Yogi Bhajan mentioned that for the mother, her children are her sadhana – personal discipline and spiritual practice. I used to think that mothers are then redeemed from having to make the sacrifice of having a regular practice.
In the last few days with my newborn I have found that the most relevant for a mother is to have her own personal practice and discipline – both physical and spiritual- that means, to give herself the time to remember the connection with her higher self, and with the power beyond her own in order to deliver that to her children and husband. Because the mother is the bindi, the navel of the home, she has to be in shape – both emotional, physical, spiritual and mental. Keeping inner balance helps with the surrounding balance. As above, so below; as inside, so outside.
Even if that practice means two minutes a day, I found it the most rewarding – setting myself back in my centre, breathe, remember, connect, bow, let go, pray.

“A child is just God passing through your hand. That’s what a child is, a living god. And one who raised the child is very divine” – Yogi Bhajan

In the last couple of weeks I have been slowly coming back to the old world and doings at the university, teaching yoga, and meeting friends. But it all seems to be an absolutely different world. After my absence for 3-4 months, it feels as if 1000 years have gone, not only because the train has been moving on without me, but because I have been to another 1000 different worlds, physically, mentally, psychicly, spiritually and in all sorts of possible ways. It really feels like I have been physically down to the center of the earth, pushed out at speed light off to the weightlessness of outer space, at years light from here and now, seeing our tiny little planet and tiny little lives going on like a play, and now I am back again here.

A few weeks ago I found this quote that I have been using as a signature to my emails. It is just so good metaphor. It is not something I can explain, but the experience makes me grateful for all that has happened in my life.

“You cannot stay on the mountain forever. You have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.” (Rene Daumal, Mont Analogue)

Now back to earth, I need to focus on earthly issues. While at some point felt absolutely pointless, now needs to get attention. It is hard. If what was most important to me in all my life, is not there anymore to be nurtured, then what else in the world is important at all? Accepting this fact, and the reality of the world we live in, I go back to everyday doings with an open heart. And with a whole new perspective on things, on myself, and on the world. And that perspective, that distance, remains with me for life. It is one of the precious gifts of Vida.