5 Ways to Share Yoga with Your Newborn

 

Mommy & Me Yoga or Tiny Tots Class

Mommy & me yoga is a great way for babies to see you do yoga and feel incorporated into your practice from a young age.  If there isn’t a class near you, buy a DVD or book like Shiva Rea’s DVD or the Itsy Bitsy yoga book.  I personally don’t like mommy & me yoga classes because it's hard for me to relax and focus while taking care of my busy baby, but a lot of other people love it.  So, if your baby will allow you to lay her down, then mommy & me yoga is great.  If your baby likes to constantly move and be held,  share tiny tots yoga with her.  I will be making a mommy & me yoga video for active babies soon. If you know of a good yoga video for active babies, please contact me. 

Clear Your Baby's Chakras
If you have ever gone to a yoga class you’ve probably experienced being lulled into relaxation with chakra clearing music.  Different tones are designed to clear and align your chakras.  This music is very relaxing and the perfect white noise for baby's nursery.  When purchasing a chakra clearing CD for the baby,  you want to make sure it only has the sounds, without words.  The yogic science behind these CDs is that each chakra, or energetic center, vibrates at a specific frequency. When a sound wave vibrates at this frequency, it helps to activate this energetic center.  When chakras are not aligned it can result in physical and emotional pain. Therefore, keeping chakras aligned is one of the main goals of yoga.   A good CD for this purpose is Frequencies: Sounds of Healing.

Mantra Lullabies Send Good Vibes

Mantras are sacred sounds designed to raise the vibration in your body and the atmosphere.  Rather than singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," why not sing Om Namah Shivaya.  Play with the rhythm and your tone to find the one that works for you and your baby.  Or play a CD by Deva Premal for the baby.  When Deva Premal's mother was pregnant with her, her parents would sing the Gayatri Mantra throughout the pregnancy.  It means "May all beings on Earth reach enlightenment."   So, send your baby good vibes with mantra lullabies.  

Mandalas are Spiritual Artwork   

These are both sacred visual art that will expose your baby to art and the spiritual realm.  You can even print one out and color it to match the baby’s room. If you are practicing the Montessori method, you can place a mandala low on the wall at the baby's eye level.  Otherwise, a good location may be next to the changing table or on the ceiling above her bassinet.  Remember that this art is meant for the baby to see, not to decorate the room for the parents.

Turn Breastfeeding into Meditation Time 

If you breastfeed your baby to sleep or simply allow the baby to fall asleep on or near you, use that silent time as an opportunity to meditate or pray for or about your baby.  Allow your calm energy to fill the room and surround your baby with love.  You can also do the same prenatal meditations you did while your baby was in your belly: Breathe in love, breathe out love for your baby.  It can be difficult to maintain your spiritual practice as a new mother, but this practice can help you be more grounded, mindful and SANE.  Why is it that it is hardest to do your spiritual practices when you need them the most?  Don't beat yourself up missing a meditation with a newborn, but know that you can find balance and peace during this time.  It just may look a little different than it used to. 

Namaste, Ronda Jyoti Litwin www.dallasyogalove.com