by Sharon Gavioli, Registered Nurse, Birth Educator, Counsellor, Brisbane, Queensland
I attended an event for the celebration of the International Women’s Day held by Real Media Real Change (RMRC) in Brisbane, “Nurturing the Woman Within: Reclaiming Your Natural Rhythm Within our Modern Times”. It was one of a series of events presented around exploring how expectations and pressures women face today can impact our general wellbeing and how we can reconnect to our natural rhythms and to reconsider self-nurturing.
I attended due to my involvement in the Brisbane Esoteric Developer’s Groups offered by Universal Medicine, that has been running a women’s group over the last 2 plus years. During that time, I have consistently attended this group and have come to understand that the way we are currently living as women doesn’t truly support our natural way of being, and that nurturing ourselves is essential for us feel the loveliness of the women we are.
My own experience of not living my natural rhythm is related to the way I was living my life from a drive that created a sense of never having enough time for me, and that there was always too much to do! This has greatly transformed my everyday life with what I have learned in the group about taking the time to care and nurture me, as well as being more aware of how I go about all I undertake. These simple choices have enabled me to be present with one thing at a time without stressing about what I need to do next, which definitely feels more like my natural rhythm as a woman. Many of the other women who have also been attending the women’s group have made some amazing changes in their lives. They too have embraced a deeper care and nurturing of themselves, which has flowed into lives with improved friendships, family and work relationships. Evidence of these incredible changes and ability to nurture ourselves presented when this group was asked to assist in organising this event.
The organisation commenced with a number of women committing to preparing healthy food for the morning tea as well as setting up, serving and cleaning up after the event. I was keen to support this event due to my love of working with people and because of the incredible support I had received from attending the women’s group.
The day arrived with a group of women and a few lovely men setting up for the event and what unfolded was nothing short of amazing. Without instruction or direction, every person just got on with doing what needed to be done. It felt so effortless and harmonious. This continued throughout the event with the serving of the morning tea, and the final clean up.
At past non-Universal Medicine community events at which I had assisted, I would often get frustrated that people were not helping the way I thought they should, and that on some level I wanted people to recognise that I was a good person for all my efforts. I now realize this need for recognition was partly due to the fact that I did not appreciate me and as a result, did not take time to care for and nurture myself.
This event was different and I had the opportunity to work with others without expecting anything in return. I know that the way I now care for myself reflects in the way I care for others and in my contribution to this event.
It was interesting to observe my old “expectation” thought pattern trying to creep back in at one point, which was great for me to be aware of and not buy into. This awareness is the direct result of everything I have developed from being involved with and being inspired by the Esoteric Women’s groups and the teachings from Universal Medicine.
Over 200 people attended the event to listen to speakers share about how women can truly care for themselves which was also the launch of a new app for iPhone and iPad: Our Cycles – Period and Full Moon Diary. This app is designed for everyone, men included, and it can be used to track not only our cycles, but also to register the moments we dedicate to nurture ourselves.
This nurturing quality of the woman was naturally being played out in the background in the loving way everyone contributed – which enabled a nurturing of all who attended the event.
For me, it was really lovely to be part of this event and to work so harmoniously alongside so many great people… it felt like this is how life is supposed to be. This event was such a wonderful example of how we can all work together in true brotherhood; it also highlighted the importance of truly loving and caring for ourselves first, which naturally allows us to care for others without the expectation of anything in return.
Women in Livingness Blog 
“nurturing ourselves is essential for us feel the loveliness of the women we are.” I can feel the power of this statement and how it is a sea-change from how women communicated with each other as I was growing up.
Appreciation for ourselves and the qualities that we bring is like fertiliser for plants, it supports what is already there to flourish and lays the foundation for new growth.
“… taking the time to care and nurture me, as well as being more aware of how I go about all I undertake.” This is so important for our sense of worth and health and wellbeing. I notice for me that the more I take care of and nurture myself, the more contented and joyful I feel, and the more aware I am of how I am and when this is not supportive to me. Self care builds a sense of value in myself and empowerment to understand how much I can actually support myself everyday, and how that then flows onto the way I am with others.
