Be a blessing by being a light!

     With the resurgence of social media, fake news, conflict about borders around the world it's easy to lose sight of the light in our lives. If we're not careful, we may find ourselves focusing on what's negative versus all of the good fortune we have. You've heard the statement "count your blessings." I say... be the blessing without judgement.

     What I mean is that sometimes people categorizes blessings as small or big. Smiling to the stranger that passes you by, holding the door open for someone in a wheelchair is just as important and needed as helping to build a group home or donating money to your local charity. The universe looks upon every act of kindness as equally noble and it can evolve into a cycle of goodwill.

     During my reign as Mrs. Maryland United States 2008 I heard of gangbangers shooting up a funeral home in a final showdown to incite fear and destruction. I knew there was a high school  in that neighborhood with frightened students so I rushed to the school to uplift the children. The students were very grateful that a compassionate beauty queen set aside time to comfort them and offer an encouraging speech.

     Some of the students said "We're scared to be children," "I've seen too many of my friends die." I was disheartened to hear their stories but was also inspired to produce a platform to amplify the voices of children. A couple of weeks later I met with Congressman Elijah Cummings and shared my vision of a "Peace & Poetry Day". A day where students will share their original poetry that promotes peace and unity.

     Congressman Cummings was moved by my commitment to the community and agreed to pay for the trophies. Now the next step was finding a school. From my experience of volunteering at schools and coordinating an after school program I know sometimes it can take months or years to implement an initiative at public schools. So he referred me to Jason Botel, the founder of Kipp Ujima Village Academy.

     Peace and Poetry arrived and twelve courageously talented students shared their hearts and stories through their original poems. Amongst the assembly, there were tears, laughter and also connection, understanding and...Peace. The students felt a sense of relief as they recited their poems and a bond was created with each poet and listener.

     I was very humbled to see my vision manifested and well received. And backstage, Mr. Botel reveled that three hundred students submitted poems, 300! That means children want to have their voices heard. It means what started as one gesture to speak to students evolved into an initiative of sharing stores and connection. I was happy students captured their thoughts to paper but sad that they didn't get an opportunity to share with the audience. Had I known that many students submitted poems I would have modified the day's assembly. So that means another Peace & Poetry Day is needed.  The cycle of goodwill continues.

With Love & Light,

Regena

Find Out Why I Said No to the Amniocentesis Test!!

Greetings,

When a woman becomes pregnant, she and her family are faced with so many questions. To have a natural birth or not?  Should we find out the baby's gender? How is my life going to change? These are normal and even pleasant questions. To my surprise, one of the questions I received throughout my pregnancy until the 6th month was: "You're having an amniocentesis right?  The amniocentesis is directed towards towards women over 35, it is a medical procedure used in prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities and fetal infections.

My first reaction was no! It is not in my character to not expect the worst. And after talking with my husband and doing my research, my answer was NO! This is what annoyed me the most. My second doctor (I switched doctors three times)  his nurses, the specialist for the ultrasound and her team were aggressive and had a difficult time accepting my answer. They tried to pressure me, didn't work. Tried to scare me and say my baby might have Down Syndrome,  didn't work. When my doctor sent me to the specialist for my first ultrasound, her people tried to pressure me into having the procedure done by asking the questions in variety. That definitely didn't work, I've had a successful journalism career and made a living by asking questions, so of course I knew they were trying to manipulate me.

Exhausted, the genetics counselor said, "Well you're going to have to sign a California form stating you declined the test." My response, "Actually, I don't have to sign anything. The test isn't mandatory." Which also caused mistrust. The state doesn't legally have the right to dictate births so I doubt seriously they're mandating patients to sign forms. The form is something they probably asked to show they asked. Well they asked, I said no and that's all you need. I sensed they were some political pressure to get a certain number of patients to agree to the test.

Than the ultrasound tech conducted the ultrasound which showed my beautiful baby opening her mouth literally. She was hungry! Even the nice tech (who didn't ask me about the procedure) commented on my baby's mannerisms and how joyful she seemed.

So a month later, I went back to my obgyn for my standard appointment. Usually after the nurse places me in my room, the doctor comes in a few minutes later. This time, the nurse asked me why didn't I take "the test." I kindly told her, I declined, no explanation needed. I then waited in the room for at least 15 minutes. The doctor came in and asked me...I think by now you know what he asked me. They make money off of each test administered so in my opinion it's more of a head count instead of a genuine concern. I don't knock anyone for choosing to take the test, my concern is that patients shouldn't be coerced, pressured or scared into making a decision.

