.

In this episode, I dive into:

- The story of Inanna's Descent into the Underworld

- What it can teach you about how to navigate a personal moment of crisis with more compassion towards yourself

- The fact that as a (cis-/trans)woman or non-binary menstruator you go through a powerful death and rebirth process every month

- How the planet Venus' journey may have inspired the story

Resources I mentioned:

Mystical Twelve Holy Nights (Course): https://lisa-jara.com/en/mystical-twelve-holy-nights

What are the Twelve Holy Nights? (Podcast: https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e10-mystical-twelve-holy-nights; Blog: https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/what-are-the-twelve-holy-nights)

"Feminist Fairy Tales" by Barbara G. Walker

Book a Call with me: https://lisa-jara.as.me

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e40-what-inannas-descent-into-the-underworld-can-teach-you-about-navigating-life-crises

In today's noisy world we can basically buy anything any time or meet up with loved whenever we want, so why is Christmas season still such a special moment for gatherings?

Why is there so much preparation going on weeks, even months before the actual Christmas Day?

What is about Christmas season that makes it so special, that even though we might not be of Christian belief, we can still sense this magic in the air and want to celebrate?

To explore this question, I dive into:

- How Christmas is just one expression of a festival that's been celebrated by humans for millennia

- The energy of Winter Solstice and how it is connected to the menstrual and the moon cycle

- My favourite tradition for this time of year

In the end, I believe, it's about remembering that the spark of the Divine light (whatever "Divine" means to you) is right here inside of you and will guide you on this journey called life.

Resources I mentioned:

Mystical Twelve Holy Nights (Course): https://lisa-jara.com/en/mystical-twelve-holy-nights

What are the Twelve Holy Nights? (Podcast: https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e10-mystical-twelve-holy-nights; Blog: https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/what-are-the-twelve-holy-nights)

Podcast espisodes on the Fairy-Tale Lie [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/are-you-stuck-in-the-fairy-tale-lie/id1650282292?i=1000635266782] and the Paradise-Lie [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/are-you-stuck-in-the-paradise-lie/id1650282292?i=1000636549509]

Podcast Episode on Inner Winter: https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e25-1-the-four-phases-of-your-cycle-explained-part-1-inner-winter

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/de/blog/e39-what-makes-christmas-season-so-special

The festive season can cause a lot of inner stress and anxiety, especially when gatherings, expectations and family traditions are involved. Amy Connor and I share personal stories and explore how to navigate the holidays in a way that feels good for you and everyone involved.

We dive into:

- Reframing "setting boundaries" with "prioritising yourself"

- How Amy's gut literally showed her where to set boundaries

- Why setting a boundary can be beneficial to the self-agency of another person

- The gift of presence, not presents ;-)

- How to set boundaries with love

- The relationship between your boundaries and your pelvic health

Resources I mentioned:

Mystical Twelve Holy Nights (Course): https://lisa-jara.com/en/mystical-twelve-holy-nights

What are the Twelve Holy Nights? (Podcast: https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e10-mystical-twelve-holy-nights; Blog: https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/what-are-the-twelve-holy-nights)

Talking Female Health with Amy & Lisa: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdLUUQRZ44PlFMuaiEwCFyJW5XICSJfa0

Learn more about Amy here: https://www.vaginatruthbomb.com

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e38-setting-boundaries-for-a-relaxed-christmas-or-any-other-holiday

Growing up in a Christian belief system (whether or not you're actually Christian or believe in the teachings of the bible), many of us have been indoctrinated with a high work ethic and the narrative that we need to work (hard), push and (over)give now, in order to earn some reward later on.

It's closely connected to the Fairy-Tale Lie I talked about last week:

If you work and sacrifice yourself enough now, one day you'll get found and rescued by your prince who is going to take you to Paradise and you will never have to worry or work another day in your life.

It's basically waiting for someone else to say "you're finally enough, you've done enough, sacrificed enough, worked hard enough to "deserve" this.

And all it does is keep you stuck in cycles of burnout and resentment, because the societal systems aren't set up for you to ever reach this reward.

It's even turned against you, with the idea that "if you haven't reaped your reward yet, well, you probably haven't worked (hard) enough for it, so keep on pushing" ...

