Restorative Yoga

A writer with Yoga Journal once said "If yoga were a smorgasbord, restorative postures would definitely be at the dessert table." I agree. Restorative yoga poses are nourishing and relaxing, providing us with that time to really be in the pose, as we slow down our bodies and calm our busy, ever chatting minds. What a beautiful type of yoga to do while pregnant. It is not so much about doing, but more about being within ourselves, in the moment, with our babies.

A huge thank you goes out to Michele Landegger, yoga teacher extraordinaire, who braved the thunder and lightning storm to come teach restorative yoga to the mamas in our circle. It was a rainy and cozy evening, with the fire lit, and we all spent an hour and a half melting into poses, fully supported by pillows and blankets. The time flew by as Michele guided us into 5 or 6 poses, I don't remember exactly because I was participating on my own mat, so I wasn't keeping track. I realized how lovely it was to stay in such a supported pose for a longer period of time, to breathe into it and let my body be fully supported. How nurturing it was and how easy it can be for us all to do it at home on our own. What a wonderful way to ease into sleep at night.

The one that everyone seemed to really love is the reclining bound angle pose, we used the strap around our ankles and our back, but it can be done at home with pillows on the bed and floor. It is a great way to open ones chest and heart, stretches inner thigh and groin muscles, while relaxing the mind and the central nervous system. Restorative yoga gives us a chance to slow down, breathe and savor the sweetness of life, as if it were a piece of chocolate cake.

Calm

How do you find peace? How do you cultivate your own inner calm? How do you link yourself to that stillness within yourself, even when things are busy all around you? It is always right there. One breath away. Or should I say, one breath closer. When we practice meditation in our Pregnancy Circle, it can be simpler to get to that quiet, peaceful place because the external factors are in harmony with us. Lit candles, quiet room, dimmed lights. But what about when our kids are screaming? What about when someone screams from the car in back of us to go when the light turns green (yes, happened to me yesterday :) )? When our contractions are getting more and more intense and our partner isn't doing what we think he/she should do and there are too loud noises and it is hot and it is getting too hard....Get my point? How do we find that inner calm, that link to our own strength and essence that is always there waiting for us? Breathe, and you'll find your own answer within.

Mindfulness, one breath at a time

"Pregnancy is a natural time to begin or deepen the practice of mindfulness. The increasingly dramatic changes that occur in our bodies and in our very perceptions, thoughts, and emotions invite new degrees of wakefulness, wonder and appreciation. For some of us, being pregnant may be the first time we experience being fully in our body." - Myla Kabat-Zinn

This weekend I had the opportunity to attend a workshop of mindfulness and parenting with mother and author, Myla Kabat-Zinn. She is an extraordinary woman. I loved how authentic she was. She didn't pretend to know all the answers and she spoke honestly and openly about how challenging and beautiful life can be. She spoke about the journey in our lives as parents and how we can use the struggles and joys to bring more depth and insight to our lives. We can begin by cultivating self awareness, bringing attention to our thoughts, our feelings and then becoming more familiar to how we act and react in life. By witnessing who we are moment to moment, we can gain a greater understanding of ourselves and parent from a more grounded and clear place.

We can work towards acknowledging and making friends with all sides of ourselves, even the sides that may not be so likeable. This is what I love. Treating oneself with kindness and non judgement. We may not "like" certain parts of ourselves, but if we can notice them and not push them away, they may not rear their ugly heads so often. And when in fact they do, we can say, oh yes, here you are again...