Fast forward six months, I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, happy baby girl who is brilliant, alert and active. So the amniocentesis would have been a waste of my time, energy, money and unnecessary risk. I don't knock anyone for choosing to take the test, my concern is that patients shouldn't be coerced, pressured or scared into making a decision...especially  medical decisions.

This is a powerful lesson of me listening to my instincts. I encourage you to do your research and follow your heart with every decision.

Until next time,

Be loving, be natural, be empowered!

Regena

Have a Beauty Routine...which is helpful to your baby too!

Greetings Beloveds,

Motherhood is joyful, wonderful, life enhancing and it is also time-consuming, life-changing and unpredictable which makes it beautiful!  Naturally you're glowing if you're pregnant or basking in joy after giving birth so have your outside beauty match your inner contentment.

Of all of the pregnancy related books, classes, or workshops I've attended, I've rarely seen anyone encouraging the mommy to have "mommy beauty time." If you're like me, this is the last thing that may be on your mind, however I learned I have to make this aspect a priority, here's why.

Whether you're an Oscar winning actress, stay at home house wife, executive, all women have one career in common-being a woman. Unfortunately, society still judges women on their outward appearance. Invest the the time to always look your best. Hearing comments from co-workers or a spouse/partner "she let herself go," being passed over for an acting gig or interview because you look disheveled or glancing in the mirror and not recognizing yourself can cause stress. And whether the baby is in your womb or in your arms., any type of stress isn't good for your baby.

Here are some benefits of having a beauty routine: 

*Some women avoid taking pictures if they're having a "bad hair day" but this is a happy time so take as many pictures as you can with your bump or baby. Trust me children love to see pictures of themselves but they will prefer you in those pictures.

*You will be on your A-game at work and at home. Redefine "Hot Mama" and let them know you still got it!

*If you master a beauty routine it will save you time, precious time you could be spending with your child.

*If your baby/child see you combing your hair, filing your nails, they may be more inclined to let you comb their hair. Which makes life easier!

*You will feel refreshed instead of stress. And that's one of our goals here at Natural Crowning to empower you to be refreshed...naturally. The happier you are, the more peaceful the home will be for your child.

After I gave birth I was so focused on being a supermom I still exercised (stay tune or a future exercise blog)  but I didn't stick to my beauty routine. I started skipping deep conditioning my hair. As a result, one Saturday evening it took me about 2-3 hours longer to do my hair. Every thirty minutes or so, I took breaks to breastfeed Empress and I sensed she could tell I was tired. So I had to quickly regroup. Later I changed my beauty routine to deep conditioning my hair overnight so it's nice and soft the morning of hair wash day. Problem solved! 

Also I had to schedule time for DYI manicures. My nails are long bu if I don't keep nail polish on them, they break. Just take a look at the picture below. Amongst breastfeeding, changing diapers, reading stories, painting my nails just wasn't a priority. But I learned, it saves me time to manicure my nails.  This isn't vanity, it's a safety measure too. Your hangnails or unfiled nails can be harmful to your baby.

And a baby's sharp nails can be harmful to them as well as you.For the first six months, I had to place mittens on baby Empress hands because she kept scratching herself. On occasions I would lay  her down to sleep anSo create, master or stick to a beauty routine today!

With Love & Light,

Regena

Yikes!

After cutting and filing my nails...and filing Empress nails too!. (the only way she would keep her hands still for the photo was during storytime, lol)

Read to your baby starting in the womb!

Greetings,

Reading is fundamental. It is also an act of love. A great gift you can bestow upon your child is an affinity for reading. Here's why: The time you spend with your child as early as the womb through reading builds connection. Your child is recording your voice in his/her memory prenatally which is very comforting. You're also caring out storytime that has great benefits to your child as she gets older.

Educationally,  

• reading teaches babies about communication
• builds memory, vocabulary and listening skills (they're never too young to develop this important skill)  
• introduces concepts such as numbers, letters and shapes in an exciting way
• lays the foundation for writing skills
• it opens up the world around them.

