A Daily Practice
I completed the 30 Days of Conscious Breath Yoga Journey with Adriene. I started it over the Lunar New Year thinking it would be a good way to start the Lunar New Year.
I've never been a yogi, let alone a dedicated one at that, and weary of mindless vinyasa. I felt inspired to start this journey with the intention to give space and time for myself to be more present and true to me…and as a mother, as a kinesiologist, a partner. I was yearning to have a moment in the day to connect with what feels good.
Day 1 began with me grumbling in downward dog, and continued on with me wobbling in warrior pose. The grumbling became less as I began to cherish the feeling of connection after each session. I even attempted crow pose with some success. The 30 days has ended with me feeling stronger and more aligned…physically, mentally, emotionally.
It’s really the first time I set aside dedicated time of that kind for myself. It gave me the opportunity to find my flow in this new body of mine as a mother, 15 months after birthing Ori into the world. My body feels different. My rib cage is no longer as asymmetrical as they once were. My belly is soft. My knees creak…A LOT. I was surprised to notice that my arms are much stronger than they’ve ever been from carrying Ori. It feels so good to introduce breath and flow into my spine again.
Some women really get back to physical exercise after giving birth. It really depends on the individual. There is societal pressure I’ve noticed to “get your body back,” to which my response is you’ve never “lost” your body, it’s simply transformed into something new. For me, it’s been more about getting to know this new body. I mean, if you think about it, your body has gone through so much change! And continues to do so after birth. It’s pretty epic. Structurally my body has changed quite a bit. And from an energetic standpoint, think about the chakras and nadis that open and shift, and all the dust that rises to be cleared, as you settle into this new home for your soul. I found that it was only after I stopped breastfeeding that I began to yearn for some space and gentle movement to move into this new chapter of me.
I printed out the calendar that comes along with the yoga journey and after each session, I wrote an affirmation to myself, just whatever I was feeling or felt like I needed. I felt a great sense of satisfaction in watching the calendar fill out day by day. It took me more than 30 days to complete the journey…more like 35, and I’m (still) incredibly proud of myself for completing it.
This daily yoga practice has become an integral part of my dealing with pandemic life toolkit. And life toolkit in general.
In short, I believe that doing this has opened the door to a daily practice! I’ve signed up for the FWFG app, and look forward to setting the continued intention of carving out time to myself every day. Thank you, Adriene! I highly recommend this yoga journey for anyone looking for an anchor for the next 30 days. It’s free, and Adriene is approachable, quirky and lovely and I found myself looking forward to it every day. :)
Thank you to my partner Joris and my dear friend Christina for planting this seed, and for the invitation.
From Breath, A 30 Day Yoga Journey:
A whisper
A wave
A friend
A vehicle
A birthright
An opportunity
To grow
Stronger
Softer
Closer
To ourselves
And one another
#findwhatfeelsgood