Breath & Bliss

This was my 'intention' at yoga class tonight--breath and bliss. It was a beginner class (Jami L. I love you, girl!), but it felt so appropriate to be there. I think there is something to be gained at any level of 'practice' in yoga because you can always come back to the breath...or revisit the basics of a posture and settle into the bliss of pushing yourself further ...even if your ego is saying "I can do this pose. I've done it a million times." (Though, having only practiced Asana for the last three years, there really isn't ANY pose I've done a million times.) But you get my point.

PS. I had to calm down my ego a few times tonight; get it in check and remind myself that practice is not about what anyone else is doing on their mat. A little yogi went to market and needed a serious dose of Pratyahara. (My guru calls it 'staying on your mat.' Basically, not looking around at everyone else to see where you fit it... and what's going down et cetera. i.e. Withdrawing one's senses.)

For the better part of the past year, my yoga practice has been Holden. Sure I've been teaching a little on the side, but my primary focus for finding/having Union ("Yoga") has come in the quiet and blessed moments of stumbling through motherhood.

• Finding balance -
• Wanting perfection from the beginning -
• Trying to force something that isn't there -
• Letting go -
• Finding joy in being stretched -

Whether good or bad, all of these can be applied to the yoga of life, the yoga of motherhood, or just the yoga of rolling out your mat and showing up to practice. And that's what I love about yoga, especially when I'm standing on my head upside down (literally and figuratively.)


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In other news, Holden's "Down Dog" is coming along beautifully (he just started doing it one day on his journey to conquer standing & walking). Holden and I have also been "OM-ing" as part of our sleep/nap time ritual. He's great at it. It's also been helpful in calming him down if he's upset about something too. I think there's something so simple and beautiful about the fact that one of the first sounds a baby can make is that of the universe... Kind of fitting, isn't it?

Namaste Yogis.

And please forgive the typos. It's past my bed time and I'm going to sleep now.