Through reading you can take your child on a journey to Paris and Zimbabwe all in one day.  And your child may become more alert. When I was pregnant, I was a storyteller for the Orthopedic Institute for Children, in Los Angeles. My service included reading to patients and their siblings as they sat in urgent care. My goal was to keep their mind off their troubles. This was a tough act because I was competing with the televisions in the waiting areas and the children cell phones. Yet they chose me!  Maybe because felt warmth or the sense I was carrying a child, either way, they listened attentively to me read the book they selected from my basket. And here's the bonus, the parents were mesmerized by my storytelling and received a chance to escape during such a stressful time.

As I served , It made me realize that I'm a great actress because to hold and retain children's attention among distractions, and to help the parents forget about their worries for a moment meant I connected with an unexpected audience (surprisingly this was actually a turning point for me and help boost me confidence for my one-woman play).

A double bonus for me, is that my baby heard me read a multitude of stories, felt the good vibes and I planted the seeds of servitude. I read Empress 3-5 books every day, some in Spanish. Empress is alert and when I take her to storytime at the library she's poised and eager to hear about a new adventure. And this is how the universe works, we were gifted with more than 100 books for Empress!

Reading is also "natural" entertainment. Before televisions, radios and cell phones, people told stories around the campfire and family gatherings. Families passed down survival skills and traditions through stories. Consider the tradition of storytime in your family, it may become a much needed outlet. You're bonding with your child, you're learning his/her interest and it may even inspire you to write a book. Readers are leaders, so read a book to your child today! Check out the video below.

P.S.I began taking Empress to storytime at the library. Some of the older babies started crawling towards her. And now about one week later, Empress is attempting to crawl. Children are influenced by their environment. 

With Love & Light,

Regena

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please become one of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

Four months pregnant on the red carpet at the gala fundraiser for the Orthopedic Institute for Children. At the time,I  served as a storyteller for the non-profit.

Knowledge is power....and sometimes life-saving!

Greetings,

I believe what separates success in most situations is knowledge. Knowing what to do, when to do and how to operate. And when it comes to pregnancy and parenthood, learning as much as you can is a gift you can give your children.

As I mentioned in the blog that talks about Natural Crowning's purpose, access to information is key. The classes I took played a key role in my great pregnancy experience and help prepare me for motherhood. And I even bonded with the health educators and other moms. They were very much interested in my journey.  During discussion it was evident how one mother was able to save her baby's life with the information she gleaned. So I'm sharing the wealth! Below is the list of classes I took at the Eisner Pediatric Medical Center in Los Angeles. All of them are free except for the Hydrotherapy Class.  You do not have to be a patient to attend, but for some of the classes you need to rsvp. Most classes have food and sometimes offer gifts. (Below I offer tips for my readers outside of California)

http://www.eisnerhealth.org/

Lamaze 1 & 2

Healthy Nutrition & Fetal Development

Prenatal Exercises

Baby Basics

Postpartum Care

The Birth of Your Child

Breastfeeding

Hydrotherapy (cost)

And here's the bonus. They implemented for the first time a Daddy's Boot Camp class which my husband attended! Sir was so engaged in the class, they asked him to come back as a speaker, along with our baby Empress. I encourage Dads to attend. And just so you know, the wives are banned so it's men only. The Dads received organic baby carriers, t-shirts and a reference Daddy book.

Yoga classes at Yoga West, http://www.yogawestla.com/

Pregnancy Goddess Yoga with Khefri

Prenatal Yoga with Sada

These classes were uplifting, therapeutic and I connected with my baby in an unique way. I also bonded with the other moms and learned about their culture and traditions.

There are other classes in the LA area, I just listed the ones I had a great experience with. I was originally with Cedars and they offer classes for a fee, however when I switched to the midwifery team at Eisner, I just decided to go to their classes.

And here's some tips no matter which state you live to find great classes.

Ask your ob-gyn/mid-wIfe if they offer classes.

Check with your church, YWCA/YMCA or community groups that you belong to.

Check with your health insurance. I was surprised to learn mine health insurance offer classes.

As always, do your research and enjoy being a student for your baby!

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please become one of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

With Love & Light,

Regena

Natural Crowning's Purpose-2nd Dimension

Congratulations Mamas and Daddies too!

