Those of you with children may read the ‘Yoga Practices for Living and Dying’ post and think “…and how does this pertain to me?” because being a mother slaps what is real in the face, and ‘real’ as in motherhood doesn’t appear at first glance to have much to do with the transcendental Divine. It’s more about dirty nappies, getting home after just having arrived as quickly as possible, refolding all the clothes for the 20th time in one day since junior learned to open the drawers and throw every last q-tip onto the floor, picking up rice cake droppings off the rug, and on and on.
Gone are the days of floating into a yoga class with 20 minutes to spare on each end for meditating or visiting with friends, because the nanny-meter is running;Â sauntering between restaurants to find the most organic, vegan-friendly cafe is no more. The hunger of a child is Now, and it’s real. But caring for another and being present in that process is real too, and this is the Yoga of motherhood.
Motherhood gives one the opportunity to practice being steady, joyful and connected while a whole world of emotions and needs shift in an instant. A child and the new situations surrounding that child are wonderful reminders that there is a teacher in every being and in every situation if we wake up open our eyes to it.
Perhaps most importantly, motherhood is a chance to serve another being fully and completely while sharing whatever insights one has to bring love, happiness and authenticity into the world. Ultimately, everyone wants to feel loved and at ease, and the practices of yoga provide the tools to accomplish this. As it turns out, motherhood has everything to do with the transcendental Divine, if we would just take the time to breathe, and enjoy each moment of the process. Oh, and getting some sleep doesn’t hurt either!