That night, I almost went crazy. I didn't know what to do. My 4-month-old daughter was crying (again!) and I didn't know what to do: let her cry or pick her up and bring her next to me in our bed??? She was very close because she was still sleeping in our room...but in her crib. And she was crying her heart out! And that night, I was exhausted, drained, disoriented and frankly very sad to hear my daughter cry. The (very!) many books I had read, each with their own theory, as well as my (many!) years of experience with babies were of no help to me. What should I do????
When morning came, I rolled out my yoga mat and, under the astonished gaze of my beautiful daughter (who had finally slept, don't worry!), I did a yoga session. I refocused on what I am, on who I am.
Yoga can help us reconnect with ourselves, with our true selves. The word "yoga" is a Sanskrit term meaning "union": union of body, mind, and breath. Originally, yoga allowed yogis (those who practice yoga) to meditate, motionless, for hours. These days, very few people have the leisure to remain motionless for hours, or even for an hour! But yoga, this union of body, mind, and breath, should allow us to know ourselves a little better, to have the confidence to let our TRUE nature shine.
I am often asked if the yoga class you are taking is "real yoga." Yoga is not just a series of postures (or asanas in Sanskrit). Asanas serve to eliminate tension in the body, to rebalance the body so that it is no longer an obstacle to meditation (dhyana). Breathing (pranayama), voluntarily conscious, should be coordinated with the asanas: if the physical effort is right, the breathing will be slow, deep, and subtle. And the yoga session should be able to
calm the agitations of the mind, to make you calmer, more focused, in order to allow, ultimately, to be more connected. If the yoga class you are taking allows you to become aware of your breathing and to calm yourself "mentally" while eliminating physical tensions (but respecting your body), then you are doing yoga. If the class is only focused on the performance of the postures, it can also be very good for all the benefits it can bring you physically... but it is not yoga. If you leave the class even more worried than when you started, you have not practiced yoga. And if the next day you struggle to walk because your muscles are so sore, you have not respected your body: is that yoga? I don't think so.
Yoga is simple. Yoga should adapt to you, not you to yoga. The yoga I studied is classical, but very respectful of the individual and their limitations. Accepting your strengths and weaknesses is part of the yoga path. I'm no longer 20, and athletic postures are no longer for me. Am I sorry? Not at all. Because the important thing is the function of the postures, not their form. For example, the warrior pose, which is taken standing with arms raised upwards, is much less spectacular than the bridge pose (the yogi has their hands and feet on the floor, but their body is raised upwards, with their head tilted back); however, both postures fulfill the same function: stretching the front of the body. But one is more "impressive" than the other.
Yoga is humble and true. The teachings of Krishnamacharya, the father of the yoga tradition I studied, and his son, TVK Desikachar, state that yoga can be practiced anywhere and by anyone. Are you not physically active or are you an athlete? Yoga is for you. Are you a busy parent at your wit's end? Yoga is for you. Do you enjoy group classes or prefer one-on-one time and practicing in your living room? Yoga is for you. Are you unable to meditate? Are you 15 or 76? Yoga is for you. EVERYONE CAN DO YOGA. All you need is a comfortable shirt and pants (no expensive, specialized clothing required), take the first step, and
to sign up for a class that seems suited to your needs. Are you unsure if the class is for you? Talk to other students and the teacher, ask questions, try the class and above all, trust yourself: do I feel good in this class? Do I respect my body? Does this yoga tradition allow me to calm down and connect with who I am? There is not just one path that leads to self-discovery, just as there is not just one yoga tradition. You just have to start and dare, quite simply.
Yoga is a path to self-discovery, and you can start it now. In my upcoming articles, I'll cover different yoga traditions, prenatal yoga (my favorite topic!), and the teachings from yoga texts that we can apply to our daily lives.
And for those who are wondering what I did with my daughter to get her to sleep (curious little ones!), I will tell you this: I trusted myself, as a mother and as a woman, and everything went better. And I continued to unroll my yoga mat!
Karyne Cordeau
Yoga teacher, fulfilled mother, doctor and amateur writer!
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