         Welcome to the Natural Crowning blog. Chances are if you reading this, you're an expectant mama, budding parent or have decided you want to have a child, in either circumstance, congrats!! By reading this blog, you're taking the time to invest in knowledge that will assist you on your journey.

So here's the purpose of this blog...

Filled with gratitude and excitement, I learned I was pregnant in April 2016.  As I brimmed with a desire to have a safe and natural birth,  I soon realized there was a lot of conflicting information about pregnancy, rigid health insurance policies and unfortunately a capitalistic approach to birth. Meaning I felt some some doctors were more interested in how much money they could make from each patient versus a strong focus on the health of the mama and baby.  

Disheartened, I was determined to have a pleasant experience and healthy baby. I did lots of Google searches, read books, talked to some of my out of state friends who were already mothers. At the time I had only lived in LA for two years  so I didn't have any friends who were moms. And being in the entertainment industry, most of my colleagues were actors or writers without children. To complicate matters, my ob-gyn touched me inappropriately with the ultrasound handle so it was time to switch doctors. Shocking isn't it?.  My doctor was at a prestigious hospital but hey it doesn't matter if you're not treated well (that's another blog).

Divinely, I was serving at a charity event along with a group of soccer moms and one of them suggested I find a pregnancy support group. Great idea. So I did an internet search and many of the pregnancy groups info was outdated or the locations were an hour away. What kept popping up the most was pre-natal yoga. Ironically an awesome pre-natal class took place right down the street from my home at Yoga West in Beverly Hills. On my first day, during the introductions, the yoga instructor asked me where was I giving birth? She sensed it wasn't a good fit for me and she was correct. After class, she gave me a couple of doctors/options and as a result I switched to the midwifery team at Eisner Pediatric Medical Center.   This changed the trajectory of my pregnancy journey which led to great medical care, a series of free classes, two doulas, plenty of gifts, a baby shower and a beautiful healthy baby girl Empress born naturally! Eisner even had the right pediatrician for Empress. Wow! The experience was amazing. I ascertained my yoga instructor is a connoisseur of information. Eisner is a medical powerhouse. This made me realize that having access to information is key, and in some situations life-saving.

       I vowed to give back and the opportunity came sooner than expected. During my pregnancy journey, I was dubbed a champion mama and expectant mamas would ask me questions. And after dilating from 3 to 10 centimeters in thirty minutes and giving birth to Empress,  a multitude of women and their husbands asked me to share my insight. Eager to share my passion and the course of events gave birth to Natural Crowning. So allow me to be your connoisseur of information and online coach to help you navigate through this exciting journey. It's a blessing for me to be of service and I will be cheering you along for a wonderful birth and parenthood.

Sending you love and light,

Regena

Final Draft Awards during Oscar Week 2017!!

    It was stated during an Oscars ceremony that writers are the backbone of the industry. Without words, there wouldn't be television shows or films (with the exception of silent films). To honor screenwriters, the industry leading screenwriters, actors and executives converged at Paramount Studios for the 12th Annual Final Draft Awards.  

    Industry great Robert McKee, mentor to many and is known for his worldwide screenwriting lectures and the classic screenwriting book, "Story" was inducted to the Hall of Fame. With a myriad of his students writing scripts that won Oscars, Emmys and made a difference, McKee's influence is global.

    And this year, Final Draft committee awarded their inaugural New Voice Award to Issa Rae, producer and star of HBO's Insecure and content generator on YouTube receiving more than 23 million views and 200,000 subscribers.

    It was a very magical night. Listen to words of wisdom and insightful perspectives on how how to thrive as a writer in the entertainment field.

Final Draft Co-Winner 2016, Daniel Bonjour

Final Draft Co-Winner 2017, Rowan Wheeler

Actress, Screenwriter Allen Maldonado

Actress, Screenwriter Celeste Thorton

Screenwriter Margaret Nagle

Whether you're just getting started in your career or have a cadre of scripts under your belt, the consensus among the experts is to continue to write and share your voice with the world.

I enjoyed covering the 12th Final Draft Awards and interviewing amazing screenwriters and actors. This is part of my commitment to showcase inspirational content ad change the world one story at a time.

Until we connect again, I wish you a season of great storytelling!

Regena

Hiring a doula for your birth experience!

