I had the pleasure of interviewing San Francisco based yoga teacher, Patty Dobson. She’s currently a full-time stay-at-home mom so she has so much great insight to offer other moms who are struggling to integrate yoga into their lives!
How long have you been practicing yoga? What brought you to the practice?
I've been practicing for over 9 years. I was always curious about the practice, and when I was in my early 20’s I had a lovely coworker who would talk to me a bit about the practice. But growing up, I had always equated yoga with folks who perhaps were more affluent or had a notion that it attracted a certain crowd. That perhaps felt intimidating and I think inside ideas searching for a place where one can just be.
I was recovering from surgery and the doctor had recommended that I stop going to the gym. After coming out of the surgery and feeling grateful for just being okay, I started having a different perspective on things..that we only live once so why not try things. So instead on following that monkey mind of mine that was trying to talk me out of trying yoga, I signed up for a yoga 101 class at Yoga Tree and after that first class, I fell in love with the practice.
I've always been curious and inquisitive, and what I didn't realize until I started practicing yoga was that what I was seeking was seeking me...that feeling of just being, in the moment.
And connecting with that something that was deeper, which made me feel whole, free, happy.
I basically felt like I did when I was a kid, so happy, carefree, and that amazing feeling like anything was possible.
When and why did you decide to teach?
I decided to teach because of a deep desire to share the many benefits of yoga. I wish I knew about yoga as a teenager, for instance. It would have really helped me navigate through that rocky time. But that feeling of connectedness I felt, that ease, happiness, clarity, awareness...I wanted to teach to offer the same to others. To be of use and offer a practice where someone could benefit emotionally, physically, mentally.
How did your practice change when you were pregnant? And after you had your baby?
Well, when I was pregnant, I had this vision that I would be practicing every day. I had taken prenatal teacher training to learn about and understand how growing a life inside can affect a mama physically and mentally, and how to support a mama during this amazing time. I wanted to learn what I could to safely teach pregnant yogis and also to have a safe practice when I became pregnant. I practiced once and soon after, my doctor put me on pelvic rest. No exercise besides walking because of a previa.
It was hard, but I had to let my expectation go and I was so grateful to have the little life inside of me.
My practice changed in that I started to practice mindfulness meditation and being present.
If I wanted to have a physical practice, I would practice slow, mindful cat cows, and eagle arms. That's about it because I had wrist pain, I had to modify cat cow and practice only a few rounds. I wasn't allowed to open the hips because of the previa so I would do hip circles in the shower and visualizing.
Postpartum, I had still had wrist pain and also a searing pain near the public bone. I went to the OB who said it was probably a normal thing because I had given birth.
I wasn't able to practice any asana, except cat cow, without pain. I also had an epidural, which resulted in deep back pain, so asana where one is supine were also out!
Postpartum practice consisted of mindfulness meditation and pranayama because of physical limitations and pain. I'd nadi shodhana, ujjayi while practicing cat cow, eagle arms, and eye of the needle sitting on a chair. It's taken 18 months for all the pain to subside, so I've recently begun my physical asana practice again and it's been wonderful, slow practices, where the focus is on breath, gentle movement, opening tight spaces (from breastfeeding, hunching, holding the little one) and being open to what is. It's definitely not like pre-mamahood vinyasa, but more like gentle hatha.
How does your practice continue to evolve as your child grows?
As my little one grows, I've found ways to include her which has been fun. Also with longer naps, sometimes I have a bit of time for an asana practice. Some days my physical practice is a seated forward fold and child's pose while she's running around and eagle arms while cooking her lunch; other days we're both in downward dog and barking or I'll have a 20 minute practice while she naps and before I do some work from home. As a mama, any practice that helps to cultivate oneness in mind and body, steadiness and ease, and to be present is yoga. Sometimes it's just taking a few breaths and most of the time it's being present and okay with what is.
Do you feel busier now than before your baby was born? How do you find time to practice and what keeps you inspired to keep up your sadhana?
Yes I feel busier now and before she was born, I was working two jobs. At the moment I'm a full time mom, which is a blessing because I have the opportunity to experience so much with my little one, but there's sure a lot to do! Lots of juggling, multi-tasking and being "on" and on top of things! I've found time to practice by making a point to pause throughout the day and reflect without judgment. I think as a mom it's so important to be okay with things and to be okay with what is - that’s probably my main practice right now. Sometimes just saying, as one of my soul sisters once said to me, "and this too."
That's a great question. My little one, husband, friends, family, and moments day to day inspire me to keep up with my sadhana, especially now more than ever. Being a mom isn't easy, and there are moments where I'm like that cartoon where the top of the cartoon character's head steams and the top of the blows up, but that's what inspires me, because it's a reminder that there's two sides of everything in life, and sometimes things get mucky, hard, and challenging, and other times it's easy, breezy, and it's okay. And this too.
Another thing I forgot to mention...what I've learned from my practice and from my teacher Carlos Pomeda, is that acting from a place of expectation, or if how we feel is hinged upon the results, we end up unhappy (suffering). And I've found that to be so true. As a mama, being of use to and caring for my little one without expectation has been a joy unlike any.
https://pattydobsonyoga.wordpress.com/