Mothers Day Yoga

Posted by Luke S on May 11, 2018

My mom gave me the gift of yoga when I was a child growing up. And now I get to give my daughter the gift of yoga, too—this time, in the form of Mother’s Day yoga.

Parenting is hard. But it’s worth it in those magical moments when we’re in tune with our children, all our stresses and worries melt away, the to-do list can wait, and we get to just be together with our children.

The past few years have been a wildly intense emotional journey for me. I’ve learned a lot about myself, both good and bad. And I’m still learning how to better manage the challenges of parenting our incredibly spirited, sensitive child. My heart tells me that it’s my job to create a calm home environment to help her thrive in a busy world.

For this Mother’s Day, I’m giving my daughter the gift of love and connection by practicing these calming partner yoga poses together.

5 Mother’s Day Yoga Poses

You could practice these poses together with your child or mother, or practice with a friend and think about the connection you have with the special women in your life. Take your time to come in and out of these poses. Be intentional about slowing down and focus on being together. Don’t worry about getting the partner poses perfect; just give it go.

1. How to practice Partner Forward Bend. Stand tall with legs hip-width apart, feet facing forward, and straighten your arms alongside your body. Shift so that you’re facing each other about two leg lengths away from each other. Bend your upper body and reach your arms to rest on your partner’s shoulders. Your heads should be almost touching, and your arms should be fully supported by your partner. Take a few deep breaths and relax into the pose, feeling the stretch in your lower back.
2. How to practice Partner Seated Cat Pose. Come to sitting comfortably cross-legged, facing each other, with your knees almost touching. Lift your arms and gently grab for your partner’s biceps. Then tuck your chin in to your chest, round your back, and feel the stretch in your back using the resistance of your partner’s arm hold. Take a few moments in this position and then come out of the pose together.
3. How to practice Partner Seated Twist. Come to sitting comfortably cross-legged, facing each other, an arm’s length away from each other. Place your palms on your knees and ensure that your spine is tall and straight. Twist your torso to the right. Take your left hand to reach for your partner’s right hand and wrap your right hand back behind you, reaching for your partner’s left hand. Take a few moments in this pose, then switch sides and repeat the steps.
4. How to practice Partner Easy Pose. Come to sitting in a comfortable cross-legged position. You might like to sit on a cushion or bolster and place blocks under your knees. Once you are comfortable in Easy Pose, your child can sit your lap. Take a few deep breaths together. Close your eyes and pretend to be clouds floating through the sky. This is a great position to introduce a family meditation practice.
5. How to practice Partner Legs Up the Wall Pose. Lie flat on your back then slowly raise your legs straight up toward the sky, making an L shape with your body. Wiggle so that your buttocks are touching and your legs are both parallel. Keeping your legs together, flex your feet. Spread your arms out to either side and keep your neck in a neutral position. Close your eyes, if that’s comfortable. Take a few moments to rest in this resting position.