A nourishing online workshop with Eloise Rickman (A Beautiful Childhood) and Jodi Garrod (Mama Sangha)
What Is Good Enough? March 13th, 2pm
In a world that always seems to be telling us that we need to do more, be more, have more, how does what we already have and who we already are ever feel enough?
How do we lean into the goodness and support that is already here, in this moment, instead of always striving to become something else or someone better?
How do we shift from holding our parenting up to impossible standards and parent from a place of self-compassion and love rather than guilt and fear?
How can we feel OK, now?
The past year has been hard. With less support, more opportunities for worry and anxiety, and separation from our loved ones and communities, many of us are struggling to locate a sense of being OK amidst the chaos and grief of the pandemic.
In their first ever live workshop together, Jodi and Eloise will be guiding us to explore the question “what is good enough?”. Over an afternoon, they will be diving deep into how we know what “good enough” looks like, how can we give ourselves permission to surrender to it, and the practices we can put in place which allow us to feel OK and to gently support ourselves.
During the workshop, experienced mindfulness teacher Jodi will introduce some simple and accessible mindfulness techniques that support us to direct our hearts, bodies and minds towards the goodness and nourishment that already exists in our lives and experience – even when things feel hard.
Jodi says:
“Our mindfulness practice gives us a choice, a freedom to choose where we place our attention. We can use our mindfulness to orientate our attention towards what is already ok, good enough, and supportive in our experience, instead of dwelling in a permanent state of lack and insufficiency.”
As well as taking part in mindfulness practices, author and parent educator Eloise will guide us through reflections and inquiry around the social and cultural factors that contribute to us never feeling good enough in our mothering. She’ll also provide practical ideas and advice around how we might approach difficult moments from a place of “enoughness” and what can support us during these challenging times.
Eloise says:
“This workshop is not about making big changes or striving for perfection. Instead, we will be exploring how simple shifts in our attention and in our parenting can help us feel better about who we are now, how we are now, and to recognise that our parenting already exists in a state of love. “
The 3.5 hour workshop will include talks, guided practices, directed reflection (both alone and in pairs), and practical ideas for us to embed into our daily lives to support us as we connect to what is good enough.
The afternoon
This interactive workshop will take place via Zoom on Saturday 13th March, between 2-5:30pm UK time.
2pm Greetings and introduction to the workshop
2:15-2:45 Jodi will introduce and guide us through the first mindfulness practice
2:45-3:30 Eloise will speak on “good enough” mothering, followed by some work in pairs exploring some discussion prompts (if you would prefer not to be paired up and to use the time to journal instead, that’s fine)
3:30-3:45 Break
3:45-4:15 Jodi will introduce and guide us through the second mindfulness practice
4:15-4:45 Eloise will speak on how we can approach difficult parenting moments from a place of “enoughness” and how we can support ourselves during these challenging times (this will include some practical exercises)
4:45-5:00 Reflections and final thoughts from Jodi and Eloise
5:00-5:30 Q&A session and close
*** Although you will be taking part in the workshop from the comfort of your home, we recommend that you wear comfortable clothes and have a notebook and pen to hand ***
About your hosts
Jodi Garrod
Jodi is a mindfulness teacher, and Mum to her 3-year old son Clovis. She is also a certified Midwife, Doula and Perinatal Yoga teacher.
She is the founder of Mama Sangha, a mindfulness community for mums whose mission is to support mums to awaken to their inherent goodness.
Jodi offers online mindfulness courses and workshops, as well as a free monthly meditation Sangha to support mums to feel more loving, peaceful and joyful in themselves. She believes in the fundamental wisdom of all mother’s hearts, and she shares these practices to guide us back to a place of inner knowing, to trust in our instincts, and to parent from the heart.
You can find her on Instagram here.
Eloise Rickman
Eloise Rickman is an author, parent educator, home educating mother, and founder of A Beautiful Childhood. Her work focuses on peaceful parenting, alternative education, and children’s rights. Extraordinary Parenting (Scribe, 2020) is her first book, and she is currently working on her second.
Eloise is a trained Doula, and previously studied social anthropology at Cambridge University where she first became interested in how childhood and family practices shape society. She believes that parenting can be a radical act, and that changing the way we raise and educate children has the potential to shape and change society for the better.
Influenced by the Montessori and Waldorf approaches, amongst others, and practiced in Nonviolent Communication, Eloise works in a non-judgemental and empathetic way to hold space for parents to find ways for themselves and their children to get their needs met. She has worked with thousands of families around the world.
You can find her on Instagram here.
Booking details
Booking is now closed.
FAQ
What happens if I can no longer attend?
We will send out a recording of the session afterwards, so you can watch it (and rewatch it!) at your leisure.
Do I need previous mindfulness or meditation experience?
Not at all, although if you are experienced you are equally welcome. Jodi will explain and guide you through each of the mindfulness practices. All you need to do is show up, get comfortable, and let her guide you.
Will I need my camera on?
No, it’s entirely up to you, although our experience is that being able to see each other on screen does really help to create a supportive atmosphere and feel each other’s presence, so we would encourage cameras on if you can.
I’m not sure about doing partner work with someone I’ve never met before…
In our experience, there is something powerful and beautiful about connecting with another human. But we also understand that you might not be in a space where that feels right for you at the moment. If you’d prefer not to be paired up, just let Jodi or Eloise know before the session begins.
Do I need to subscribe to a specific parenting style to enjoy this workshop?
No. The sessions will be useful whatever your parenting experience is like. Eloise and Jodi both work from a place of no judgement; though their work is informed by respectful, evidence-based parenting practices and children’s rights, they understand the pressure modern parents are under and the power tradition, culture, and our own childhoods have over our parenting.