Hello fellow yogis and yoginis. The past month has absolutely been a major shift for me in many ways. Let me start by telling you all about a wonderful discovery for me in my teaching and practice. As I have said many times, “change is the essence of our existence.” This is what makes this past month so beautiful. I was in savasana about a month ago, and during my meditation it occurred to me that my three young children all had one thing in common.
And I’m not talking genetics here. I am speaking of my wife however. The common thread is her yoga practice throughout all three pregnancies and the both of us introducing them to our yoga practices as infants. All three of our children seem to have been born with an understanding for the practice: the youngest (our first boy) at five months.
I know what you’re all thinking: “Oh, he’s just saying this cause they’re his kids.” Honestly, this has nothing to do with it. Yes, I’m a proud daddy, no doubt, but in this case the accolades go to yoga and my wife for continuing her beautiful practice throughout her pregnancies. I mean, how else can you explain that my two daughters (two and a half and four and a half, respectively) actually ask if they can go to class with me? Not only go but actually practice what I’m teaching.
My younger one focuses for about 15 minutes while the four year old does most of the class, sometimes going around the room and encouraging others by letting them know how well they’re doing. My five month old boy laughs and laughs every time he watches his sisters do some poses at home and he rolls around doing happy baby pose every time he sees them practicing.
What’s most special to me about this is how absolutely kind and thoughtful my children are. They are always concerned for others and already have a desire to help mankind. Not a day goes by when Rowan (my oldest) doesn’t ask me what she can do to help some one she feels is in need of something, her sister Carmen right behind in her plight. Shane (the five month old boy) hasn’t quite got to solving world peace, but give him time.
He’s been the happiest baby of all and he spent the first month of his life in and out of the hospital recovering from a serious staph infection he got from the same hospital. I should also mention that Carmen was born with one of her ureter tubes too large at the opening to her bladder and has been going through quite a battle herself, with uti’s and kidney infections. She had a procedure about 2 months ago to correct it. We’ll know in a week or two if it worked. Let’s hope so. However, through it all she has been an angel and keeps letting us know it’s going to be alright and not to worry. Somehow her wisdom has kept us calm.
Anyway, the good news for all of you out there is that if any of you are pregnant or thinking of getting pregnant, my wife and I have made a new DVD called Progressive Power Yoga for Pregnancy. It is a direct result of my wife’s first two pregnancies, while the third is the one she’s experiencing while we were making the DVD. She’s practicing in the video with her ob/gyn who is 36 weeks pregnant herself and a first time ever student at 12 weeks.
All three have had their babies and all three had beautiful experiences with their respective pregnancies. My wife has had all of our children without medication and she is my hero for sure. I was right there in the hospital room for all three, and even got to deliver Carmen myself cause of a power outage in our doctor’s elevator, but that’s another story altogether. Anyway, I hope you all get to experience the joys of parenthood someday and if you are now or will be pregnant any time soon, I hope our new DVD brings you joy in every day of your pregnancy. This goes for all you dads out there as well, as you too can benefit from this DVD.
I also want to mention the opening of my newest yoga studio in Brentwood, CA. It is absolutely beautiful and has a special boutique art gallery called “The Illuminarium” as a part of it (the brainchild of my business partner Brian). It houses some truly unique, exquisite and unexpected items from some very special artists. Lucky for you guys, everything in the studio is for sale. Yippee! I’m looking forward to seeing all my Westside students back in class, as well as meeting many more new ones.
And finally, I would like to thank all you long time students and video students for your support. You have made all my growth in yoga businesses possible and I hope to bring you more as often as possible.