Motherhood is easily one of the most challenging jobs on the planet, but singer Alicia Keys recently shared how taking up a meditation practice helped her become an even better matriarch in her family.
Wednesday, USA Today published an op-ed written by the 40-year-old in which she recalls how her “consistent spiritual practice began about six years ago” following the birth of her youngest child Genesis Ali, whom she shares with husband, mega-producer Swizz Beatz.
“Like so many new moms I was exhausted, but the depletion was more than physiological; my spirit was shot,” she explained. “I needed to do something so I could continue to be a good mother to my children, partner to my husband, and friend to myself.”
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The Grammy winner who first began meditating after a friend suggested attending a Kundalini yoga and meditation retreat admits that her journey into mindfulness didn’t start off smoothly.
“I have to be honest: The first time I tried the meditation, I was so tired that I fell asleep,” she wrote. “But the second time, I felt a little spark. I really liked the mixture of chanting, singing and movement.”
“Between the chanting and the singing and the rhythm and the meaning of these ancient words, I discovered a sense of peace and comfort. I started to notice a richer connection with myself, an ability to go deeper,” she continued. “After years of silence I could hear myself, trust my instincts, know what I wanted, know what I needed and not feel so insecure.”
“Once you make that kind of deep connection with yourself, your relationship with everything and everyone around you changes. As I’d hoped, I became a better mother because I was more confident in myself,” Keys explained.
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“I could hear what I needed and what my family needed. Same with my relationships with my husband, my mother and definitely my work,” the musician wrote. “Now I could be crystal clear, powerful and strong and not back down because I had a way to access my own intuition.”
The mother of two also credits her regimen with grounding her womanhood as well.
“I believe the Divine Feminine is an extremely powerful force within all of us. It has characteristics that we associate with mothering: it helps you grow, it helps you create, it cultivates who you are,” wrote Keys, who is currently partnering with Deepak Chopra for a 21-day meditation experience called “Activating the Divine Feminine: The Path to Wholeness.”
“I like to get up at first light and take a little time to tune everyone else out, tap into the Divine Feminine and hear myself. Usually I can find it in nature, in my children, in my travel or in my work, but in order to be my best it’s essential for me to take the time, make the space and listen to the voice that I tuned out for so long,” she added.
“I didn’t realize that voice – the one that speaks to intuition, empathy, compassion, peace – is also the spirit of the Divine Feminine.”
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