We were homebound today, with both sweets feeling under the weather. I kind of pushed it yesterday for birthday fun, I think, so it felt relieving to settle in and give myself over to their need for simply being, just the three of us. No phone calls, not even a text message sent or received. Play and loving and food. That was our day.
And smack in the middle of the day, something quite miraculous happened. They both fell asleep at the same time. I lay there and pondered what to do when a thought occurred to me: pull out the mat.
Breathe in, arms up, breathe out, fold over....practicing yoga with children asleep has such an obvious be here now element because every pose really could be the very last one. A murmur from the other room and it dissolves into something totally different. My focus now is has more intent, more of a savoring quality. At least until my mind starts to wander, which doesn't take long.
Then I remember: drishti.
Drishti is focusing your gaze on a specific point as a way of bringing stillness to the mind. When your eyes are quiet, your mind becomes quiet.
Yoga is life. Whatever happens on the mat is merely rehearsal.
In life, I can concentrate my drishti on my children. When all is a whir around me, at the playground when I'm so tempted to look at the other mamas and papas (what are they wearing, what are they saying, what are they doing), or in the store, or at home (just look at the filth under that couch or the sweater I'm itching to knit another row on)instead, I bring my gaze to them. Always back to them. And my mind stills which settles me enough to open myself wider and enjoy this even more.
Comments