194 whole mama Yoga

BREATHE
four-part breath
Sama vritti pranayam is box or equal breathing. This four-part breath involves
counting to four on an inhalation, holding for a count of four, exhaling for a count of
four, and pausing without breath for a count of four. Because of the focused concentra-
tion on counting, and the steady pace and rhythm of this breath practice, box breathing
can be helpful in focusing and calming the mind. After all, it’s hard to hear the mental
chatter when your attention is on counting. This is a simple and effective breath medita-
tion practice for when life seems overwhelming (which, when you’re a parent, can feel
like most days), and it can be practiced for as many or as few rounds as you would like.
As you breathe, aim to inhale and exhale through your nose. If a count of four feels too
fast-paced, your box breathing can have a different count, like five or six. The point,
though, is to keep all four parts of the breath paced the same, just as all four sides of a
square box are the same length.

MOVE
toddler and me yoga
Toddlers are naturally curious, interested, and busy. This practice capitalizes on
their natural instincts and brings them to yoga as a source of playful, joyful movement.
Keeping toddlers engaged means making noise, singing out the poses, and generally
adding in silliness. It’s also helpful to keep in mind that this practice may devolve into
tickling and playfulness—and that’s yoga, too! Erin Hanehan, family and children's
yoga teacher, offered us this sweet sequence.