Greetings,

During my pregnancy research, I came across the statement, "Pregnancy is likened to being in a marathon that you haven't trained for." In certain aspects this may apply, however I disagree with the statement as a whole. The pregnancy and birth experience is filled with changes and unpredictability, however mamas, daddies and families can prepare and utilize a support system to give themselves an advantage.

Among such support includes hiring a doula. Doulas are popular, but everyone doesn't have access to them and some people may not know their purpose. According to Wikipedia, a doula is a nonmedical person who assists a person before, during, or after childbirth, as well as her spouse and family, by providing physical assistance and emotional support. Basically, she is your cheerleader, assistant and in some cases confidant. Just like every birth is different, doulas are just as unique so you would like to match yourself with one that fits into your budget, personality and goals.

I was fortunate to be blessed with two doulas-Kim & Anna! Even though they were with the same organization, each had different talents, strengths and professional backgrounds. Even their personal lives offered value. Kim, not having children offered an unique experience of her role as supporter. And Anna, a mother of two gave support from a parental perspective. I met with them along with my husband and they provided lots of information, referrals to additional resources and offered listening ears. We met one more time before birth and I felt extra prepared with their support.

On my "birth" day, my husband called our doulas and told them I was being admitted into the hospital. My baby didn't want to wait for I dilated from 3 to 10 centimeters fast while they were both in route to the hospital. Ironically, they walked in the labor and delivery room at the same time just in time for me to give the final pushes. I remember them calling me a superstar and encouraging me through the crowning phase.

In retrospect, the bonus of having a doula is that she is your assistant to take pictures, track down the nurse that may disappear or to retrieve a yoga ball from the room next door (whatever you need). She will remember things that you may not. And during the post delivery appointment with your doula she can offer a recap of your time at the hospital. It's like having a different set of eyes watching the excitement braced to give you details of the momentous occasion-almost like a reporter.

I highly encourage every expectant mama to invest in a doula. She will be committed to helping you reach your goals and making the event much smoother and joyful. Considering you're partaking in giving the miracle of life, you deserve someone whose primary role is to support YOU!

Until we connect again...

Be loving, be natural, be empowered.

Regena

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please become one of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

My Top 10 Postpartum Must Haves!-Part 2

Greetings,

Postpartum is an important part of the pregnancy experience, for it's the springboard into motherhood. Get the support you need and be prepared. Find the video below for the second part of my series-My Top Ten Postpartum Must Haves-Part 2!

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please become one of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

Be loving, be natural, be empowered,

Regena

My Top 10 Postpartum Must Haves!-Part 1

Greetings,

Pregnancy is a special time is an expecting woman's life. There's emphasis on how she is going to give birth, what she will name the baby, the details of the baby shower, however there isn't as much attention given to the postpartum recovery period. Which some doctors say begins the day after birth and lasts up to six weeks (although I believe the recovery time can be longer for some mothers).

To have a happy, healthful and joyful postpartum recovery period, arm yourself with some useful tools. Check out this video-part 1 of a two part series.

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please become one of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

Be loving. Be natural. Be empowered.

Regena

My Glorious Pregnancy Photoshoot!

Greetings Beloveds!

As you may already know I'm sharing highlights of my amazing pregnancy to motherhood journey! It's been three weeks since I gave birth to our beautiful baby girl Empress!!

One of the heartwarming memory includes having a glorious photo shoot with the talented Heidi of Heidi Marie Photography! Heidi is very passionate about her artistry and she selected Arlington Garden as the location to capture the images. She suggested I look at Pinterest for some ideas and I saw a couple of photos that I liked, however I already had some ideas in mind for the photos featuring myself, hubby and baby in womb. Heidi scouted the beautiful Arlington Garden for the location. After I reviewed the photos, I agreed the garden would serve as the perfect backdrop.

After the date was confirmed, I spoke with my favorite designer Afua Sam, owner of Global Fashion House Studio D'Maxsi about how excited I was about my upcoming photo shoot and she offered to to sponsor my outfits. In fact she shipped about ten outfits including gowns for me to choose from. I was so humbled by her generosity! Before I received the clothing Afua already mentioned which pieces she thought would work best. Upon trying on her immaculate outfits (Afua was right), I selected two flowing gowns-- an ivory gown and a pink gown. Both had accompanying shawls.

