Overheard at . . . Our local natural foods market

“Are you okay?”
“Nooo. ‘Cause I just found out my yogi is retiring.”

Ohhhh, I so wish I could show you the emotion behind this woman’s quote. She was sweating and shakyy, her mouth in a tight line across her perspiring face.  And, while she started the conversation with this amazing gem, it came out later that she had just narrowly missed being in an accident before she walked in the doors of the market. This fact would seem to explain her behavior, except she didn’t seem to be concerned about it at all…. Didn’t even mention it for the first five minutes.

Having just come back from an appointment with my acupuncturist I feel I can point out the irony and humor of her statement without sounding judgmental about alternative healing. And in fact, I originally expected to write a blog post about making fun of our new age dependence on all sorts of things, most of which are sufficiently spotlighted in the show Portlandia.

Instead, as I sat down to write this post I began to think of motherhood and wanted to celebrate with all my mom friends and fans out there the crazy, wonderful, incredible and sometimes humiliating job we enjoy.

Unsure of the exact context for her use of the term Yogi, here is one explanation that fits my purposes (as stated on Wikipedia):

One who practices yoga; The term ‘yogi’ is also used to refer specifically to ‘Siddhas.’

And Siddha (I like Google’s definition best): One who has achieved spiritual realization and supernatural power.

Now I will make my arguments for why all mothers deserve the title of Yogi

1.     Yogic posture perfected through hours of standing, baby or child on hip, laying awkwardly next to them in bed, hands on hip scolding, arms over heard cheering and general pretzel-like maneuvers chasing, tugging, grabbing, and hugging them.

2.     Sore arms, hips, legs, neck, shoulders – with all pain managed through meditative focus on the very cause of the pain.

3.     Abstinence from sex (stated as a requirement for reaching enlightenment… just in case you need another reason.)

4.     Supernatural powers including: the ability to read minds, time travel when our child is in danger, levitate sleeping bodies to bed, work on little or no sleep for days on end, find esoteric meaning in the least little comment from our brilliant child.
And finally . . .

5.     Total spiritual enlightenment acquired from the most intense love we have ever experienced.

Here’s to all of the amazing yogis in my life, especially my own personal ones… the moms who have played a role in my own personal development, my mom, my sister, my step-mom, and my best friends. I feel so privileged to be part of this sometimes crazy, always rewarding, most important, sect of humanity.

Happy Mother’s Day.