I agree Sharon the awareness I have developed from working in groups under the principles of Universal Medicine you do not get anywhere else.
There is something written here which is very important, as you talk about expectations when working in groups. This is a great subject that needs exploring further, as, to me, this is the essential basics of life – to work together in groups and to be aware of what we are bringing to them.
They are two very different approaches, one understands what we bring to groups and stems from self care and self appreciation, and the other looks out to the group with expectations of what has to be delivered and a picture of how everything should look. One takes responsibility for the effect they have, the other wants it to be a certain way.
I agree a lovely example how we can work together in harmony and brotherhood, ‘ This event was such a wonderful example of how we can all work together in true brotherhood; it also highlighted the importance of truly loving and caring for ourselves first, which naturally allows us to care for others without the expectation of anything in return.’
Thank you Sharon, your keenness of insight really comes across here as you know what true harmony between people is and what it is not.
This is such a great example of the dividends reaped by all when we truly care and nurture for ourselves.
Bringing nurturing into our lives has such a big impact on all, ‘They too have embraced a deeper care and nurturing of themselves, which has flowed into lives with improved friendships, family and work relationships’.
Taking time to care and nurture ourselves is an essential component of our lives, especially as so many women say the same as this,’ I was living my life from a drive that created a sense of never having enough time for me, and that there was always too much to do!’
Thinking ahead creates anxiousness, stress and an overwhelming tension in my body and these emotions cause me to go into drive, raciness and exhaustion. But why? What have I placed or used as an excuse to not be present and loving with myself? It is interesting how we create and set up situations or events, perhaps deadlines at work or within the family home to try and take us out from the connection to self but in truth no deadline, event or situation can ever be greater than the love I have for myself and the responsibility that comes with this to the whole.
When we truly support each other amazing things can happen. It all starts out from holding everyone in love and equalness.
It keeps coming back to the truth, that when we work together with an openness and connection to love, we are all naturally on the same page, all naturally attuned to the same purpose and as such the ease and flow of working in harmony is what we experience.
I have often been someone who just barges into life and gets things done on my own and avoids working with people. For an event I’d had to put up a large marquee and I did this on my own without asking for help, it was challenging but I managed. For another event I had to put up the same marquee but had 6 people step in to help me- it made me realise how much easier life is when we allow support.
Thanks for your comment MW, we must have beliefs when we try to do things alone without support, such as asking for help is a nuisance or imposing to others, or that people don’t truly want to help, when in actual fact we do enjoy pitching in, and we are free to say “No” if we don’t want to.
When we come together for a common purpose without any individual need the results are astounding and so different from the norm. It is an absolute pleasure to be at an event when women work together harmoniously and equally.
I agree Fiona but unfortunately the current norm is the exact opposite to that. Currently we live in a world where it’s ‘every man for himself’. We are all (men, women and kids) caught up in the illusion of individuality and on the constant look out for ‘what’s in it for me’, hence we live in a world that lacks true care and many, many people feel insecure and unsettled. The interesting thing is that many people are reluctant to voice their feelings because of how it will look to others, which is just another example of how lost we are in the illusion of separation, comparison and competition.
Contributing to something without any need for recognition is an amazing marker that you value yourself. We’re brought up to ‘make an impression’, in other words, get noticed for ‘doing good’ basically so we get a chance to move up in the world. But move up to where exactly? To a place that is above others? The competition we’re conditioned to live in is so sneaky and sinister, that most people wouldn’t have a clue they were playing ball with it, because we’ve made it so normal. But why do we feel the need to be better than someone else? What is the purpose other than to make sure we never feel satisfied with who we are?
This is a great example Sharon ‘My own experience of not living my natural rhythm is related to the way I was living my life from a drive that created a sense of never having enough time for me, and that there was always too much to do!’ When we develop a natural rhythm we instinctively know what needs to be done next, and working as a team becomes completely natural because we are already in tune with one another.
There is nothing like the feeling when a group is working together in true harmony. Much is and can be achieved. I love also the basis of a connection with one on one. Extend one on one to a group with the same intention and purpose and you have brotherhood – what it is we are all about and why we are born.
