Folks We Love with Paloma Fortier
Tell us a little bit about your journey and how you’ve come to arrive here.
I am from Spain and 4 years ago I decided to come to the US to learn English. It was supposed to be just a two-month learning experience, but it became the journey of my life.
I needed to travel in order to find some clarity. Since I am a yoga teacher, I decided to stay at an ashram in the United States. It was a difficult decision to leave home because my family and I are very close, but something was calling me.
After considering my options, I set off to stay in a small town in Massachusetts for 2 months at a community where people practice kundalini yoga.
When I arrived at the airport there was someone who I had never met before waiting to drive me to the Ashram. I arrived at the ashram a little anxious and my first thought was “Omg…What am I doing here”
Slowly, I start meeting all the members of the community and they were, and are, incredible people. I was invited to have dinner one evening with two other young people who lived in the community. One of those people would be my future husband.
JanSev and I got along very well from the beginning. We were pretty much dating within the first week of meeting each other, and before the two months were over JanSev proposed to me. One year later we got married.
Since then we have expanded our family. Our baby boy Coen was born less than 10 months ago! JanSev and I love being parents together and we have so much fun with our little boy.
Who’s in your family? Ages? Names?
JanSev age: 26
Paloma age: I just turned 25.
Coen age: Almost 10 months!
How did you choose your kids names?
It was actually my husband who came up with that name while searching. It is a Germanic variant that means brave. We felt that the name resonated with him. It felt like a strong and powerful name.
Location?
I am originally from Spain. I now live on the East Coast of the United States in a Spiritual Community.
Occupation?
I am a mamma, wife, daughter, birth doula, yogini, and lover of conscious living, Ayurveda and spirituality. I decided to help other moms by offering information from the research I have done for my own personal use. I am working on making a website called Mamma DOVE.
I love learning, so I will probably study to become an Ayurvedic heath counselor at some point.
Also, I really enjoy photography and I am going to start taking photos for my husband’s online marketplace. The name of his website is BlueEthers. It is for conscious people and conscious companies that are invested in making the world a better place. I am helping in any way he needs it. We believe in action to make change happen. If everybody gives something to this world, we could change the way the energy moves.
What’s on your manifest board?
I would say that the number one passion in my life is being a mom. I absolutely love it. On my manifest board are babies, pregnancy, ayurvedic and herbal remedies, spiritual teachings, BlueEthers and living in community.
Tell us some of your most loved ways to spend the day with your clan?
I love to laugh and play with Coen. I spend most of the day just hanging out with him while he plays.
I like to start the day with an Abyangha massage (an Ayurvedic self massage). A friend of mine has helped me to be inspired of making this self massage a routine. I forget sometimes to take care of myself 🙂
Then I love to meditate and do some yoga in the morning, or go for a hike. I enjoy experimenting by making different ayurvedic foods. And of course at the end of the day it is time for an infant massage with warm oil for our little one.
What are some silly/fun things that the kids do or say?
We love when Coen makes his surprised face! He also makes some very funny noises, but he doesn’t talk yet. He will probably have a mess of languages between Spanish and English.
When you were a teenager what did you dream of? Do things look different?
I wanted to be a mom and have a lot of kids. That has always been my number one goal. I feel I am accomplishing that, and I absolutely love it! My husband is on board with having four kids!
In terms of careers, it is hard to say. I love learning about different topics, but the one thing that has always resonated with me is healing.
I think I am accomplishing my goals. Since I became a mom, I fell in love with birthing, pregnancy,breastfeeding and raising children overall. That is why I decided to become a Birth Doula, and maybe in the future I will study Ayurveda.
What are some things you really believe in?
Living in community. I have always loved that. I think that is the future. There are so many benefits to living near people you can trust and who are supportive. It is also nice living in a spiritual community. Just the other night my son and I went to a group meditation for International Women’s Day. I appreciate being able to do things like that.
After having a baby I know how important it is to receive proper care. Another great thing about living in community is that everybody can help in the recovery process. In Ayurveda, the first 40 days after the child is born are extremely important. Everybody in our community has been helping a friend who recently had a baby girl. We make meals, help with cleaning, shopping and even taking care of her other little one.
I also believe that all living things have rights and that life on this planet could be a lot better if we were to live more in harmony with each other and the planet. That is why I like my husband’s mission with BlueEthers, which is to bring together people and resources to create actual positive change!
Where do your passions lie?
As I mentioned, I love birth, pregnancy, raising children and healing.
Has your relationship with your other half changed since having kids?
It definitely has, we had our challenges right after Coen was born. Now our relationship is much stronger than before and we love being parents together.
What are some of your favorite life lessons you’ve grown to love? (even if learning them at the time was hard)
I have learned to listen to my intuition. I would rather be wrong listening to myself than to ignore the intuitive feelings I have.
What do you wish you could’ve told yourself when you were a teenager?
Don’t always do what you think is the “right” thing to do. Be willing to find out for yourself what is actually important to you- listen to your intuition.
What do you find most challenging about being somebody’s parent?
Having to make important decisions that I do not always have all the correct information on. For example, medical related decisions.
What do you want your kids to learn about the world?
The world is fluid and your actions can impact change. Always be willing to learn, and don’t let other people decide who you are.
Also, I want my children to learn to respect our planet and all living things on it so that future generations may also experience the joys of living here! My parents have taught me that.
What are 4 things you can’t live without as a parent?
Oil massage and natural remedies
Baby wrap
Co sleeping
Cloth diapers