Hello, everyone! Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday. It’s our last week to focus on “rebirth,” and Hannah’s chosen a beautiful poem by Hafiz for us to contemplate this week.
Before we get into the poem, though, I want to say thank you to my doula Cheryl for posting about our Wellness Wednesday challenges and featuring our Word of the Month on her site! Go here to read more.
This Week’s Thoughts
I love how Hafiz starts the poem. “I used to know my name. Now I don’t.” It’s a powerful first line. It ties in perfectly with Hannah’s word of the month—rebirth. It revolves around the idea that in our lifetimes we can undergo something so transformative, so completely altering, that when we come out on the other side, we no longer feel like the same person. Our name doesn’t mean the same thing. We see the world in a completely different way. Everything inside of us has changed into something new.
The poem says, “…opening every aspect of self wider than it ever thought possible.” Have you ever felt this? Have you ever experienced the sensation that comes with discovering an entirely new side of your personality or beliefs? We can do incredible things when we are pressed. We can become newer, better selves, forged by the circumstances around us.
If you’ve read any of my pregnancy journal posts, you may have picked up on an undertone of anxiety, which was natural when facing such a great life change. When you don’t know what to expect, your mind creates terrifying, exaggerated scenarios. We don’t understand the rebirth until we embrace our new role, meet others who have undergone the same transformation, and realize that our laden strength was there all along. We are “…running to embrace and unite with a million new friends.” Our shared experiences bring us together.
This Week’s Challenge
Set a timer for two minutes. Without letting yourself think too much, write down three to five things you’d like to accomplish within the next few years. These can be huge, almost-impossible-to-believe dreams, or simple but profound changes you wish to make. Then for each thing that you wrote down, take ten minutes at the beginning of every day this week and visualize what it would take to make each of them happen. Just these few minutes of mindful intention can jump-start your motivation and send you on a path to rebirth.
We’ll be sharing our goals using the #wellnessMB hashtag on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
If you like to have a mantra or something to repeat to keep yourself focused for the ten minutes of intention, be sure to check out some of Barbara’s faves in her Meditation and Mantras post.
PS: Don’t forget that we want to hear from YOU! Sign up for our mailing list and share your thoughts or a favorite quote about “rebirth.” We’ll randomly select a submission at the end of the month and feature it right here on MB!
Artwork: “Mountainous Riverscape” by Alexandre Calame
