“Behind every young child who believes in themselves is a parent who believed first.”
This photo of a mother and daughter doing a yoga partner pose captured my heart. Mom is in an upside down modified head stand in a cross-legged position creating a ledge for her adorable daughter to sit in a basic seated yoga/meditation pose. The young girl with a smile of joy looks like a little goddess.
When I asked the mother for permission to use the photo to use in my lifestyle blog which has a section on yoga and meditation, her immediate response was, “Yes, of course.” I then forwarded the photo to my long-time friend Elizabeth Sharkey, a much beloved teacher at Fisher Middle School in Los Gatos, Calif. Some month ago, Elizabeth had invited me to teach a yoga class to 25 of her students during Indian History Month. I asked Elizabeth for her first impressions of the photo from the perspective of being a mother and a teacher.Here’s what she had to say:
“Parenting is a balancing act. You literally and spiritually support your children as you lift them up in life. The mother is grounded in the earth as the daughter ascends to the heavens.”
I thought her comments were a beautiful metaphor for a parent acting a mentor for her child. This ancient practice supports children in their classrooms, homes, in their sports activities and in their relationships. It teaches them to focus, build confidence and self-esteem as they embark on all of their life’s adventure. Moreover, it helps reduce stress in a safe and nurturing environment, and teaches them to be patient, kind and accepting of others. Namaste’ 🙏🙏🙏
Photo credit: The mother of the child whose names I offered to keep anonymous.
