This week has been a tender one. Wonderful, inspired...and yet so tender. Before I go into that, I wish to rewind about 17.8 years...

When my gorgeous first born, Lotus was born, It was the most incredible, empowering thing I had ever experienced!!! A glorious home birth in front of a beautiful fireplace. Two midwives, close friend, her father, she and I totally supported to do our own thing, in a home surrounded by big guardian gumtrees and the sounds of the bush, on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. Needless to say, I was completely elated.

What struck me, not too long after her birth, which I was completely unprepared for, was when I first realized I needed to go to the toilet. Oh my goodness!!! I realized, that that very act would involve, allowing somebody else to hold her whilst I did what I needed to. Noooo....we have been one body, I have been her home for 9 months. I'm not ready!!! I thought, "I could actually hold her and juggle with one arm as she's a sweet little thing", however, it's not really what one wants to be doing with a new born, and ultimately, I'd have to come face to face with THIS moment very quickly regardless.
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What was THIS MOMENT really about? It was the first step, in a life long journey of, "letting her go", (that is of course after the releasing / letting go of her placenta from my body. ;-)) Letting go, after all the consciousness, prayers, positive health choices, spiritual practices / midwifery, meditations, herbs, homeopathics, birth dance, breath work, healing, drug and intervention free birth, etc etc...now I was faced with the continuum of letting her go, from here on. :-(

OMGoddess! I had NO idea that was coming. I realized this, and after a little time, surrendered, (as much as I could). I can still remember times racing back from the bathroom to be with her again, "so I didn't miss a thing". Life is so precious, and they grow so quickly. Which leads me back to where we began above on "this week".

This week has been a tender one. Wonderful, inspired...and tender. I have shed many tears. Tears for having my baby girl, (now 17.8 yrs), so far from my side...although she does "feel incredibly close and present" in spirit, being physically so far away from her, being on a completely different time zone, in a different continent, not hearing how her day has been every arvo / eve, what she's celebrating, what's challenging her or playing on her heart daily, is painfully difficult. Sure, I'm incredibly grateful for the internet, as that bridges what once would have been an even greater gap, however, with full lives and time zone variations, it's still massive.
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I'm not always feeling it. Yet that is grief. It comes in waves. One never actually can predict how long it will visit for, or when it will be back. Some times it's much more intense than others, and having a full and amazing life which I love helps a lot to deal with it. Choosing to focus on that which I am grateful for, inspired by, how amazing it is that Lotus is having these incredible opportunities and experiences, how I can best be of service to others, and focusing on raising my beautiful 13 year old son, generally keeps me very occupied, in service and full. Yet how do we ever let our babies go fully BEFORE we feel ready and prepared?! Perhaps we NEVER are or can be fully prepared, unless you are not a naturally mothering type? That's not me, so I can't comment on it.

I adore being a mother. It is my first love, my greatest joy, it has been my dedication and devotion for almost 2 whole decades, so, it's no wonder it's painful to release her from my embrace when I see her and she has to leave again. No wonder it hits me and floors me at unexpected times. AND...within this, I have shed so many tears of "The Collective Mother Grief". Right in this moment, I personally know dear sisters who are grieving the baby they never saw smile for the first time, the child that now resides with the other parent and barely sees them, and the adolescent whose life was just taken suddenly, tragically. These tears are real, and there are so many more. The ones that I shed for my ancestors and their stolen generation, the mothers whose children are kidnapped and taken due to child traficking, child soldiers or slavery. I met a young man recently who had survived the devastation of being one of those children. Unfathomable!

Oh yes, the Collective Mother Grief runs deep, as some NEVER are in a position to allow themselves to, and or have full permission to FEEL and FULLY EXPRESS all of these tears. Instead they numb, detach and or disassociate. I am so grateful I am in a position and awareness to let the feelings move through me, and I encourage you all to allow yourselves the time and space to do the same if / when this grief comes to say hello. I believe, as we shed these tears, it assists all those who haven't cried yet, or never will, or perhaps have so many more tears to come, yet have for many reasons been stifled, to heal on some level. AND...we all come from the womb, so we have all experienced the grief of detachment from her, the mother, on some level or another. This feeling our way is healing. For our collective grief, our collective healing, as well as our individual journey.

I pray for us all to feel and heal the wounds from "the mother grief"...it all loops back, and may I say just how brave and courageous we are when we say yes to feel and therefore heal the mother / child collective grief. It will effect positive change globally, so I thank you!