But what if you could start building your own Paradise right here on Earth, in your own life?

By recognising your power of choice and the power of pleasure and celebration right here in the moment, you'll discover that everything you need to feel fulfilled and successful on your own terms is already inside of you.

So in today's episode I dive into:

- My definition of the Paradise Lie, which is a systemic problem, not an individual one

- Examples of how it shows up in my own life

- How we're kept in a cycle of resentment and burnout and self-policing

- Why it's a good thing that (according to the bible) "Eve got us kicked out of Paradise"

- How pleasure and celebration can in fact be acts of social transformation

- Ways how to release intense emotions and recognise your power of choice

Resources I mentioned:

Book your Connection Call here: https://lisa-jara.as.me

or get in touch via email at [email protected]

To find out more about Soul-based Coaching and a sample session with one of my clients, go here: https://lisa-jara.com/en/about-soul-based-coaching

Last week's episode "Are you stuck in the Fairy-Tale Lie?": https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e36-are-you-stuck-in-the-fairy-tale-lie

My client's journey on working through her birth trauma: https://youtu.be/UAok6DmE5Ug

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e37-are-you-stuck-in-the-paradise-lie

Many fairy-tales and other stories that I've grown up with (and you might, too) are about beautiful young princesses that are stuck in a situation and need to be rescued by a handsome prince, who will sweep them up on his horse and they live happily ever after ...

Apart from the gender and skin colour bias most of them show (and why are older women usually the evil witch or the mean stepmother?!?), there's a deeper problem at hand:

How often have you wished to be that princess, who finally gets recognised for her gifts, her love and devotion, taken out of the situation she's in, so she can finally enjoy life to the fullest, forevermore?

I know I have ...

Let me show you how that way of thinking can keep you stuck in a fairy-tale lie, where you hand your (inner) power over to someone or something outside of you to "come to your rescue", and how you can remember that you're in fact a powerful being that can create a life of their choosing right here right now.

In this episode I dive into:

- The trap of learned helplessness and how to recognise when you're in it

- How to regain that sense of inner power when you feel powerless

- The particular fairy-tale lies I keep myself stuck with

- Why I actually wouldn't want a prince to "rescue me" (even though I thought I did)

Enjoy the episode and let me know:

What is your favourite fairy-tale lie that you keep yourself stuck with?

And what could you set in place, so that next time you fall for it, you'll recognise it sooner (and take your powwer back)?

Send me a message and let's have a conversation!

Resources I mentioned:

Get in touch at [email protected]

Book a Connection Call at https://lisa-jara.as.me

Or have a look at my offerings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/offerings

Navigating (Peri)Menopause as a Non-Binary Person with Piper Rose (they/them): https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e34-navigating-perimenopause-as-a-non-binary-person

Book Recommendation: Feminist Fairy Tales by Barbara G. Walker

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e36-are-you-stuck-in-the-fairy-tale-lie

Key takeaway for many people from my work (whether that's clients, family or friends): "What a relief to know that I don't have to be the same every day!"

In a society that glorifies linear progress and treating human beings (and other beings, too) like machines or resources to be exploited, it's a courageous act to remember, that we're in fact cyclical beings, constantly influenced by a myriad of different cycles, that make it impossible to not have lfuctuations in mood, energy, emotions or mental capacity.

So today I bring you a mini guided exploration to anchor in the belief/knowing that you don't have to be, feel or show up the same every day!

This is your permission slip to be your whole self, exactly as you are today, right in this moment!

Love you!

Resources I mentioned:

Get in touch at [email protected]

Unlock the Power of your Cycle: https://lisa-jara.com/cyclecharting

Sacred Cycle Deep Dive: https://lisa-jara.com/en/sacred-cycle-deep-dive

Do you want to start your week with some soul-infused musings that support you in your personal cyclical experience in a world set up for linear progress?

Sign up for Moonday Musings: https://lisa-jara.com/en/moonday-musings

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You can find the links and the transcript of this episode at:

https://lisa-jara.com/en/blog/e35-you-dont-need-to-be-feel-or-show-up-the-same-every-day