Before becoming a mother, I spent years teaching yoga and mindfulness to all ages. When my son was born I was determined to be a mindful mama. Why? Because I did not want to miss a moment of this journey in watching him grow!
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a natural ability that we all have access to. We can be aware of what is going on in our body, our mind, and the world around us in the present moment.
Why is mindfulness important for us?
Evidence strongly suggests that mindfulness provides an increased sense of wellbeing through stress and anxiety reduction. A heightened ability to listen, focus and perform is also present.
● Mindfulness techniques.

Infants use their senses to learn from us how we relate to the world. This is about us embodying healthy mindfulness practices so that they can learn from our actions.
● Practice.
There is no need for a lot of time or any special equipment to practice mindfulness. The point is not how but why. We intentionally train our mind and body to be present. Personally, I practice with fifteen minutes of yoga each morning while my son naps. Many people practice through traditional methods like meditation, but mindfulness can be accessed in infinite other ways including exercise, reading, and time in nature.

● Attention.
Mindfulness is a practice of paying attention during our beautiful journey of parenthood. When I am with my son, he has my full attention. I do not neglect my own needs, however, I consciously strive to be as present as possible. With my phone aside, I direct my focus to my son’s appearance, actions and sensed feelings.

● Acceptance.
Sometimes we misinterpret mindfulness as peace, bliss or joy. These feelings can be present but that is not the purpose of the practice.​ Mindfulness is about being honest and accepting of where we are in each moment. I try to remind myself daily to accept the good, the bad, and the really hard, because it is all part of this crazy, beautiful journey called motherhood.

KD 

Author is a certified 200-hour yoga instructor and a current trainee in Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Her content is sourced from Jon Kabit-Zinn, Wherever you go, There you are (Hachette Books , New York, 1994)