“In Ayurveda the woman is considered to be “Shakti”; the Mother and source of creation, in whose lap all civilization is cradled.” Dr. Sarita Shrestha

When I first read the quote above I was in awe and after each subsequent reading the words above expand and take on deeper meaning. It’s as if I’m waking from a dream and I had forgotten who I was. The mother is to be honored and revered. Our culture has a very outdated model that men hold the power. As if shear strength was the only thing that mattered above the wisdom women hold in their wombs. There is a native american saying, “At the 1st period a girl meets her wisdom, through menstrual years she practices her wisdom, and at menopause she becomes her wisdom.” This wisdom is inherent in us all, but we have to be aware it exists before we can own it and really show up as it.

This week in class I have been focusing awareness around the hips and lower abdomen; opening and softening this area which contains the space of the womb/our reproductive organs. On the energetic level it is the 2nd chakra, svadhisthana, the home of self. The place from which we feel and create. It’s located just below the navel and above the pubic bone. “It is here we make love, give birth, digest food, and eliminate that which you’ve finished with - all these actions which are connected to security, survival, communication, and relationship” (Your Body Speaks Your Mind by Deb Shapiro). Our hips/pelvis are connected to our mothers; how we were nurtured and cared for and how we in turn nurture and care for ourselves and those we love. Maybe you had a great relationship with your mother or not, either way how we relate to the concept of mother will show up in our hip/pelvic area.

I was listening to Kristen Neff speak last week in an interview with Tara Brach and she introduced an interesting perspective on Yin and Yang. I’ve been taught Yin is feminine, surrender, and being and Yang is masculine, action,and doing. But she suggested viewing Yang as the “mama bear” or the goddess “Kali”. Still feminine is nature, but showing up as fierce, protective, and taking action. The “mama bear” that works 3 jobs to provide for her family or the one saving loved ones from a threat, such as fire. As women we are more than just soft and passive in nature, Yin. We are fierce warriors caring for ourselves and those we love, Yang.

My yoga practice began in earnest after I became a mother. I practised consistently to be a better mother. I knew that taking care of myself was the best way I could care for my family and yoga taught me how. Shortly after my mother died 15 years ago I came across this quote by Jill Churchill,“The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.”

I’ve used these words as a mantra for years. They comfort me on days when I feel I have failed or been challenged as a mother. We are all mothers whether or not we have had children. We birth creation through our ideas, relationship, work, music, garden and more We have been brought into this world by mothers. The big question is are we honoring this role, gift and blessing that has created civilizations? Are we taking care/mothering ourselves? Are we teaching the next generation how to mother themselves? Yoga taught me how to nourish and care for myself. It’s wisdom is a deep well that I drink from often.

If you're wanting to deepen your practice, connect to yourself and tap into that mama wisdom join me for class or contact me for a private session.

Wishing you a Happy Mother's Day!

Love,

Rebecca J

Here are a couple of upbeat songs to get your mom mojo on:

Hey Look Ma, I Made It by Panic! At The Disco

Mom by Meghan Trainor

Get down on your mat with me:

Tuesday May 11th

12-1pm MST New Moon Flow online

Every Thursday

9:30-10:30am, Yin Yoga online