Sarah Ezrin, world renowned yoga educator and award-winning author of The Yoga of Parenting, may be able to hold herself up with one arm with a baby on her hip, but she writes, “I can say without a doubt that the most advanced yoga I’ve ever done is raising a child.”

You don’t have to be a yogi to benefit from this practical yet philosophical parenting book that can make you think, laugh and cry all in the same sentence. When I read, “I wrote this book as protection against the external pressures and messages from society telling us we are not doing enough,” my mommy heart sighed with relief. YES, THANK YOU. I AM NOT ALONE, and neither are you. Ezrin makes it easy to embody ancient wisdom with a modern-day twist on the parenting journey.

Photos courtesy of Sarah Ezrin

EACH CHAPTER INCLUDES:
• A yoga posture and theme as it relates to parenting.
• “Breath Breaks” — invitations to mindfully breathe.
• “On the Mat” — practices to show us how we can apply the lessons on our yoga mat in a more general sense.
• “Parenting in Practice” — advice from parents in the US and abroad.
• “Off the Mat and Into the Family” — fun exercises to help us bring the work off the mat and into our homes.
• Feature stories and insights whose experiences include single parenting and grandparenting (because we know that parenting doesn’t stop when our kids grow up)!

These 10 bite-sized, digestible chapters go beyond parenting because they can apply to any relationship. The Yoga of Parenting is about embracing our imperfections, setting healthy boundaries and not pouring from an empty cup as we nurture others. Read more of my conversation with Ezrin:

WHAT ABOUT PARENTING IS THE MOST STRESSFUL TO YOU AND HOW DOES YOGA HELP YOU?

Holy moly. I have two highly energetic boys, ages 2 and 4, and oh my, do they get loud. I really struggle when multiple people are talking to me at once (let alone if one of them is crying!). Yoga helps me anchor into something grounded and constant, like my breath, or the feeling of my body against an inanimate object.

WHAT WAS YOUR HARDEST CHAPTER TO WRITE AND WHY?

Interestingly enough, the chapter on tapas (Sanskrit for “discipline”) which is all about mining our challenges for gold. I kept getting sucked down these rabbit holes and the whole chapter read very dry to me at first. I’m a white woman from America interpreting yoga philosophy, I was way out of my league. When I gave myself permission to not need to know all the answers and to just speak from my personal experience, everything flowed. It’s now one of my favorite chapters.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE A PARENTING MOMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE IT DIFFERENTLY USING THE PRINCIPLES FROM YOUR BOOK?

This is going to sound cheesy, but I wouldn’t change any moment with my kids. What I would change is how flipping hard I was on myself those early days and years. But had I not been so hard, I wouldn’t have reached the breaking point I did which led me to want to write the book. It’s all meant to be!

If you are a parent looking to stay grounded, connect with your kids and be kinder to yourself, then get your copy today and feel Ezrin’s words wrap around you like a BIG hug.

By Rachel Glowacki
Yoga Teacher
@rachelglowacki | rachelglowacki.com