{"id":13870,"date":"2017-06-23T03:50:49","date_gmt":"2017-06-23T08:50:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tm.org\/blog\/?p=13870"},"modified":"2017-06-23T11:35:11","modified_gmt":"2017-06-23T16:35:11","slug":"moms-that-meditate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/meditation\/moms-that-meditate\/","title":{"rendered":"Meditating Moms: Two busy moms share tips for balancing their TM practice with work\/family life"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether they started TM a few weeks or four years ago, whether they have a new baby girl or teen-aged boys in the house, these two mothers look to their Transcendental Meditation<\/a> (TM) practice as both a respite and a source of renewal in their very full lives.<\/p>\n

Here, they share their stories and tips about the joys and challenges of being a meditating mom.<\/p>\n

Andrea Jayavelu: I Had to Get Creative!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Jay

Jay and Andrea Jayavelu, with their daughter Kamala<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI am a mom of a 7-month-old baby, and I just started my TM journey. As a working mom, I have had to get creative!\u201d writes Andrea Jayavelu, a business analyst. She and her husband Jay Jayavelu, an IT consultant, live with their daughter Kamala in Falls Church, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. Both 34, they\u2019ve been practicing the TM technique for almost 3 weeks.<\/p>\n\t\r\n\t\t\u201cFirst of all, I am lucky that my husband and I did our TM course together. We work as a team to ensure both of us complete our two daily meditation sessions”.<\/strong>\t<\/span>\r\n\t\n

Andrea and Jay had been interested in meditation \u201cfor a long time, but didn\u2019t know how to start. After some research, the TM technique seemed to be the best fit\u201d for them and their family.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started TM because we wanted to begin filtering out some of the unnecessary \u2018noise\u2019 in our lives,\u201d she says. \u201cWe also wanted to slow down and focus on what was really important to us. Modern lives are full of stressors, distractions, and negativity. TM is a great way to manage \u2018knee-jerk reactions\u2019 and instead channel that energy into increasing focus, creativity, and peace!\u201d<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s not always easy with a beautiful new baby and full-time careers.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn weekdays, I try to complete at least one meditation session during work hours. I try to do both at work when I can,\u201d says Andrea.<\/p>\n

She follows up with an inside tip that other new moms can try: \u201cStill nursing, I\u2019ve found that meditation after a breast-pump session works well for me, as our office has a designated privacy room.\u201d<\/p>\n

When she\u2019s on the go, Andrea extols her car as a great place to meditate. \u201cWhen I\u2019m at a client site, or I have a packed schedule, I try to arrive early and do a session in my car. Most of the time, I do the other session at home,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Their car is also Andrea\u2019s secret retreat when she and Jay are outside the house or traveling. \u201cWhen I\u2019m running errands without the baby, or when our family goes to visit friends, or when we stay at a hotel, take long road trips, etc., I try to utilize the car as much as possible,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

On weekends, Andrea has to be even more creative: \u201cFlexibility is the key. I try to meditate when the baby is napping. Or if it\u2019s just \u2018one of those days,\u2019 my husband will take the helm while I slip away. Sometimes my second session isn\u2019t until later in the evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a new mom and someone new to TM practice, I think it\u2019s great you\u2019re asking moms to weigh in,\u201d Andrea concludes. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to hearing what other moms have to say!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lina Trujillo: TM is the Best Friend for Moms<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lina Trujillo\u2019s kids think she has superpowers. Since she\u2019s an engineer, entrepreneur, and 24\/7 mom, you can understand why.<\/p>\n

\"Lina

Lina Trujillo with her sons Lucas (left) and Matias (right)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cToday being a woman is a synonym for having superpowers. Moms are those rare kinds of human beings who do everything for themselves and others. And they\u2019re supposed to have the energy, time, health, and everything else necessary to accomplish whatever they have or want to do” says Lina.<\/p>\n

But having superpowers isn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n

\u201cTM is my recharge station. When I think I\u2019m not going to be able to make the time for my meditation, I just think I\u2019m a car, and I need gas. There is no \u2018later\u2019 if my tank is empty. I just have to stop at the gas station to fill up my tank. Life can wait,\u201d Lina says.<\/p>\n

