WORKING MAMAS 2022
My story by Pravani Pillay
A warm hello - having been born and raised in a traditional Indian South African home, I grew up with the practice of certain Hindu teachings but never really understood the origin of it, nor the meaning and intent behind it. It is only much later in adulthood, that the craziness of modern-day life led me on a path to seeking alternate, holistic coping mechanisms to the daily stresses in my life. Having experienced a deep connection to Ayurveda & Buddhism practices, I decided to start my journey of learning more about the ancient wisdom and have tried to find ways to incorporate small aspects of these teachings into my daily life to enable me to be more present in it. I have felt the many benefits in small changes, such as incorporating a few minutes of meditation and breathwork into my day. By being intentional about my daily self-care practices I have had in my own life, such as decreasing my overall stress and truly bringing about a newfound sense of joy as I choose to remain present in each moment and fill my heart with kindness. These moments of being still have allowed me to connect to ‘me’ and who I am, resonate with my purpose in life and has given me the chance to find my centre in our 20 Articles
fast-paced environment. I hope that by incorporating small changes in your life to intentionally pause and connect with who you are, by taking time to be kind to yourself, those around you (people, animals, and nature), by taking time to truly experience the little wonders of life with a loving heart we can bring a little more kindness into our beautiful world. Our name, CITTARA: Inspired by the beauty and deep meaning of the Sanskrit language, Cittara is derived from the words ‘Citta’ meaning ‘mind’, ‘heart’ and ‘consciousness’. Citta is often explained as ‘heart-mind’ as it is the consciousness of both thoughts and emotions. Whereas ‘Ra’ connotes with light and radiance. Our Motto: Make time in your day to Be Still Be Kind Be Present It is easy to feel lost in today’s fast-paced environment of constant stress and fleeting moments. It is not until we take an intentional moment from the hustle to pause and be still and really connect the mind, body & spirit, that we start to really see the simple beauty in that moment by being present.
