Keep it Simple: Easy Pose

There’s nothing easy about sitting or being quiet, in my opinion.

I’m writing this from a plane - both my husband and son are asleep. My nervous system is still in high gear after a 30-minute toddler meltdown.

I’m not used to having much quiet time, and when I do get it I gravitate to my phone and scroll, check my work email, respond to that friend I’ve been meaning to respond to.

My phone is full of to do’s.

What would it be like, to put it all down and just take a moment to be?

Ok, to do list - you can wait. 

So I put the phone down. One hand on my heart, one hand on my abdomen. Through my mask I allow my breath to deepen. In through my nose, out through my mouth.

What do I notice?

• Gratitude. Not for my family or friends or anything on the outside. But for me. My life, my body.

• I also notice compassion for myself as a parent, how challenging it is to hold my child and keep him safe through so many big feelings.

• I notice the comparisons creep in, other kids are “easier” than mine (what does that even mean), maybe I’m not doing this parenting thing right, people probably think I have a badly behaved kid.

  • Ok, thanks for that feedback brain…Now back to my breath.

• Little by little my heart rate slows and my shoulders release down. I notice the movement of my chest in and out. The steady movement of my abdomen with every inhale and exhale.

I am ok. We are ok. 

Sitting, connecting, in-between the meltdowns and the noise, this for me is the hardest and most valuable part of yoga. And being a parent to a toddler I feel I’m learning what it is to practice yoga allllllllll over again.