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I Am More Than My Infertility, 7 Proven Tools for Turning a Life Crisis into a Personal Breakthrough
We are heading into Black Friday … typically the biggest shopping day of the year. With the way the economy is, who knows if post-Thanksgiving shopping will put retailers in the black this year or not. Nevertheless, we will all be buying some gifts, even if we cut back on our gift giving.
If you are trying to conceive, whether it happens quickly, takes a while, or never happens at all, this period of your life carries a unique set of stresses, and the hustle of the holidays only intensifies this stress. So on your holiday shopping list, add a gift for yourself.
I Am More Than My Infertility, 7 Proven Tools for Turning a Life Crisis into a Personal Breakthrough is not a guidebook for becoming pregnant. It is a book to help you find yourself in the midst of whatever you are facing. It is a book of hope and healing, and can be a life-changing gift you give yourself.
The book can be found in many bookstores, or at:
and dozens of other online book dealers.
Kim Hahn to Appear on GMA
According to a recent report in the Associated Press the number of foreign children adopted by Americans fell by 11 percent last year, citing the lowest level in ten years. The primary reasons are that many countries are clamping down on the process, while others are dealing with allegations of adoption fraud. An example is China who, after years of leading the international market, has posted the biggest decline.
As the parent of a foreign adoption child, I find myself feeling both sad and angry. There are millions of Americans willing to adopt, and many more children in need of homes, and yet politics and corruption are making this impossible. When foreign adoptions do occur, the child is often well past a year old, often languishing for months in orphanages. I often find myself asking, “Who is considering the needs of these children?”
If you are thinking about international adoption, a good place to get the latest information is the Adoption Guide. This annual issue is published by Adoption Families Magazine, and is packed full of the latest information and resources.
Marina
Anyone who has experienced infertility will tell you: it’s a rollercoaster. Whether you are involved in infertility treatment, or dealing with monthly cycles, it is seems inevitable that you will ride the waves of hope and disappointment.
No doubt, this is a difficult process. But there is something that makes it even harder than it needs to be: the story you tell yourself about your suffering.
For example, think back on a time when you suffered a loss or a setback. What story did you tell yourself about it? Was it filled with self-recrimination, criticism, negativity, fears of the future? If it was, your not alone. That’s the way it is for most people.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Underneath your story lies is the truth of your experience, waiting to be listened to, waiting to be embraced.
Here’s a way to access this truth. The next time you are in a place of loss, take some time to be alone and quiet. Focus on your breathing. If your mind is rambling on your story, just notice it, and say, “Yes, there is the story.” Then put your attention on your body. Notice any places that are tight, uncomfortable, painful.. Breathe into those places, and let it be what it is. Then imagine something or someone you love unconditionally. Let your heart fill with that love, and then place that feeling in the place your hurting. Love that hurt in the same way. Continue for a minute or two.
Now notice your experience.
Marina
Imagine that you are longing for a baby, and in a moment of desperation, you decide to post the following ad:
Child Wanted:
To fill family vacancy. Must be cute, well-behaved, and highly coachable. Only appropriate candidates need apply.
November is National Adoption Month
Seems unimaginable, doesn’t it? But that’s because you know you just can’t pop a baby or a child into an empty box within your family. Each child is different, and longs to be loved and wholly accepted.
Perhaps, this is never more apparent than it is with adoption. Without the genetic links to help create attachment and expectation, (“She has your eyes!” “He looks just like your baby pictures!”) an adopted child asks you to explore and love the uniquess that lies within everyone. That is why it is often necessary for a couple to grieve the closed door of a biological child before they are truly ready to adopt.
As the mother of both an adopted and biological child, I can tell you that both paths to parenthood can take you on a wondrous, and truly blessed journey.. And for me, as much as the outer experiences were different, at their heart, they were both inextricably linked.
November is National Adoption Month. There are thousands of children waiting for homes. In fact, recent budget cuts in many states are making it even more difficult for many children to be placed with families.
Is adoption for you? Listen to your heart and there you’ll find your answer.
Marina
Not long ago, I came across an article in the October issue of the Yoga Journal that was so healing in its essence, that I felt uplifted just by reading it.
The name of the article, Light Fantastic, is the story of Cory Sipper, a yoga teacher who herself struggled with infertility. She shares her own frustration at being unable to transfer the skills and self-awareness that she mastered as a yoga teacher into the daily grind that is infertility. Things as basic as breath awareness became undoable, and she found herself feeling betrayed by her body, and haunted by the fear that she would never become a mother.
Then one day, when she was sharing her pain with a friend, a transformational moment occurred.
“When I finished (talking), we sat quietly for a moment. Then she (her friend) said, ‘Have you considered that maybe the timing of your conception isn’t only up to you? Perhaps there is the spirit of the baby to consider. Who is to say that he or she doesn’t have some say in all of this?
Visit Cory Sipper Yoga to Learn More About her New Book Yoga for Conception
I felt shocked and humbled by her words. I realized how isolated and single-minded I had become. I saw that I had a choice about how to continue on my journey into motherhood. My yoga practice had always encouraged me to have faith that things were as they should be. But somehow, while trying to conceive, I had chosen to abandon this essential belief, instead becoming lost in my fear.”
Corey goes on to describe how she believes this shift fostered the conception that soon after occurred.
You can learn more about Cory by visiting her website corysipperyoga.com. She is currently finishing her book, Yoga for Conception.
Marina