\u201cTM is the best friend for moms,\u201d she adds. \u201cLife as a mom is very stressful, and regular TM practice gives us clarity, energy, and connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

TM as Exponential, Everyday Growth<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2000, Lina, 44, and her husband Luis Trujillo, 48, emigrated from Colombia to Miami, where their sons Lucas, 15, and Matias, 12, were born.<\/p>\n

Lina, a successful professional, is \u201cfirst of all a mom\u201d. She combines this 24\/7 job with running a clothing export business. She\u2019s also starting a career as a speaker, \u201cto inspire and empower women to live a balanced life. I believe it is possible to have it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Lina didn\u2019t always feel that way: \t\r\n\t\t\u201cFour years ago I was at a point in my life where I had everything I was supposed to have. I was an engineer, married, two kids, and had my own business. What else could I ask for, right? I have always been a happy, positive, and strong person. But at that moment, I just felt that something was missing.<\/strong>\u201d\t<\/span>\r\n\t<\/p>\n

Trying to figure out what that was, Lina read The Passion Test by Janet and Chris Attwood and discovered her passions. \u201cThey also mentioned how important the TM program was in their lives, and it got my attention,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

As an engineer, Lina was skeptical about meditation. \u201cBut what got me into TM was the scientific research about it,\u201d she reports. \u201cI was looking for something measurable. I was looking for proof. And I loved finding so many studies, articles, and recommendations from doctors. I felt they were my kind of people, and this was the right type of meditation for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

“It was love at first meeting. I fell in love with TM from day one. My life changed completely from that moment in terms of energy, clarity, and serenity. Everything has expanded\u2014my heart, my soul, my love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lina\u2019s TM Tips for Having It All<\/strong><\/p>\n

How does Lina do it? With a routine that prioritizes TM practice\u2014for herself and her family. Soon after she started TM, her husband said, \u201cI want what you have.\u201d So on their family trip to Colombia that summer, Luis and their sons took the TM course, as a gift from Lina.<\/p>\n

Lina\u2019s day starts at 5:00: \u201cI do my morning TM for 20 minutes, then I run to Yoga from 6:00 to 7:30 three times a week. Then I go to work. And no matter what is happening in my life, at 2:30, I stop everything and do my afternoon TM.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lina especially loves the simplicity of the TM technique. \u201cI can do it anywhere, anytime\u2014and that\u2019s important,\u201d she adds. \u201cI spend a lot of time on benches, waiting for my kids to finish their swimming practice!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The

The Trujillo family\u2013Matias, Lina, Luis, and Lucas (left to right)<\/p><\/div>\n

For her teens, the car is a good place to meditate: \u201cI take one of my kids to school before going to work, and he meditates in the car. My husband takes my other son to school, and he does the same. In the afternoon I pick them both up, and they do their afternoon TM.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a result, Lina\u2019s kids are doing great in school. \u201cThey also swim competitively and play instruments for their school bands. They have time to socialize with friends, play some games at home, and be happy,\u201d she says. \u201cThis wouldn\u2019t be possible without their TM practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Lina shares all this with friends, their first reaction is that it\u2019s not doable.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut for me, it\u2019s just a matter of realizing how important this is for functioning well in my life,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s a matter of commitment to living a healthy life, with a clear mind, and making sure I\u2019m not accumulating daily stress. If TM has a purpose in your life, you will make it a habit!\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Four years ago I was at a point in my life where I had everything I was supposed to have. I was an engineer, married, two kids, and had my own business. What else could I ask for, right? I have always been a happy, positive, and strong person. But at that moment, I just felt that something was missing…”
\nRead more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":13859,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,3,53],"tags":[78,316,273,295,313,32,314,232,37,22],"class_list":["post-13870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bloggers","category-meditation","category-people","tag-happiness","tag-livemore","tag-meditate","tag-meditation","tag-moms","tag-stress","tag-stressless","tag-testimonial","tag-transcend","tag-transcendental-meditation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/78"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13870"}],"version-history":[{"count":51,"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13925,"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13870\/revisions\/13925"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usa.tm.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}