My name is Samantha Gurvin, the creator of Karmama, and this marks my debut in the world of blogging.
Like many women who have come before me, I experienced profound change and transformation through my pregnancy and the birth of my son. During his pregnancy, I was faced with intense identity awareness, emotional turmoil, and fear of the unknown. I set out to create a soft landing for myself in the only way I knew how - by finding my people! I attended prenatal yoga classes with exceptional instructors and was deeply nurtured through those avenues, but I needed MORE.
After the birth of my son, I looked for community outside of mother and infant-style yoga classes, but there were limited options in the Central Island area, especially in my neighborhood referred to as "Oceanside," just north of Nanaimo, BC.
I searched Facebook fervently and came across a few 'mom' groups to join, but still did not come across what I so desperately sought. I wanted a village. I wanted women to share my experience with and to learn from theirs. I CRAVED female companionship in the way new mothers, only new mothers can. There were many baby groups and programs for mothers with their infants, but I found them overly curated and focused on the babes, and not so much the mothers.
How could I fix this? Was there an opportunity to provide what I was sure other women were looking for?
I enjoyed the prenatal yoga classes immensely. Being in the presence of other pregnant women was a VIBE. A wholesome energy I loved and was humbled by. I found the postpartum yoga classes to also be of benefit, but with babies, we all know the deal. Five seconds of mindfulness and then... What is that smell? Oh baby, are you hungry? The list goes on of the 7868431572 reasons one might be distracted in a yoga class with their infant child (I digress).
There was another thought in my mind at these classes. I found myself feeling immense gratitude for my situation. I could afford to drive from Oceanside to Nanaimo to attend these moments of community. I was able to pay for these classes without a barrier. I reaped much benefit from moments shared with other mothers, from the beautiful guidance of Meghan Marr's yoga and Riannon Setterfield through Modo Nanaimo. What about the others? What about Mamas who did not have the means to travel or afford such opportunities? Mid Island Mindful Mamas was born.
MIMM's was started as a Facebook group after I polled a few local mom-chats if there would be interest in no-cost yoga for pregnant and new Mamas in our community. The response was immense! There was a need! Could I fill that void?
After attending a mom & child fitness class through The Sweat Project in Qualicum, the owner Jessie was wonderfully candid with me about what it took to offer group fitness classes through the Regional District of Nanaimo - of the many details she shared, one stood out as a huge barrier to my idea: INSURANCE.
After some soul-searching, I made the decision to enroll in a 200-hour teacher training online and get my ticket! I would be able to purchase insurance with certification. Free yoga for Mamas HERE WE COME.... Well... Not Quite. Completing 200 hours of online instruction, zoom classes, and assignments is easier said than done with a three-month-old baby in the mix.
I needed a long game. Then I had a thought, what about connecting mothers in the community through more than yoga? What about building a community? It began with yoga classes offered in my own home, as well as another mother's home in Nanaimo to ensure accessibility by all in the region, and slowly developed into group walks in nature, with a weekly mindfulness "topic" posted to the group in advance. The walks are scheduled at locations from South Cedar to Bowser and occasionally include a social aspect such as "Babies & Beers" which start or end at a brewery.
A beautiful and unexpected outcome resulted from these group meetups I ran up to 5 times per week. I started to connect on a deeper level with women who attended. I formed genuine and heartfelt relationships with like-minded Mums. I found my village.
Okay, so here we are, a year or so into my own motherhood experience, my Facebook group had taken off, the yoga sessions began to take shape into sessions of boundless self-love and relaxation for those who attended, but I still had an aching to do more. I found myself searching high and low for resources in the community. Where could I find retail shops for my son other than Toys"R"Us? What about free mental health supports? Baby and toddler groups? Classes for my son to attend such as swim lessons? I was overwhelmed! I spent hours scrolling the internet for a list or index to help guide my path, but the closest I came up with were helpful posts in a local mom group on Facebook with lists of who/what/when/where.
I wanted to build a directory! I wanted to formalize my efforts and start a business with a focus to support mothers through their 'matrescence' journey... Wait... their WHAT? Okay, let me level with you. When I found out about the term 'matrescence,' it was like a lightning bolt struck me right in the noggin. THERE WAS A SCIENTIFIC TERM FOR WHAT I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH????
I had already started my Karmama website (more about the name in my next post), and was well on my way to completing my 200-hour yoga teacher training when I had a REAL moment of clarity. This was the ache, the longing I felt of what I wanted to do with my energy: to support and guide women through an amazing, spectacular, transformative time in their lives - their matrescence.
Matrescence is a time of “mother-becoming,” when a woman transitions through pre-conception, conception, birth, postpartum, and beyond.
Coined by Dr. Dana Raphael in 1973, “Childbirth brings about a series of very drastic changes in the new mother's physical being, in her emotional life, in her status within the group, even within her own female identity. I distinguish this period of transition from others by terming it matrescence to emphasize the mother and focus on her new lifestyle.”
Since 1973, Matrescence has been revived and cemented as a developmental process, akin to adolescence.
When a woman transitions from Maiden to Mother - impacting her across biological, psychological, spiritual, political, and social domains of her life.
*verbiage borrowed from Sarah Ashton's webpage: https://www.sarahashtonot.com.au/
I have started a newsletter, which you can sign up for through my website. Karmama Community: Empowering Your Matrescence Journey has a social media account @karmamacommunity and a Facebook group just for the Mamas (local to Central Island) named Karmama Community Central Vancouver Island. If you would like to be involved, please reach out via email at karmamacommunity@gmail.com
I have some incredible collaborators on board from the community to bring amazing, mother-focused events to the Central Vancouver Island area. Stay tuned for more and thank you for reading.
With much love,
Samantha
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