Someone asked me last week why I teach pregnant women, and I said “because it’s a time of such change, it’s so much easier for them to be in growth mind.”
If you are thinking “things are great! But they probably won’t stay this way” or “it’s a nice idea but there’s no way I could actually do that”, there is a good chance you are in stuck mind.
When we’re in stuck mind, we’re under the false impression that our identity is a Thing that we can hold on to (or holds on to us), a static entity; as opposed to a constantly moving and morphing glob of energy (like the universe) that wants to expand, and moves naturally toward truth, goodness, and beauty.
When we’re thinking something like “I am so excited by the possibility that ________”, or “what I’m working on in myself right now is ______” or “things feel hard right now, but I am learning so much about _______ ” – then we’re in growth mind.
And from growth mind, the idea from Tantric yoga (the latest big revolution in yogic thought, about 800 ce), that our being (or heart/mind, or Consciousness) is in flux, shifting and changing form – we can lean in the direction we want to change: more truth, goodness and beauty.
If we’re pregnant, we can take one step at a time to create good habits for our baby, and for ourselves.
If we’re on a Divine Ma path (a parent taking action to embody the power, wisdom, and love of the divine feminine), we can work on our own personal evolution even while giving everything to our baby; thus taking our own baby steps each day.
But to be able to change, we must be in growth mind.
First, we must remember that we are complex beings, made up of multiple elements within one. A lot of motivational speakers and business coaches sound to me like “be this way!” or “do this!” and you (or maybe it’s just me) feel “yes! That’s it!” and order their e-book. Then we’re disappointed that we aren’t able to change.
When actually, as we know from doing any yoga pose, different parts of us are wanting different things at the same time.
Take Downward Facing Dog, for example. The fingers are clawing and the shoulders are lifting, creating the qualities of earth: steady, solid, and supportive.
The tops of the thighs are pressing back (bend one knee and press the other back to really feel this), so the pelvis can enjoy the qualities of water: playful and soft.
And because we’ve expanding our awareness to include the different parts of our Self, rather than thinking of the Self as a single entity, our heart center can literally grow – it softens and lengthen toward our hands.
Thus, there’s more space for baby, breath, and Consciousness.
By connecting to both steadiness, and letting go at the same time, we can move toward becoming the mom we want to be.
A part of us has to stay steady to do this, even disciplined, and a part of us needs to just allow things to unfold and accept that it’s not a straight path: it has twists and turns, and switchbacks, and new discoveries.
In order to stay in growth mind, we need to connect to these two elements within us every day, in every moment, with every breath.
Sound hard? Yes. That’s why they call it yoga practice. We don’t do it so we can finally get it right; we do it so we can continue to grow and shift and change in the direction we want to go, rather than getting stuck.
So, get on your mat, even if it’s just one Down Dog a day, and connect to both the earthy and the watery parts of you – they will be there for you throughout your day and for your whole journey, as you move along your unique path of becoming a Divine Ma.
Put this practice in to your daily rhythm, and you might find yourself even feeling excited about that change you’ve been dreading.
