Introduction to Yoga for New Moms

What Is Yoga?

The word "yoga" means "yoke" in Sanskrit--a joining, a oneness. When people think of yoga they usually think of the physical aspect, but yoga was first practiced as meditation, a striving of the individual to become one with the universe. Two texts in particular are important in yoga: the ancient Indian epic the Mahabharata and the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali. Both teach how to live a "yogic life": what to eat, how to practice yoga, how to control the mind and how to sustain one's yoga practice and reach for an ever-broader level of consciousness.

The main goal of yoga is to find the peace and joy of who we are. This place is known as the ananda maya kosha or bliss body (peaceful, calm, truth). One gets to this place through practicing asanas (postures), breathing, relaxation, and meditation.

Yoga is very important to me and is a big part of my life. Yes, I still get stressed from life--raising children, dealing with finances, keeping my home, work and life going. But my practice gives me a way to get grounded and remain in touch with the things in life I find very important: my growth and spirituality, my children, family and friends.

Yoga is constant development. You learn what your body can do as well as the body-mind connection. Through focused breathing and meditation, I have expanded my understanding of myself and my interaction with the world.

Yoga is an open-minded practice that says there is not one way to get to the truth. Yoga gives me a philosophy: some days I feel I understand many things, other times nothing. That's life; that's yoga. It's a philosophy that we work toward, learning at o...