Clouds of Light

When I look at my children, I feel different things. Let's be honest, we don't always feel warm and fuzzy when we see our kids, especially when they are covered in poo, magic marker, syrup, or a combination of all three - and part of that concoction is on the sofa and walls. Sometimes, when I look at my children, as cute as they are, I feel different emotions. Like a roller coaster, sometimes I look at their faces and I feel consumed, frustrated, loved, exasperated, fatigued, bewildered, humbled, confused...sometimes all at the same time! But one thing never changes. I always feel love. Despite the other surface emotions which may dictate an immediate feeling, I always do and will love them. I love them, and see a measure of Perfection, of Divine, of God, in them. Looking through the transparent innocence of their eyes is the closest I will ever get to a glimpse of Heaven while I am here on earth, because they are fresh from Heaven, delivered into my arms.
Thank goodness others see and feel that too. Unconditional love could be the title of this amazing poem by William Martin, but that would be too overt. However, unconditional love is the proverb and underlying message of what we should continually give to our children, and to each other. Let's remind ourselves as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends - we are nurturing the next responsible generation.

Clouds of Light

They look so small and frail

but they are so great and magnificent.

They are born of the same womb

that birthed the cosmos

and knitted together the galaxies.

If you could see them as they truly are,

you would be astounded.

You would see not little children

but dancing clouds of light,

energy in motion,

swimming in an ocean of love.

They are so much more

than what you see.

As are you.

By William Martin

*photo was taken just a few hours after my second son was born, 2007.

...it is the best of times and the worst of times...for new mothers.

In a March 2008 survey, 86% of 7,000 women polled said their "stomachs still have not returned to normal", 1-2 years after giving birth. That is an astonishingly high percentage, considering my background in maternal and childbirth education, and of course, being a mother of two myself.

This statistic speaks loud and clear to me, and tells me that mothers are not getting the care they need in the post-partum period, and maybe even during the prenatal period. This "care" has nothing to do with the typical (and necessary) clinical screens, poking, prodding, weighing, labwork, and questioning which take place during prenatal check ups. "Care" goes far beyond the sterile medical model. The care I speak of should be addressing all facets of a woman - including spiritual, social, and emotional, NOT just the physical.

In the postpartum, new mothers are still healing, utterly fatigued, experiencing seismic hormonal fluxes on a daily basis, devastatingly sleep deprived, and usually - not in sight of extended family who historically "pitch in" and help share the load of work. Not to mention that mothers in America are forced back to work too early and harbor guilt & resentment of leaving their baby in childcare, and the ones who stay home shoulder the guilt of giving up their careers to be intimately and daily vested in the rigorous task of raising their child.

It is no wonder then, that most women who are new mothers say they are still not back in shape or happy with their body image after they give birth. They have not the time or resources to know how or afford to do it.

The power to change that sorrowful statistic is well within our grasp. Mothers are the cornerstone of our society, and hold the key to our future. Everyone involved in their prenatal and postpartum care should consider themselves privileged to be in the presence of such Life. Mothers should be receiving education in caring for themselves throughout their pregnancy and beyond, and it should be a multi-disciplinary team effort involving OB/GYN, midwives, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, yoga therapists, and yoga teachers, just to name a few. Mothers should get regular referrals where they receive this team approach care, and it should be covered under insurance or offered at a reasonable rate (or be free - let's here it for karma yoga!)

I am working on making a difference in the area of maternal health and childbirth education by combining western and eastern approaches to rehabilitation in a new book: Yoga Therapy for the Season of Motherhood & Beyond. In it, I teach moms how to exercise and practice yoga safely from conception all the way through the 1st year postpartum. It is a comprehensive book to be released (with prayers) in late summer of this year. In it are 2 years of yoga programs, with illustrations which took more than 3 years of photography work and have chronicled 4 years of writing. During both of my pregnancies, I journaled, prescribed, and shot photographs of all yoga postures for each trimester, including the "4th

I will be touring the US to teach this book and train other health care professionals in this approach, and it is my hope that I can empower women to take back the rite of passage of Motherhood by learning how to intimately care for themselves and ultimately their celestial babies through a unique and comprehensive health practice of yoga therapy. I believe that society should better care for all mothers, because an enormous statistic like that that clearly reflects the frustration and depression which goes hand in hand with a mothers' self image. To me, this is a problem that needs urgent attention. Mothers' are at risk for depression, continence issues, low back and sacroiliac pain, poor digestion and metabolism, osteoporosis, and a host of other health issues by not getting proper postpartum (and prenatal) care for their "whole self".

Mothers are the nurturers and caregivers of our society, and they give birth to the future of our planet. We should do all we can to optimize their health so they in turn can continue to do the God sized task (which is more than 1 full time job) of mothering our planet.

*photo taken in 2007, shortly after the birth of my second son William Theodore

Teaching PYT I/II combo in St. John, USVI

I am writing from location in St. John this week, where I am teaching a Professional Yoga Therapy combination yoga therapist intensive training. This photo was taken yesterday at sunset from our villa balcony, Sunday, May 3. It is like living in a tree house, high above the tropical forest.

Today's weather is a stark contrast. It is the most blustery rainy day I have experienced in a long while. Occasional clapping, attention getting thunder, refreshing cool showers (with the occasional gully washer downpour!), it has been raining for 6 hours straight.
Today's monsoon-like thunderstorm, just like yesterday's sunny, clear blue sky - are both equally beautiful and perfect.
Whether it rains or it shines - I lift my head in thanksgiving.