I’m enjoying my exploration of the Yoga Sutras, the ancient philosophical texts of yoga, as they relate to modern parenting life, or at least mine.  For Hilltown Families this month, I wrote about saucha, or cleanliness, the first of the self or personal care tenets of yoga practice, using one of my favorite translations of the Sutras, Nicholai Bachman’s book The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga.

My other favorite translation is Nischala Joy Devi’s the Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman’s Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras.  She defines saucha as “simplicity and continual refinement [which] reveals our joyful nature.”

Talking recently with a friend whose kids are grown, I marveled at her ability to juggle a demanding full time job and three active kids.  She smiled, “there were a LOT of frozen pizzas.”

Right. Sometimes cleanliness comes from expecting less, doing less, striving less so there’s more room to be.