A Yogi Mama's Guide

Is it the goal of every parent to raise a child that will surpass them in every way possible?

Fast forward to 14:30. Oh these kids!

happy international dance day!

Especially these days, isn't it?

He’s just this chill.

Because this is on my mind. I'm not carnivore shaming... Not trying to anyway. Just can't stop thinking about consumption. The kid who said this eats meat. Has chosen to, at least for now. His sister has chosen not to. Not cause I've brainwashed her.

The point is, at a young age he recognizes irony.

From my first comic book. Feeling relevant these days 😂

Two comics that go together well today. Toxic Positivity. Feeling safe in your Yoga Bubble... Anyone out there hear me?

Kids know. They know better than us. I believe them. Ça va bien aller... it will be okay. #🌈🌈🌈

#

Any mamas out there feel me?

It pains me to post this. Sivananda became a refuge for me at a time when it felt like my world was falling apart. And then Sivananda fell apart too. I know I'm not the only one who feels sad and confused and devestated. I have a lot of friends who have been invested in this organization much more seriously and for much longer than I. My kids don't have all the details of what happened or what's going on, but they know enough to put two and two together. This is a direct quote from my then 8-yo.

For context, this is an image of Swami Vishnudevananda's "Peace Plane,” which is housed at the Sivananda Ashram in Val Morin. Vishnudevananda, founder of the International Sivanada Centres, rode in several "peace flights" over areas of the world that were not peaceful. He spread rose petals where people were spraying bullets. Years later he would be accused by a number of women of sexual assault, as would many of the people who he trained.

There's more that could be said. It's all over the news. I just wanted to share this thing my kid said because she's right. She understands Yoga.

v-day special. Here's a little collection of a few of our comics pertaining to love. Romantic love, parental love, impossible love. Happy Valentines day to you and your heart chakra.

I thought some of you would hugely appreciate this!

RÉVOLUTION DU LAIT D’OR!
J’aime beaucoup de lait d’or. Mais là, en plein milieu de l’hiver, j’ai décidé de le révolutionner! Voici donc ma délicieuse recette testée et approuvée par ma fille Adélie. Les composantes apaiseront votre vata (système nerveux et mental agité), faciliteront votre sommeil et nourriront votre cœur d’ocytocine, cette hormone de l’amour. Un genre de pré Saint-Valentin. Un GROS LOVE pour toute la famille.
Nectar floral
6 tasses de lait
1 ½ tasse de dattes réduites en purée
2 c. à soupe de bourgeons de camomille bio
2 c. à soupe de fleurs séchées de lavande vraie bio
1 c. à thé de ghee (beurre clarifié)
1 c. à thé ashwagandha en poudre (plante ayurvédique)
Variante : Ajouter 2 c. à soupe de cacao bio si vous désirez le boire en après-midi après le ski, la raquette ou une marche au grand air!
Procédure: Dans un peu de lait chaud, délier l’ashwagandha, le ghee et la purée de dattes. Ajouter le reste du lait, la camomille et la lavande et chauffer 5 minutes. Filtrer et boire près d’un vrai ou faux feu de foyer.

In honour of Expo Yoga & bien-être this weekend, a joke I have told many times in my classes. Direct quote from one of my favourite teachers, Melanie Richards. 😂

&yourchild

What can I say? Yes child, I am painfully aware of the fact that I am not Indian. I am also clearly fascinated by India and have very romantic ideas about the gigantic country overflowing with so much richness in culture, religion, people, art, food... That is no secret to the people who know me IRL or here on social media. I live an Ayurvedic Lifestyle and give Ayurvedic treatments and consultations. I teach Yoga five days a week. I meditate daily. I am a vegetarian. I believe in karma and follow the yoga sutras the best I can. Statues and images of Indian deities cover much of my home, including my kids' room. They know many of the stories of Krishna, Ganesha, Saraswati, Rama... (GOD) and the meaning behind the stories.
I recognize that all of these things are rooted in India. These things ARE Indian. How can we not recognize this? How can we turn yoga into an aerobic exercise, an Olympic "sport," void of spirituality? (maybe that's a rant for another day...)
I am treading carefully, always. I am often uncomfortable with taking these things for myself, even though I believe all of these practices better all of human kind. I am always learning and I do my best to understand and honour it all.
If I'm honest, I would happily wear a saree every day of my life. But I don't think that's appropriate. What is, however, appropriate, is when one goes to a traditional Indian event, one wears a saree and even a bindi. Wear bangles and sometimes even a tika. Isn't it!!
I practice a traditional Southern Indian dance called Bharatanatyam. I feel fortunate to be accepted into that dance school. It is, like the kirtan I chant at a weekly satsang, another form of Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga of Devotion. This dance is not void of spirituality, if not religion. For this dance, we wear a cotton practice saree. It was there that I had very sweet friends teach me how to drape a saree, which is no small feat. It took me months to feel competent, and now I feel a little chuffed about it. Now--when I go out to an Indian event, or to a Hindu temple, or something like that, I am not going to go in jeans. I'm going to rock a saree. And carefully place a bindi between my brows (which I wouldn't wear to work even though "I teach yoga for a living"...) because it is appropriate, not appropriated. I will tell you what my experience has been, as THE WHITE GIRL in the room wearing a saree: appreciation. Gratitude. Positivity, acceptance and love. Maybe there are a few people there who are wondering what the heck I'm doing there, that won't dare ask me, but I've only experienced love and grace.
So, kid, and anyone else wondering--yes, I know I'm not Indian. And it's not something I don't think about often.
🙏 (namaste)
--Jenny

the heart

Does anyone know the answer?

C’est parti!! @ Parc Jarry

Goodbye 2019. It’s been... something.
✌🏻❤️🙏🏻

Using these quiet holiday moments to put together the THIRD paper edition of which includes another 40+ comics mostly about my existential crisis and also still about the hilarious things kids say and of course all the Universal Truths. Preorder in pm. ✌🏻 @ Montreal, Quebec