Using stillness and self-study to make the transition into motherhood.
How an ancient yogic concept called Svadhyaya helped to stop old behaviors and patterns from making a reappearance in my life as a new mother.
Of the six principles I created during pregnancy, here is principle one: I’m becoming a mother and will be raising a brand new human for the first time. I need to face my past, manage my anxiety and prepare for the biggest life change I’ve ever faced.
One of the first things I became aware of in my first trimester of pregnancy is the crippling fatigue and nausea that accompanied it. Naturally, my asana practice (physical posture practice) became less about exploring postures with endurance and stamina and more about finding postures that helped my body and mind find relaxation and rest. (This was in addition to completely pausing my work with my running coach, cutting back on weekly miles, pace and workouts)
I was also working on completing my final yoga therapy practicum teaching and practicing meditation under the guidance of my mentor Karen Nourizadeh. As a result, my daily practice was immensely enriched.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras introduces the concept of svadhyaya. The yoga sutras are comprised of a thread of wisdom over four books. The Sutras were written a long time ago and have been passed down from yoga teacher to yoga teacher over years and years. Chances are, if you’ve experienced “it” in your human life, “it” has been addressed in the Yoga Sutras with some super helpful wisdom. Get a good translation and take a read! Seek out the guidance of a yoga teacher who studied it in graduate school for the best application.
Svadhyaya is spiritual or Self-study, and I believe that stillness and meditation are some of the most powerful ways we can study and learn about ourselves. Within the stillness of a restorative yoga posture or with a concentrated, meditative mind (also experienced when running), I’ve been exposed to powerful insights about my life. It feels like mysteries are solved and challenging decisions become easier to make.
One insight revealed to me during this quiet time is the experience of my family life growing up and how it relates to my anxiety and behavior in adulthood. I made the decision to seek out talk therapy. The primary goal is to stop the cycle of passing down what I’ve inherited, what my parents inherited, what my grandparents inherited, and so on, to my new child. Awareness is a powerful tool for change, and I’m grateful that my yoga practice has evolved to support it!
How has a still, concentrated mind and body provided insight into your life? Do you have a regular meditation practice?
