Mother's Day Every Day
Three generations having a laugh
“Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It’s huge and scary – it’s an act of infinite optimism.”
—Gilda Radner
“There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one.”
—Jill Churchill
Mom. Mama. Mother. Mommy. Ma, ma, ma, jai ma: victory to the mothers! That’s a great Sanskrit mantra you can use for expanding your mindset about what it means to be a mother. It’s a salute to the Divine Feminine; if that’s not really resonant with your religious or spiritual practices, think of Mother Earth, or just the creative force that brings things into being. Think of your own mom or mother figures in your life. Think of what holds you, nourishes you, encourages you, and empowers you. That’s the essence of Jai Ma.
Happy mother’s day to all of you Yoga Mamas! In fact, every day should be mother’s day, but alas, we at least have this one officially on the calendar as an excuse to get pampered, get some extra loving, and maybe indulge in some treats. But I invite you to celebrate yourself, and what mothering means to you, in small ways every day.
Yoga is a great practice for cultivating a deep appreciation of the mother in you and the great mothering force all around you. Here are some yogic ways I’ve found to bring some light and love to what it means to be part of that mothering energy that has brought the world into being. The first five are the niyamas and the last one is one of the yamas from the 8-limbs of yoga.
Tapas: motherhood is hard work! Write a list of the ways in which you have had to be so much more disciplined since becoming a mom and realize how much you do.
Svadhyaya: Go on a walk or take yourself out on a solo date. Take a longer shower or bath. Spend some time, even just a few minutes on your yoga mat or meditation cushion and get to know yourself beyond your role as a mother. Appreciate that your life is more than just caring for your family and give space and life to the other parts of your being.
Isvara pranidhana: pause for a moment of reverence for a creative force larger than you (yes, you are so creative! You made more human beings, didn’t you? That definitely counts). It can be a mythical figure or deity, or you can simply cultivate reverence for Mother Nature, the Earth, someone in your life who embodies the essence of the ideal mother.
Santosha: the practice of contentment! Take a few deep breaths and think of five things you are grateful for in your life and realize how much you’ve been given. Males can have a motherly side, too, so sometimes those gifts have been given to you by boys and men. Feel that the world is taking care of you as a great mother would.
Saucha: cleanliness. I don’t know about you, but motherhood involves so much cleaning. Take some time to bring that cleaning inward and sit and listen to your thoughts and emotions. Embrace all of it, the positive and the negative ones too, then let go of what keeps you from being your best self.
Ahimsa: non-violence. I like to think of this as gentleness practice. Whenever I get irritated or stressed, my words and tone have an edge. Everyone has the right to be grumpy now and then, but that’s not the end of the story. Take that mood and ask it, “What do you need right now?” Often you just need some space or a deep breath. Be gentle with that inner grumpy mom. Love her and accept her and it will be so much easier to embrace the grump in your loved ones, too:)
Happy Mother’s Day! I hope you find some inspiration here to mother yourself. If the Sanskrit terms seem a little inaccessible, feel free to dig deeper through a Google search (like, what the heck are the yamas and niyamas?! See the link above:) Or, just keep it simple and do something that nourishes you and your growth on your yogic path. Namaste<3