Full Wonder Yoga – Namaste, Mamas!

All morning I paced with anxiety. I changed my pants three times because I didn’t know which pair would best hold in my C-section leftovers and prevent embarrassment in front of a yoga instructor I’ve never met…who was coming to my home. I have never yoga’d before (see? I don’t even know the correct terminology). I was going to be home alone with a baby who cries when he’s not being held and a dog that barks at every leaf that blows past our front window. I doubted this idea from the get-go. How was I supposed to be relaxed when my life is so ridiculously far from relaxing?

Angela from Full Wonder Yoga walked up my front step with her suitcase full of mats and blankets and essential oils and, as soon as she started talking, my anxiety went away. She was calm and kind and comfortable to chat with. We talked about husbands and children and work and play. She told me she has practiced yoga for many years but just recently followed her heart and passion by starting a self-employed yoga business called Full Wonder Yoga. I was inspired by her drive to help new parents with small kids experience workouts like this, and was very grateful for this opportunity. This is perfect for busy moms who just can’t get to the studio.

While I fed the baby, she showed me a few stretches and strength poses. After setting a fussy baby in his bouncer, she talked me through breathing exercises. It felt amazing to just sit and open up my lungs. I was just getting into the moment when bouncer baby lost his cool and she could sense my stress, so kindly offered to hold him – which I happily accepted. What an awesome yoga instructor to bounce and feed your child while you get to close your eyes and envision yourself on a beach far, far away. She was thoughtful with her words and confident with her teachings and honest about her abilities. It was refreshing to hear her say that her downward dog still requires a solid knee-bend too because mine looked more like a broken frog.

We took breaks to chat and change a poopy diaper and not once did I feel like I was “failing” at yoga. Or at being a mom. She made it very easy to be simultaneously successful. She told me about SPIRE – spiritual, physical, intellectual, relational, and emotional yoga programs. She gave me tips for simplifying the program to fit into my busy days and nights without feeling overwhelmed. And at the end of the session, she propped me up on an inclined pillow with a lavender cloth over my eyes. The baby was silent. The dog wasn’t moving. My phone didn’t ring. I don’t know how all the stars aligned, but I felt like I was in a different place and I never wanted to leave.

When all was said and done, and I was forced to open my eyes and come back to reality, I wasn’t sweaty from working out nor was I embarrassed by my C-section pouch. I was at ease with myself and my life and who I was in that moment. It sounds cheesy, right? But it lasted. It lasted so long that, after Angela left, I actually snuggled on the couch with my babe and took a two-hour nap. For me to sit in general is out of character, so this was a big deal! I look forward to finding that feeling again and practicing what I learned to ease my maternal anxieties and find (and re-find) my happy place.

As a yoga skeptic, I’m telling you, this is worth trying out. Full Wonder Yoga offers private instruction for everyone, but moms in particular will enjoy Namaste Naptime. She also teaches studio classes and 6-week series (for cheap!), as well as children’s yoga and “Yoga on the Vine” – a day out with your girlfriends that combines yoga and wine tasting. Um, yes please!

Check out the Full Wonder Yoga website and give Angela a chance to rejuvenate your health, your heart and your happiness.

Namaste, friends!