The importance of truly loving and caring for ourselves first cannot be underestimated or played down in any way and this is what you have highlighted and presented so beautifully here Sharon. Giving ourselves this level of care and support does naturally allow us to care for others without the expectation of anything in return and this also was beautifully highlighted by your description of how everyone worked together in harmony to make this event happen.
“it was really lovely to be part of this event and to work so harmoniously alongside so many great people… it felt like this is how life is supposed to be.” A beautiful realisation that when we work together in harmony we all grow together and take this experience and feeling into other groups that we work with.
I can so fully relate to what is shared here, working in harmony is what we innately know to be a true way of working together, and as I am coming to learn is a constant in our life when we choose to be in harmony with ourselves.
It is beautiful to read of the awareness that you have brought to your life and the self care you chose to apply that is now reflected in the true care you can offer another. So often care is laced with expectations, obligations, sympathy, undealt with hurts or a need for recognition, so to be able to address these within yourself first and then offer a care free of these things is deeply supportive and the kind of untainted care that people truly need.
This sounds like an amazing event indeed! It’s so interesting how things can flow when everyone works together, but also how the absolute opposite can occur (and things can be totally disjointed) when you try and merge everyone’s agendas into one and run an event for humanity (when it’s actually an event for personal recognition, gain and so forth)
Reading this Sharon I am struck by how beautifully your experience of being part of the behind the scenes at this event reflected the title ‘Nurturing the Woman Within: Reclaiming Your Natural Rhythm Within our Modern Times’. The more women are inspired to do this the more we will reflect how it is to work in true brotherhood.
Hi Sharon it sounds like everyone was able to simply be themselves and when this happens harmony follows. Beautiful thank you for sharing.
When I read this I see the start stop of life. How we still picture, even subtly, life in parts. We go somewhere and we realise or are amazed with what we are seeing and while I’m not saying we can’t do this it also seems to create a slight picture we take into our next step. We hold onto this moment and don’t allow ourselves to truly and deeply appreciate what we have felt. We bring one moment and place it into the next because of what we were shown. Each moment changes, our movements bring that change, even if we stand still we are still breathing and the earth is spinning and so movement is always there. What we are hesitant to do is allow ourselves a fresh start in each moment, a blank canvass if you like. We take things from our past into our next step and hence carry our past into the present which brings the future to us with the same flavour. Walk free of what we have seen and only take the full awareness of what you have stepped into our present. That way the future is guaranteed to be the same.
It is lovely to re read your blog Sharon. To work together in harmony is such a beautiful experience and one that doesn’t happen often. With inspiration from Women’s Health Presentations and groups that are run by Universal Medicine we learn so much about self nurture that can be taken into our lives to inspire others too.
When you give to connect to the quality of love you already are, it changes the way you work in a group and you go from being use to be drained or exhausted at the end of these things to energised and refreshed, amazing really!
The harmony of working in a team where all get to shine and claim their responsibilities with out comparing oneself with what another’s responsibility is very joyous. It also sets an environment for every team member to deepen their commitment to themselves and equally so to the job at hand.
Great to call out how before you had not appreciated or nurtured yourself, and how you were looking for recognition from outside yourself; and how this had changed now and was reflected in this event.
The support and harmony of the group working together on the day is a great reflection of the changes you have made to your own life Sharon and the level of appreciation that you have developed for yourself. With such a level of appreciation, there is no need for expectation or even disappointment.
What you share here Sharon is so important, if we go out in the world expecting others to appreciate us or recognise us without actually taking care of ourselves we are setting ourselves and others up – our first job, our main job is live us, to the the best of our ability and in this to appreciate all that we are and take the time and care to support ourselves to live and be in the world – without this we go into expectation and blame and in fact we don’t actually support anyone, least of all ourselves, so it really does start with us.
“It was really lovely to be part of this event and to work so harmoniously alongside so many great people… it felt like this is how life is supposed to be” What you have described here Sharon is really wonderful, how great it would be to work alongside people who were all working for the same purpose, bringing equality and brotherhood to all that is being undertaken. I can appreciate why you enjoyed the experience so much.