The image making  day had arrived and hubby and I were excited. The day was extremely hot so we were glad the photo shoot would take place at 4pm. Heidi and her husband Mark were very accommodating. We first took pictures sitting down which evolved into a myriad of pictures in the garden, on the grass, the atrium, laying down and even near a cactus! Husband had a great idea of taking photos of us looking off into the sunset as if we were an elderly married could reflecting on our years of marriage.

As a bonus, Heidi gave us cards to write our wishes for Empress to tie on the wishing tree. The moment was very heartfelt! And as a double bonus baby Empress let me get through the photo shoot without any cravings for food. All throughout my pregnancy, I've had food cravings every hour on the hour, however I think baby Empress wanted me to get through the photo shoot because she was enjoying her modeling time. I had a vision of her posing in my womb. And as soon as we finished the photo shoot, packed our clothing in the car, the food cravings had begun! I was right, Empress held off eating until the photo shoot was over, the character of a supermodel in the making! Until we connect again...

Be loving, be natural, be empowered!

Regena

Check out the link to a video highlight from the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pAcYizo_rI

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please become one of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

Reflective

Proud parents of Empress!

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please become one of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

Pregnancy Goddess Yoga!

Greetings,

     Without equivocation, a highlight of my pregnancy included attended weekly pre-natal Pregnancy Goddess classes at Yoga West in Beverly Hills! I vowed to develop a champion health and wellness regime so yoga fit into my goal. 

     I did my research on yoga studios in LA and decided to attend Yoga West. I made the right decision because the first yoga instructor I encountered was Sada. During introductions, Sada sensed immediately I needed to change doctors/hospital to an environment that would be more supportive of a first time mom. By offering such advice, Sada enhanced the trajectory of my pregnancy experience by matching me with Eisner Medical Family Center with delivery at California Hospital. The Eisner Clinic offered a team of mid-wives to low risk pregnant mamas and they have an amazing educational health program with compassionate health educators. I took a series of classes which included Breastfeeding, Nutrition, Prenatal exercises, Lamanze classes, Birth of Your Child and the Hydrotherapy Water Immersion class. One of the health educators suggested I look into having a water birth at California Hospital so I attended the class. And as a bonus, Eisner offer incentive gifts to complete classes, keep certain appointments and they gave patients a glorious baby shower with plenty of gifts.

     On the medical side with the mid-wives, they immediately reviewed my chart and classified me as low risk. It's ironic, what my doctor at Cedars Sinai considered high-risk, my scoliosis, actually is a blessing in disguise. During my major spinal fusion, the surgeon inserted two steel rods to halt my scoliosis which would later protect me during my pregnancy, for I experienced *no* back pain. God had a plan! My steel rods would protect me and my baby well.

In retrospect, Sada served as an angel to direct me to the medical center I needed to be. And her classes were filled with life saving breathing techniques, yoga moves and wisdom. From Sada, I learned to keep my head and shoulders down and breathe. During my painful contractions, I remembered what I learned which help get me through the contractions. Sada also empowered the mammas in the class to think about the type of woman/mama they would like to be in life. I learned to focused on what I could change and the decisions I needed to make to have a successful pregnancy, birth and beyond!

My second instructor at Yoga West, Khefri proved to be a a sexy Pregnancy Goddess! Khefri created a warm and loving atmosphere which consisted of meditation and resting the first 15 minutes of class, wisdom sharing and aeronautical yoga moves. Khefri was very impressed that I was planning to have a water birth and she mentioned I was very confident in my vision of have a wonderful birth. 

And the feeling was mutual. I was very impressed with Khefri as a woman, Goddess and yoga instructor. She is very into touch with her sexuality and power of experiencing life as a daughter of the she. Her yoga moves were very relaxing, productive and were even life saving. During my labor, I did  the yoga move "hip swaying" which helped me to stay active and keep my heart rate up. My first piece of advice to all expectant moms includes staying active, move around and don't lay on your back (I will go into detail in another blog). During class we also learned about other cultures from a guest doula and from some of the mamas from various countries. 

I didn't know being pregnant would expand my circle of influence and place me in a warm and loving yoga community. Yoga West is in the center of a Jewish community filled with uniqueness. I I learned of the myriad of resources in the LA birthing community, made connections with some of the other mamas and even attended a separate gathering.