 All my love,

Justina xxx

PS: I'd love to know if you can relate to this "collective grief" and what your thoughts are on it. I am also that having my daughter following her dreams and being supported to do so isn't the same as those who experience their child tragically being taken from them in any form. I am acknowledging the varying forms of grief and this collective wound. As well as celebrating the amazing young woman Lotus is. 

​​Imagine a tool that is so small you can hide it inside your hand, so discreet, you can wear it within the most intimate, sacred space of your body, and so profound it can benefit you in a myriad of ways  throughout your entire life cycle as a woman. Sounds like a pretty incredible thing right?! Well, there is such a tool, it can assist with fertility, child birth and healing post baby, and I’d love to share the concept with you today.

Introducing “the Jade Egg”. Those of you who know me will be aware that I call it a woman’s best friend, and I believe it’s one of the greatest investments you can give to yourself as a woman. Also known to some as the Yoni Egg or Vagina Egg. It is a jade stone crystal, carved into the shape of an egg, that a woman can wear intra-vaginally giving tremendous benefit to her on all levels of her being, from the subtle energetic, through to the physical. It's important to note, that there are a number of practices we use that do not involve internal jade egg use, and they too will bring potent benefits to women who integrate them. The correct/proper use of a jade egg will include at least some of these practices.

What’s really amazing is that ALL women can actually benefit from these practices, no matter where they sit within their feminine journey. Pre babies, post babies, celibate, in a relationship, post menopausal. ALL ladies will benefit with a little dedication. Even 10mins a day can make a noticeable difference to how a woman feels physically and psychologically. 


SOME MAJOR BENEFITS Of  CORRECT USE OF A JADE EGG INCLUDE:

* Assisting to prevent and cure stress incontinence
* Clearing and healing birthing and / or sexual traumas…most women will have some form of these at some stage within their lives
*  Opening you up to your infinite orgasmic / pleasure potential
 * Establishing life long libido
*  Assisting with the prevention of and treatment of prolapse
*  The best tool for recovering after childbirth
*  Supports women with their menstrual cycles, clearing PMT and balancing hormones
*  Helps women transition the peri menopause, menopause and post menopause stages with more confidence, grace, and ease so they can enjoy this powerful phase of the feminine.
*  Creating more pleasure, not only for you, but your partner. Yes, you can, with practice learn to  play the flute” on your man. ;-) And there is so much more. Now you may get an idea why I call it “A Woman’s Best Friend”.

Now let’s take a glance at how implementing and integrating a "Jade Egg Practice" correctly into your life will assist you to have greater fertility, a more easeful, empowered birth, and to recover from childbirth effectively.


For Fertility:

Through working with these practices, we bring more blood flow, circulation, energy and awareness to the whole pelvic area. This in conjunction with working internally with the Jade Egg, assists women in clearing traumas and pain that may be stored within the pelvis from past sexual abuse, surgery and / or birth experiences. By doing so, it can help enliven your entire reproductive system, which in turn brings greater vitality and fertility. Simply clearing the emotional blocks that we hold in this part of the body can help the process, something the Jade Egg practices will assist with too.


Pregnancy and Birth: 

By using the Jade Egg, we are re-creating a deep connection between our conscious awareness and our genitals. As the pelvis is intrinsically linked to a woman’s psyche, one of the most profound benefits a woman can gain is that of learning to listen to and trust herself and her body. This is indeed a strong ally for a woman to have during childbirth!
Although it is not advised to work with the Jade Egg internally when you are pregnant, especially during the first trimester, as we do not want to aggravate or activate the cervix, we can utilise some of the other practices which involve working with the breath, energy and visualisations. These are perfect for this period, helping women to cultivate deep calm, centre, and stillness.
Women who have been working with the Jade Egg for some time, are able to train their muscles to pull the Jade Egg in, and push the Jade Egg out. These are the muscles used for childbirth, so birthing women experience incredible results from practicing pre-pregnancy. If a woman hasn’t been practising with the egg before pregnancy, she can very slowly work with activating the muscles at the entrance to the vagina, focusing on pulling or “sipping” the Jade Egg gently in, and pushing it out. Not taking the egg further inside the birth canal and or doing squeezes or contractions. 
One particularly good exercise for pregnancy is “Yin Time”- doing nothing! This component of the work I found challenging to integrate, as there is always so much to do! Precisely why I need to practice it! The whole point of Yin-Time is to literally do nothing. We rest, and from here we re-set our nervous systems, re-programming and re-patterning ourselves on how to listen to our bodies more fully, as to when we need rest, replenishment and rejuvenation. Another fantastic tool to embrace whilst becoming a mother. We also create spaciousness to integrate life and all we have been experiencing.


