Meet Jess Osie, a Vedic Meditation teacher, Mother, and community group facilitator who’s on a mission to empower her community to awaken and embody their deepest essence.

Jess is devoted to supporting mothers through Matrescence. She sees Motherhood as a portal which can take women to the depth of their being. There are so many jewels to be harvested - and, we can only do this with a regulated nervous system.

Through programs such as Vedic Mamas Circle and Mama Meditation Courses, Jess creates spaces for women to feel nurtured and honour the sacred role of Mother.

At our practitioner support circle, recently hosted within our Paddington Community Kitchen in celebration of the launch of our Orchard St smoothie collaboration, we connected with Jess to talk to her about what and how she believes we can best nurture mothers in the fourth trimester..

How can new mothers best support themselves through such a life changing event?   

In order to embrace such a life-changing event, we need two things:
1. A regulated nervous system - What is the most potent way you can replenish after days and nights of constant giving, devotion and surrender of one's own needs? It’s essential for mothers to find their personal rhythm of self-nurture.

2. Community - Mothers need spaces to digest their experience, process and integrate the intensity that comes along with this rite of passage. Doing this in community with other mamas is how it’s meant to be. 

How can partners, family and close friends better support the new mother?   

In order for a Mother to be reborn in this rite of passage, there is a necessary process of shedding and unraveling. The best way to support the new mama is to bear witness, and hold her without judgment and expectation. Sometimes this looks like emotional support, and at other times, it means creating the space for her to recalibrate whilst you take on some of the practical tasks - e.g. doing some of the household chores (without even asking), by walking the baby to sleep, or running the bath for her. 

How can we as a wider community better support new parents through this transition?   

I believe in the “forever postpartum” ~ that we are constantly evolving and meeting new parts of ourselves as our children grow. My wish for mothers is that we feel supported at all stages of motherhood. That holistic education and support is available to motherhood, free or at low cost. The rise of spaces and circles for mothers is so needed. I’m always thinking about ways we can re-create the village for mamas - shared meals across groups of friends or neighbours, shared care, creating child-friendly cafe spaces so mamas can socialise out of the home more freely. 

How can vedic meditation be used by mothers to cope with the demands of parenthood? 

Primarily what Vedic Meditation offers is deep, replenishing rest and nervous system recalibration. So much of motherhood is undigested, from what we experience in birth, to the early postpartum and all the highs and lows of every day. When we rest the body deeply (as we do in meditation), we can begin to process and metabolise our experiences, let go of stress, and ultimately come home to ourselves.Through this process of purification, the mind feels more peaceful and clear and we are able to be present and more joyful with our children in this precious season.

What was the most challenging thing you experienced as a new mother?

From where I’m standing now, natural parenting seems a near impossible feat without a village. Both my husband and I have the desire to align our family to nature's rhythms; sleeping close, breastfeeding, eating fresh produce/meals, providing love and conscious attention. Yet, in upholding these values, we have found, it has strained us to the level of breaking at times. (Noting, we have also had some complicating factors which has added extra pressure). I have a yearning to return to what I imagine were the old ways of parenthood; shared meals, communal raising of the child, shared breastfeeding etc. so parents do not have to carry this load alone.

For mothers who have never explored meditation before, how would you suggest they begin their journey?

I would say, try not to be a perfectionist about it! In our mother’s program for Vedic Meditation, we encourage mamas to do little bursts of meditation when and where they can; we don’t need a perfectly quiet environment, we don’t need incense burning or to be sitting in the perfect posture. When we close our eyes, the body begins to rest and recalibrate and simply taking time and space for you, is a game-changer.

Discover more about Jess, here 

Learn more about our community kitchen and Paddington store here  | Learn more about the Nature Baby x Orchard St collaboration here