Celebrating All Mums: A Tribute to You, This Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a special time to honour the incredible women who have shaped our lives in countless ways. At Marriage Works, we believe that motherhood comes in many forms, and each deserves recognition and celebration.

From those nurturing children and pets to those remembering mothers no longer with us, today is a day to acknowledge the diverse experiences of all mothers.

Motherhood is not confined to biological relationships. It extends to adoptive mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, and even mentors who have played a pivotal role in guiding and nurturing others. Each mother, regardless of the path she has taken, shares a common thread of love, sacrifice, and dedication that binds her to those she cares for.

For many, this day is filled with joyous celebrations, breakfasts in bed, handmade cards, and family gatherings. We cherish the laughter and the warm embraces, the stories retold, and the memories made. These moments are precious, reflecting the deep bonds and affection that define motherhood.

However, Mother’s Day can also evoke a range of emotions for those whose mothers are no longer physically present. The day may carry a bittersweet mix of nostalgia and loss. Be kind to yourself. At Marriage Works, we encourage everyone to find a meaningful way to connect with the memory of their mothers, or the mother you wished you had had. Journalling on this can be a powerful healing tool acknowledging your feelings and yearnings with respect. Whether it’s visiting a cherished place, looking through old photos, or simply sharing stories, these acts can bring comfort and a sense of closeness.

This Mother’s Day marks my second without my mum. Our relationship, like many, had its complexities; yet, it was the longest and most significant of my life. Being there as she brought me into this world and then being with her as she left was a sacred moment that has profoundly shaped me. I learnt a lot through the parts work journey of Resource Therapy. This offered me a new level of awareness in our relationship. It taught me about the cyclical nature of care and the deep, enduring bonds of motherhood, even amidst difficulties.

Pet mothers also hold a special place in our celebrations. The care and love they extend to their animal companions demonstrate a form of motherhood that is both unique and profound. Pets often become integral members of our families, and the bonds they form with their caregivers are as real and as significant as any other.

As we honour all mothers, we also acknowledge the challenges and triumphs that come with motherhood. It is a journey of immense responsibility, often demanding a delicate balance of strength and gentleness, wisdom and warmth. To all mothers, we extend our deepest gratitude for the countless ways you make the world a better place.

This Mother’s Day, let’s embrace the wide spectrum of motherhood. Let’s celebrate the traditional, unconventional, present, and absent. Each story of motherhood is unique, each journey deserving of recognition.

At Marriage Works, Chris and I are here to support and honour every mother, understanding that motherhood is not defined by a single narrative but by countless stories of love, sacrifice, and resilience.

So, to all mothers—past, present, and those with furry children—happy Mother’s Day. Thank you for your endless love and the profound impact you make every day. Your strength and love shape not just the lives you touch directly but also the broader fabric of our society. Today, we celebrate you all, with all our hearts.

What is Tantra? Have You Used It in the Bedroom?

Many couples struggle with sexual desire discrepancy, no more so than after children. While it’s an exciting time and so wonderful to have wee people. It can cause a strain on your sexual relationship. Not to mention the stresses of work, in-laws, and all the other calls for our attention.

Tantra might be your answer. So what is Tantra?

When you mention Tantra, the first thing people say is sex, which is a touch reductionist.

Classical Tantra is the study of ancient Hindu and Buddhist texts with sacred religious rituals and practices designed for spiritual awakening and connection to divinity.

Tantra was brought to the West in the early 20th Century. Modern Tantra or Neo Tantra focuses on the body and sexual energy as an instrument for ecstasy. Most of us may have heard of the Kama Sutra.

When the producer reached out to me for Tod Sampson’s new season’s documentary Mirror, Mirror discussing Tantra I was intrigued, to say the least. Coincidentally I had just watched last year’s doco with my Dad as I was a featured expert on Social Media and its impacts series.

So there I was looking into the camera trying to keep a straight face discussing Tantra and Tantric sex as an Imago Relationship psychologist and coach. Hilarious, as Mel the producer the only other woman with around 7 guys in the studio.

I digress.

There’s a hot debate on the Westernised and monetized versions of Tantric Sex like Neo-Tantra. Tropical paradise beckons for a week of self-discovery at a price. Commercialization most definitely undermines the spiritual component of Tantra.

Yet revering and honoring our bodies as sacred intuitively feels appropriate and respectful.

Bet you didn’t know some of the Tantric Sex practices aren’t dissimilar to the techniques we coach couples within our clinic. Clothes on of course.

Here are some common features supported by the science we utilize in therapy.

Eye Gazing the Look of Love

In Imago Relationship Therapy we invite partners to turn their chairs towards each other. We may ask them to hold hands and they hold a soft gaze into each other’s eyes in silence.

In this space, barriers break down. Warmth and intimacy reignite.

Many couples giggle nervously as they cross the bridge into each other’s worlds sans words. Simple and yet powerful. Partners report how it’s been ages since they really looked at their partner. Not as a parent, or as a foe, but rather as a friend, their mate.

Naturally, they feel seen and acknowledged in this safe space. Without the danger of words and thoughts escalating into an argument.

30 years of research supports sustained eye contact in increasing intimacy, greater attraction, and trust building. This loving gaze stimulates our pair bonding hormones – oxytocin and phenylethylamine or PEA.

Centring

Next, we allow space to connect to our core selves using the breath with an inhale and long exhalation. Your Imago therapist coach will guide you to deepen and extend the out-breath simultaneously. Lengthening and synchronizing our breath and connection physiologically.

Again science assists our therapy knowledge and practice.

When we are fighting, we are in our Sympathetic Nervous System – which kicks in to deal with the perceived threat in our environment. If we were to view our brains in an fMRI we would see our threat detection areas like the amygdala are activated. Our brains see our partners as attacking so our body mobilizes for action – increased heart rate and blood pressure rises.

We are in fight or flight mode. Rational thought flies out the window.

Instead, we can down-regulate our body’s alarm system, safely and naturally with longer out breathing.

Here we are tapping into our Para-Sympathetic part of us – the rest and relaxation arm of our nervous system. Long Pranayama (Yogic) breathing has been shown in numerous studies to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increase immune system responsiveness. These are all factors associated with greater life expectancy.

In Imago we encourage intimacy and play. Intimacy, sex, and orgasm are great ways to reconnect in the privacy of your own home. Tantra suggests exploring you and your partner without the goal of orgasm. Instead relishing in the journey of touch and intimacy – tapping into your largest sex organ your brain.

I wonder if you can experiment with this breathing and soft gaze in your bedroom tonight. You might enjoy what Sex Therapist and Intimacy and Desire author David Schnarch calls – electric wall socket sex with an eyes-open orgasm. Inviting all your senses into your and your partners’ connection. Be brave, bold, and respectful.

I hope you found this article helpful.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Grateful for 2023 -Share it here …

Hello, lovely relationship wonders! Chris and I wish to welcome your entrance into 2023 with a special dialogue gift. The gratitude dialogue is a sheet of inspiration for you to share with your partner or friend, or yourself. Learn the art of couples’ communication. Offering joy and connection.

Turn your world around with Imago Relationship Free Gratitude sheet for 2023 Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash
Turn your world around with the Imago Relationship Free Gratitude sheet for 2023 Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash

Imago Supervision Journey begins…

What a wonderful long weekend in New Zealand with Peter McMillan. Myself and the beautiful Imago Therapists attending the workshop the Art of Supervision, had an inspiring and heartfelt weekend. Brenda Rawlings’s photo and a vase of roses meant we felt her presence. Thanks to Imago Institute for Relationships New Zealand.

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