Post Partum Healing and Beyond:

The Jade Egg is the best tool for assisting easeful, speedy recovery and healing after childbirth…well that and love making, but that is not always possible or available. The main reason to work with a Jade Egg after you have given birth, is to strengthen the muscles in the perineum and pelvis. It will assist the vagina to move back to it’s original form (as close to as possible), more so than any other exercise program or tool. Not only that, but the body of work accompanying the practice assists with continued balancing of a woman’s hormones. A fabulous gift at this time. (Please note: It is NOT advisable to begin working with the egg post partum for AT LEAST 6 weeks after birth...sometimes a lady may need to wait a little longer.)
As mothers, it’s all too easy to get lost in the giving to others without taking enough time for our own needs. By embracing this practice as part of your life, you continue to deepen and strengthen self love. You are also far more fine tuned to knowing when you need to rest and or take time out. Essential tools to embrace and embody as mothers so we can keep on keeping on with love, joy and grace, modelling deep self love to our children along the way.


If you are loving the sound of the Jade Egg, I use and recommend a medium sized one. There are many sizes out there to choose from, but the one medium size is all you need. I advise ladies to purchase genuine Canadian Nephrite Jade provided on my site   http://www.femininevitality.com/products.html for it’s fine quality, beauty, and because it's an extremely tough crystal, so it won’t scratch or chip if it is dropped. (Note: many jade eggs out there have dyes, waxes and or chemicals applied to them, so you must choose wisely).


The Jade Egg is truly your inner magical secret ladies. Make sure you slow down, listen to your body, and get some solid well grounded guidance from someone who has a deeply integrated embodiment of these teachings. You deserve to be well guided and well held, so choose wisely, and listen to your inner knowing.

Happy baby making!

Love 

Justina x

PS: If you have had some positive experiences, or have anything you wish to share, relating to your fertility, birth, or post partum period with the jade egg, I would LOVE to hear from you. Please comment below. 
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I first heard about the jade egg many many years ago, when I was involved in an online community for men and women focused on conscious relating and sacred sexuality. One day a lady in the community began a discussion about the jade egg, and I was shocked. I couldn’t believe I had never heard of such a thing as this jade egg and its practices. “How could I have missed this?” I questioned myself, “I need to source a teacher and egg immediately!" I knew this would be a big key on my journey as a woman.

Sure enough, the lady speaking of it was on the other side of the planet, so I thought I’d just jump on the internet and find my nearest teacher here in Australia. To my disappointment, no teachers were to be found. “Well, I’ll just find an egg then”,  seemed like the next most obvious step to take, but the disappointment kicked in again when I could only find kits of 3 different shaped eggs. They were expensive too, and what would I do with them when I got them home? I had NO idea. Which one would I use first? Infact, how would I use it? It all felt a bit overwhelming, and not quite what I had in mind when I’d thought about learning this practice. So I very clearly set the intent that I would find the perfect teacher at the perfect time.

A year or so went by and I didn’t hear anyone in any of my circles (and mine were rather open and somewhat liberated living in Byron Bay), make mention of any eggs of the jade variety. Amazing since I was regularly studying different sacred sexuality courses etc, and very involved in womens’ health and wellness in general.

Then I saw a small paragraph on an email about a “Living Your Bliss” workshop that had a small mention on “jade eggs”, with a lady I’d never heard of before. I knew this was the teacher for me. This woman was the gorgeous Saida Desilets, and to her I am deeply grateful as her impact on my life changed my world. I couldn’t juggle my kids etc at such late notice, to get to Melbourne and attend, so reluctantly I let it go. Until my dearest girlfriend rang me and told me all about it as she had attended. Bless this lady too!

Before I knew it, I was organizing workshops here in Byron Bay for Saida, studying anything jade egg I could get my hands on, and passionately speaking to as many women as possible about it. After just one training, I felt like I had found not only the missing link to my world as a woman and all that I love to offer women around the divine sacred feminine, but more like I’d found the core foundation from which all that I do and offer would move from. I had no idea that such a huge component was missing from my life, but the teachings have and continue to this day, enrich my journey in many subtle and profound ways.

