How being a mom has made me a better yoga teacher

Day 2 of the 500 words a day/30 day experiment

I was kneeling beside a man in his early 60’s, with a rolled up blanket in my hand, helping him get comfortable in a restorative yoga pose. He was on his side, lying over a bolster and I was arranging the blanket under his head. His knees were bent and I handed him another blanket to place between his knees. I asked him a few questions to help him get more comfortable. I asked him if he was experiencing any pain in his shoulder and I gave him a few different arm positions to try. Once he got into the pose, he sighed and said, “This feels great.” I had demoed the pose for him beforehand to give him the visual since he was brand new to yoga. He was open to try but chuckled and remarked during the session a few times, “That hurts just seeing you do that. I’m not gonna be able to get into that position.”

His incredulous comments went away after he was in the side-lying stretch. I offered him the option of closing his eyes and going back to his breathing. He did and I sat near by. There was soft music playing in the background and I let him have his space to breathe and let his body soften in the pose.

I was close enough to be there in case he needed me, standing watch over him. I gave him enough space and silence so as not to hover. I sat and I was fully present with this other being. I felt a maternal caring for this other person. It struck me again as it does in this setting, the connection between being a mother and my yoga work. Loving unconditionally and caring for someone else’s well being comes alive every time I’m with someone in need of healing. I had a strong sense of my maternal instincts to be a caregiver and teacher. It hadn’t occurred to me so acutely before as it did having this experience that I bring my maternal side into all that I do. Being a mom allows me to help others unselfishly, teach and instruct them and help them become self-sufficient. I’m not the type of mom that does everything for her kids and walks around behind them picking up their mess.  I teach my sons how to do something and I will help them do it but it frustrates me when they act helpless or lazy. My son has been filling out job applications for his first job. He needs some information and I give it to him or direct him to the resource to find the information rather than do it for him. I explained that because he’s now a young man, I’m going to help him more by teaching him to do it himself. Sometimes, he whines about it or calls me mean for doing it. But, I’m doing my job and serving him best this way. It’s all out of love.

I’ll end this with a direct quote about me from an awesome yoga student of mine that sums it up perfectly.

“She is like a sorta mean mom who kicks your butt for your own good with love!”

@Kale&Cigarettes #500wordsaday