The Balancing Act
I can be all over the place somedays. Especially as a mother, I am always losing, forgetting, or breaking things. Why is this? Because my attention is on so many things at once - my toddler daughter who is more all over the place than I am, and whatever task I’m doing at the moment, while trying to plan my day. Yoga tells us that one can be balanced and focussed. But sometimes I wonder, is this possible as a mom?
Take for instance this morning. We were getting ready to go to our friend’s son’s birthday party. Pasha wanted to make Russian pancakes for breakfast. Great! What a yummy idea. But the pancakes turned out to be a big blob. Then Lucy had a blow out and had to have one of those diaper changes every parent dreads. And then I saw the time. We were supposed to be out the door in ten minutes. Oh no. So we ended up leaving half an hour late. We even got a little lost in the car. But I did not lose it. I was meditating on “hum sah” and visualizing myself gliding down the river of life, letting go of anything that could ruffle my feathers. And the day turned out to be a great one.
So what keeps me balanced? Practice and detachment. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says that “Identification with the fluctuations of the mind is stopped by practice and non-attachment.” Sometimes you can feel really imbalanced, like a tidal wave is going to wash over you, but if you can keep up your practice of yoga, breathing or meditation, and not be attached to any outcome, then whatever happens is going to be ok. Maybe even better than ok.
I’ve heard that motherhood is a juggling act, which sounds like a circus to me. I prefer to think of it as a balancing act, where I’m flying along with my pair of wings, practice and detachment.
About Heidi:
Heidi discovered yoga as a way to center and ground herself and connect with others when she began teaching young children in NYC in the late 90’s. Her practice started at Jivamukti where she trainined with Sharon Gannon and David Life, her first and most honored teachers, and expanded to include Alan Finger, Shiva Rea, and Molly Kenny. She completed her Jivamukti training in 2009. As a school teacher Heidi loved bringing yoga into her classroom. Now that she’s a mom, she finds herself inspired by her daughter to delve deeper into child development and teaching fun, creative yoga classes for families. She loves the balance of teaching little ones and adults. Her motto is to find the middle path. Heidi credits yoga for keeping her balanced and sane, and loves the journey! Heidi lives in Silver Spring with her daughter Lucy and husband Pasha.
Heidi teaches Gentle Jivamukti Thursdays at 8:00 PM and Lil Omm Movers Tues at 10:30 AM
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