Just some of the personal benefits I have experienced are:

• The clearing of ties from past sexual relationships, pulling my energy back into my core centre, giving me a virginal like sense around my sexuality and my body.
• Strengthening my pelvic muscles so I have greater bladder control
• Cultivating a deeper sense of inner peace, calm and stillness within
  
• Waking up during the night whilst completely celibate (and no man on my mind for that matter), in writhing, orgasmic, full bodied blissful ecstasy. When this happened,  there was no doubt in my mind that I had struck gold and seriously found my new best friend! ;-)
• Emotionally being able to deal with adversity and extenuating circumstances with greater centre, calm and inner peace.
• Experiencing myself as Omni, not just Multi orgasmic. By this I mean finding my sensual body so much more fully awakened and alive that a sunset, the smell of flowers, or bathing and swimming in water can create blissful, ecstatic waves throughout my body.
• In the bedroom, tapping into my infinite orgasmic potential…..even being able to feel like I’m making love when I am fully clothed.
  

And there is so much more! Infact, the way I experience it is like an unfolding. As though each and every woman is a beautiful, exquisite flower, blossoming and opening up in her own time and space, radiating her unique beauty.

If you jump on the internet today, you’ll see a vast array of information on the jade egg. A lot of it makes me shudder, and some of it is golden. So I encourage you to be very mindful with what information you take on board, the teachings and where they have come from….eg: off the internet, or a teacher who has anchored this knowledge deep in her body to use and share it as her embodied, experiential wisdom.

In a nutshell, the teachings and practices of the jade egg have brought me further into a profound sense of self love, honour and respect. They keep me anchored and grounded assisting me to deal with life's ups and downs, and are one of my most valued tools I have for bringing me back to my calm and centre in challenging times.

I believe that if you are able to even experience just some of the benefits that I have, (and you will if you practice), then it would already be absolutely worth it for you.

If you are inspired to explore with the jade egg for yourself, you can purchase your jade eggs here, and /or check out our upcoming events in your area. 

It is my delight and pleasure to share this journey with you. I look forward to supporting you along the way.

With radiant joy,

Justina x

A happy and graceful path to a life full of Feminine Vitality begins when we are girls, and I believe a big key lies in how we are welcomed into womanhood.

Something profound happens when we take the time to create sacredness, ritual, ceremony, and above all celebration for our daughters, as they blossom from girl to young woman and honour the beginning of their menstruating years.

When I entered into this process for my daughter, I could feel how incredibly powerful it was before we had even begun. I had a sense that all those who had come before us from our matriarchal lineage were close, encouraging and supporting the process. I even had a sense of those who will come after my daughter. Her daughters, and her daughters’ daughters. 

It felt profound to be gifting my daughter with an opportunity that in ancient times and cultures was the norm, yet has been lost for generations in our western way of life.

By gathering women who are close to, or have a special connection with your daughter, to acknowledge, witness and honour her, it’s as though a very important fabric in the tapestry of her life is woven in, some key piece to her life puzzle finds it’s place.

By embracing this potent transition in your girls’ life, the love and admiration the women have for her, and in fact you, will infiltrate every fibre of her being. It has to, as so much love is generated when we gather in this manner.

There is also a reclamation that takes place on some level for those women present, as most never had the opportunity for this type of honouring and blessing, on the contrary, many had quite an uneventful or even traumatic and confusing experience during this change of life. Many women felt like there was no one there for them, no one they could reach out and talk to as their bodies blossomed, and hormones took over. By bringing in your circle of women, your daughter receives a very strong and positive message that she is surrounded with the support of many.

My daughter says that she felt like she had crossed over a bridge from little girl to young womanhood after her celebration. She felt fully welcomed, embraced, seen and accepted by the women of our community as now embodying the young woman she is.

It is a powerful experience to be seen at any age, let’s fill our daughters with praise  and recognition early!

Gather the women whom you trust, whom you would be happy to have there for your daughter in an aunty type of a way as she journeys the coming years ahead, years that will be colourful and full of surprise. These women would delight in being a part of her initiation.

Creating the space in both yours and your girls’ lives for this, also shows her just how precious she is to you. Believe me,  the memories, gifts and blessings of this celebration will journey with her, and I’m sure you, forever.

Here’s to celebrating, embracing, and honouring our gorgeous girls, so they may move through womanhood as empowered and at ease as possible with their bodies and their menstrual cycle, knowing that their bodies are sacred! Just imagine a world full of women of all ages like that…I do often! ;-) It all starts with us, in our own homes.

With boundless love,
Justina