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.
yoga through the years 195

Arms up high and down low

With your toddler, practice lifting your arms “way up high” and moving
them “way down low.” Ask your child to practice doing this as slowly as
they can and then try to mirror each other’s movements so that both of
you are moving in time and connecting with the other. If they get bored
of going slow, try it quicker!

Lift halfway up
Let go of a big breath and fold all
the way forward. If you’re across
from your yoga friend, practice
lifting halfway up a few times and
giving each other a peek-a-boo
look, or a big smile. You can add
in silly noises here as you lift up.

Cobra pose
Get on your bellies and pretend you’re snakes
slithering around in the grass or the forest. A
few times, lift your chest off the ground when
you breathe in, just like a cobra. When you
breathe out, lie back down on the ground
again. Hissing is encouraged!
Down dog
From cobra pose, both of you can lift your hips
up toward the sky, pretending you’re dogs taking a
big stretch in the morning. Wiggle your tails and
take big breaths in through your nose as though
parenting

you were sniffing for yummy food. Yipping and

barking are allowed.