This past week I performed the most amount of yoga I have since I met my little smush. At 4 weeks postpartum I decided I was ready to tackle teaching a class and I’ve been going ever since. It feels DAMN GOOD to be in my body after weeks of simple stretches and experimenting with adding in poses day by day. Knowing my body I went slowly and listened by tuning into exactly what I needed in each moment. If something felt too intense, I chose not to model. If something felt right, I dug right into the asana and really rocked it!
Physical yoga is such a gift and as I’ve been mentioning on social media; I cannot wait to do a headstand the moment I’m granted permission.
But physical yoga isn’t the only yoga we can practice. The asanas are but just one piece of this beautiful puzzle. After the birth of my son I have pulled out every tool I have in my yogic toolbox in order to help myself heal, to transition seamlessly into motherhood and to become the mom I’ve always wanted to be.
Now that he’s here, my little prince is teaching me so much. He is teaching me to how be a mom: patience, laughter in the moments I’m literally shit on, the art of making dinner or eating with one hand, multitasking and yet the moments I need to be totally present. Yoga off the mat has never been more important than this moment right here.
Recently, I met with a friend of the family over a delicious cup of coffee. She snuggled Zyan and asked questions about the
Shala. I explained that we are a community, a place to be yourself. I told her all about how important it is to be in the present moment and add more love and intention to your life. While we were chatting, she started to realize that maybe yoga wasn’t as hard as she originally thought.
Then she asked me the typical questions… Is he sleeping? Is it hard? I took a moment to tell her that my
birth experience and motherhood was seamless, almost as if it’s out of a dream.
Of course it’s hard, but in the moments when he wont settle I reach into my toolbox and find the perfect tool. Some of them are simple techniques that take moments, while others are things I do to keep myself awake in the middle of the night or calm during the day while he naps.
Some of my favorite tricks of the trade lately are:
- Turning on my diffuser with our stress away essential oil.
- Playing a favorite mantra or animating my favorite storybook as I read it aloud.
- Stretching while he’s sleeping in order to help me become more comfortable while I nurse. If I’m comfortable, he’s comfortable.
- Taking a shower every single day. This is a new”house rule” – daddy doesn’t leave for work until mommy has showered. It’s self love to the nth degree.
- Self-care: manicures bi-weekly, drying my hair daily, always wearing mascara and brushing my teeth!
- Teaching yoga and giving love to others.
- Reading spiritual books while he naps in order for me to feel stress free.
- Creating yoga teacher training curriculum at 2:00 am (or blog posts like this one), in order to feel like I’m productive and in tune with my business and community. I also email teachers and students at odd hours of the evening so I can work while he nurses in the middle of the night, and yet sleep when he sleeps midday.
The timing of my life now and knowing when to work/when to nap/when to socialize comes from years of creating yogic balance. Creating my fitness regime and slowly bundling it back into my life is yoga.
Listening to my body and tapping into my son: yoga
Reiki while he’s nursing: yoga
Mantras and meditations while he’s awake and gigging: yoga
Dates with new moms, poetry by Rumi & my new crystal course: yoga
Simple hamstring & psoas stretches in bed: yoga
Yoga is so much more than the asanas, it’s a lifestyle.
It’s such an amazing feeling to be “in control” when nothing is in control. Every answer I receive when I ask a new mom question is: could be, would be, maybe, if he…nothing is set in stone and having my tools could not be a bigger blessing.
The next time you’re struggling, be sure to reach into your own toolbox. What do you have? Grounding crystals or one for love? Incense or essential oils to calm the mind? Meditation to relax your shoulders when your boss yells at you? A mantra to repeat when road rage appears? Your favorite dinner in the oven or watching a beautiful sunset during the last few days of this Indian summer?
Dig into your mind and become who you need to be by picking and choosing which tool you need in this moment.
Sending you so much love.
Namaste
Jenny
