Yoga Lessons from a Baby
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 10:56PM 
So my Little One sat up at six months. First time I put him on the floor to see where he was with this ever so important milestone and he just sat there for four minutes.
I have no idea how long he had been doing that. That's the thing about us working mom's. We can never be sure exactly when these milestones are reached. I console myself by saying even if he were with me all day I still would not be one hundred per cent sure exactly when he does these things for the first time. Who knows he might have done some while I was sleeping ;)
Nevertheless, The Little One spent the first minute hanging on to his ankles. He hovered there for a little, taking a break to suck his big toe (which he has found to be way better than his thumb these days) and gave a smile when he accomplished that little. Then his hands proceeded to the shins where he gave a satisfied grin before his hands suddenly went airborne.
The concentration on his face was amazing. His little hands flapped like the propellers of an airplane. He leaned just a little bit forwards. Then balanced. Then a little backwards. Then balanced. Then sat up decisively and slowly took stock of his surroundings with wide eyed wonder. He had faced his fear and with that opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
What amazing transitions these babies naturally go through! The process is very much like learning yoga poses and it requires the adoptation of a similar mental attitude.
We leave the security of our feet to balance on our heads( Salamba Sirsasana - Headstand), the palms of our hands (Adho Mukha Vrksasana - Hanstand) or our shoulders (Salamba Sarvangasana - Shoulderstand).
In the beginning we need a prop or two if its even just to get used to the new orientation.
When we try without it, we may fall forwards or backwards but its in falling and learning to balance that the major lessons are learnt.
At first it is just about getting the body to cooperate, but with courage, humor, compassion and constant practice, the body develops the intelligence to fit into that posture time and time again.
Reader Comments (1)
To be a mother is a happy thing but also is a tried thing ,I think you can be a great mom .And your baby will thank for you after he growing.