I'm forever grateful to have step foot in Yoga West because it changed my pregnancy path as I walked towards my destiny! I remember saying a prayer about an hour before I attended my first class. As result, I reaped a mid-wife and educational team, quality health care for myself and my baby, a series of classes, gifts, heartwarming memories and close knit connections. If you're expecting or know someone who is, I encourage you to research yoga studios and take a class...it may turn out to be a wonderful experience for you as well. Check out the link for the preview video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEAtioTINi8

Be loving, be natural, be empowered!

Regena

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please become one of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

Having a Vision for Yourself!

    Many people wonder what inspires a visionary. Perhaps it's their perspective or the way they see the world. I believe it's the way they see themselves--their vision of who they who and how they choose to express themselves in life.  

    Having a vision for one's self isn't vain it's being proactive and powerful. Deciding if you're going to be nice versus mean, demonstrating patience versus making hasty decisions and setting standards are elements of  your vision. I'm a firm believer in how our thoughts can shape our reality so deposit positive thoughts in your future but it starts with vision.

    Remember there isn't a right or wrong vision, it's whatever you decide. So take a day to yourself, light a candle and create a vision for yourself or revisit your current vision plan. Here's to the best you!

Be loving, be kind, be empowered!

Regena

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please becomeone of my supporters at

https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

Activating the Empowerment tool of Gratitude!

Greetings friends,

As we embark upon the new Fall season, just as the leaves change, make this a time of transformation. Everything in life has the potential to change-people, situations, including yourself. Personally, Fall is my favorite season. Something about the leaves turning into different colors and the air becoming more crisp and cooler resonates with my soul.

The season is also a precursor to my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, the day my twin sister and I were born. Use this period to express gratitude for all that you have--the gift of life, family, friends, great health and shelter.  Perhaps you have a great business or job, express gratitude. Or maybe you're unemployed,  give thanks because the universe is guiding you in a different direction.  The blessing of gratitude is that you're honoring gifts from a higher power. The bonus blessing is that thankfulness activate additional good fortune because you're keeping your energy positive which will aid you on your empowerment journey. Gratitude is actually an overlooked tool of empowerment because sometimes people often minimize its affects. The more you express appreciativeness, the more you will have to be grateful for.

I encourage you this season to express gratefulness in ways you haven't done before. Which may mean writing a thank you letter to your 5th grade teacher that wouldn't let you cut corners, hugging your pets or during the holidays tipping  the post carrier that safely delivers your checks and packages in the mail. There isn't a wrong way just have a sincere heart.

I have so many things to be appreciative for, among them include having this platform to connect with you. I’m wishing you an abundant season!

Give thanks,

Regena

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please become one of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.

The Spice of a Confident Woman!

Namaste!

I greet you with empowering light. You know the moment you meet her--a confident and authentic woman. In today’s world filled with a sea of conflicting messages in social media, the movies and the media, navigating through the waters can be disheartening. However, gentler tides of acceptance, self-esteem and a positive outlook is within you.

I’ve mentored hundreds of girls and women. Many have asked me how did I achieve a myriad accomplishments in family, community, work, pageantry and the arts? My answer is through prayer, working hard and listening to the silent whispers in my heart. The first and second traits, people understand, however my third attribute, “listening to my inner voice” sometimes leave some perplexed.

Listening to your inner voice is likened to paying attention to what your soul is telling you, a certain feeling you get about a particular matter. This can sound scary to some because we’re often told how we should think, eat, wear etc from advertising, employers and even well meaning family members. But be encouraged, you have the instincts and intelligence to know what to do in every situation. You just have to tap into your power and practice such power. The more you follow your instincts, the stronger your fortitude will become.

Often times , I take assessment of my life’s decisions and realize I made choices even though my inner voice was telling me to go in the other direction. In those moments, I probably listened to other people or did what was considered “logical.” However there have been a lot of times I made decisions where I hit the jackpot of positive outcomes! That’s a wonderful feeling.

Retrospectively, I’m encouraging you to trust your inner wisdom and know such foresight will direct you on the right path. For I believe the whispers of your heart come from a higher power.

Until we connect again.

Be loving, be kind, be empowered!

Regena

P.S. If you enjoyed this content and would like more in detail, please becomeone of my supporters at https://www.patreon.com/Regena. It can cost as little as $1 a month.