Alicia Keys Reveals What Has Made Her 'Become a Better Mother'

Alicia Keys is opening up about motherhood.

In an op-ed published by USA Today, the 40-year-old entertainer talked about starting a new hobby following the birth of her youngest son Genesis, now 6, to help her stay calm amid her busy life.

“Like so many new moms I was exhausted, but the depletion was more than physiological; my spirit was shot,” Alicia recalled. “I needed to do something so I could continue to be a good mother to my children, partner to my husband, and friend to myself.”

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Alicia then shared that a friend suggested that she attend a Kundalini yoga and meditation retreat.

“I have to be honest: The first time I tried the meditation, I was so tired that I fell asleep,” Alicia wrote. “But the second time, I felt a little spark. I really liked the mixture of chanting, singing and movement.”

“Between the chanting and the singing and the rhythm and the meaning of these ancient words, I discovered a sense of peace and comfort. “I started to notice a richer connection with myself, an ability to go deeper,” Alicia continued. “After years of silence I could hear myself, trust my instincts, know what I wanted, know what I needed and not feel so insecure.”

For her, meditating helped Alicia “became a better mother” to Genesis and her eldest son Egypt, 10, whom she shares with husband Swizz Beatz.

“Once you make that kind of deep connection with yourself, your relationship with everything and everyone around you changes,” Alicia explained. “As I’d hoped, I became a better mother because I was more confident in myself.”

“I could hear what I needed and what my family needed. Same with my relationships with my husband, my mother and definitely my work,” Alicia wrote. “Now I could be crystal clear, powerful and strong and not back down because I had a way to access my own intuition.”

Alicia also added that meditation helped her “tap into the Divine Feminine and hear myself.”

“I believe the Divine Feminine is an extremely powerful force within all of us,” Alicia continued. “It has characteristics that we associate with mothering: it helps you grow, it helps you create, it cultivates who you are.”

Alicia concluded by sharing how even just a few minutes of meditation has helped her find her balance.

I started time and time [again], tried it, fell asleep. But now it’s a need. It’s a yearning, a desire. Some days I have 15 minutes, some days I have 40 minutes, some days I have five minutes where I have to take that time, because if I don’t I literally feel off,” Alicia said. “And I can tell the difference in the choices that I’m making… my center is off. I feel shaken a bit more, but when I do it I feel sturdy.”

Alicia posted the op-ed to promote her new meditation program with Deepak Chopra, which is new, free 21-Day Meditation Experience titled, Activating the Divine Feminine: The Path to Wholeness. You can register here!