Motherhood as Yoga Practice

When you think of yoga practice you probably picture going to a yoga “asana” class. A safe space where you can leave your troubles outside the door and connect to your breath and body. One hour of blissful quiet. If you’re lucky you can make it to an in person class once or twice a week.

Yet, if you're a mom you know it only takes a few minutes back with your family to feel the overwhelming stressors coming at you in all directions. Suddenly you feel the calm energy you cultivated in class start to leave your orbit.

But what if we start to see the challenges of motherhood as the Ultimate yoga practice. Our homes are the mats where we work out the kinks. The moments of overwhelm are an opportunity for Svadhyaya - self study, where we check in and use our breath to regulate. We can practice Brahmacharya- surrender to a higher power, when we want to give up. When the kids are asleep and we have a moment of stillness, we can tune into Santosha - contentment.

The more we start to invite in the Yamas & Niyamas - the ethical frameworks of yoga - into our daily life, the more we can manage the load that is motherhood. And by creating space for asana, breathwork, and meditation, we can align with our Higher Selves every day. Thus, the Yogic path can provide so much support for us as we navigate the rough waters of householder life.