Happy Mother’s Day! I am so honored to be writing for the Atlanta Yoga Scene blog in May honoring mothers, as I am blessed with 3 sons: Matthew, a Junior at Walton High School, JD, an eighth grader at Dickerson Middle School and Luke, a first grader at Sope Creek Elementary.
As my blog due date approached, life “happened” – working full time: teaching yoga, managing a yoga program, running a household, and boys heavily involved in school, golf, theater and baseball; along with several bouts of the flu.
Thinking about what to write, my mind was drawn to Sthira Sachem Asanam, Yoga Sutra 2.46, where Patanjali talks about cultivating a sense of steadiness and sweetness within each pose of your yoga practice. These two words – Sthira (strong, steady, stable, firm) and Sukha (gentleness, softness, comfort, ease and joyful) are not only present in our yoga practice, but in our parenting. Just as our poses find a state of equilibrium with effort and ease, so does our parenting. As parents, we must be fully present: steady and strong, relaxed and at ease in all situations…and believe me, some are very challenging!
This delicate balance of opposites (effort and release) gives us guidelines, not just on the mat during asana practice, but for life. My husband, Jay, and I choose to be active parents, establishing strong roots within our family from which our boys can soar. Much like a yoga pose, when you take the time to work on the foundation which truly matters, the rest thrives with the sweetness and ease. Effort in the right place is the reward. Seeing our 17-year old mature into a delightful young man, our 13-year old comfortable in his own skin, and our 7-year old abound with the energy of a Labrador, fills us with gratitude for these blessings.
In honor of Mother’s Day I share the following poem with all of you:
A mother is someone to shelter and guide us,
To love us, whatever we do,
With a warm understanding and infinite patience,
And wonderful gentleness, too.
How often a mother means swift reassurance
In soothing our small childish fears,
How tenderly mothers watch over their children
And treasure them all through the years!
The heart of a mother is full of forgiveness
For any mistake, big or small,
And generous always in helping her family
Whose needs she has placed above all.
A mother can utter a word of compassion
And make all our cares fall away,
She can brighten a home with the sound of her laughter
And make life delightful and gay.
A mother possesses incredible wisdom
And wonderful insight and skill –
In each human heart is that one special corner
Which only a mother can fill!
In celebration of Mother’s Day, Dance Stop Studios will be offering a special Mother’s Day class on Sunday, May 12 at 4:00pm led by Caren Cohen.
$10 single drop-in or just $25 for your entire family.
~ With love and gratitude ~
Lisa Flynn
Lisa Flynn is the Coordinator of the Dance Stop Studios Fitness Program. She brings over 17 years of teaching experience as a certified yoga instructor and is a Yogaworks Partner for teacher trainings in Atlanta, Georgia. Additionally, Lisa is an alumni Lululemon ambassador.
Lisa earned a Bachelor degree in Business from Clemson University. She went on to receive a Master of Business Administration from Chapman University in Orange, California. Her love of teaching led her to become a professor at Cal State Fullerton. At the same time she began teaching group fitness classes at local gyms and corporations in the area. She took her first yoga class in 1994 and soon after she earned her yoga certification. Lisa developed a class format incorporating challenging vinyasa flows with coordinating music.
Besides the physical benefits of yoga, Lisa is passionate about the difference that yoga can make in each student’s life. Her enthusiasm for teaching is both engaging and contagious and she comments, “The beauty of yoga inspires each person to make a difference. The community felt in class flows from our mats into everyday life. I am so blessed to do what I love with the best students ever”!
Find Lisa on Facebook or stop by Dance Stop Studios for a class!