HALF MOON POSEAs my pregnancy has progressed, I have found that
I’m still capable of doing so many poses. I have flex-
ibility, I have strength, I can go upside-down, and
my hips are really open. The most interesting part
of the experience has been that even though I can
do these things, I have made the choice to rein it in.
I’ll think, “OK, I don’t need to indulge my ego and
do a handstand scorpion in this class of sixty people
when I’m forty-one and pregnant.” I could be hard-
core if I chose to, but instead I want to soften.
Lately I’ve been into metta meditation.
Metta is a word that means loving-kindness.
When you do this meditation, you sit quietly
and radiate those feelings out to the world.
You start with yourself: “May I be happy and
free; may my baby be happy and healthy and
free.” Then I add my husband and people who
are close to me: “May they be happy and free.”
Then I include the city, and then maybe peo-
ple who are challenging to me: “May they be
happy and free and safe from harm.” You keep
going and expanding that wish to everyone, to
all beings. For the most part that’s been my
yoga practice lately.