Dads who practice yoga with their kids make our hearts explode! For Father's Day, we're paying tribute to the exceptional yogi fathers in our community who inspire us (and their little ones) every single day, with a look at what their practice has taught them about fatherhood and the wisdom they're passing on to their kids.
How has your yoga practice helped you in fatherhood?
By slowing down and focusing on the present, we actually get to choose the way we react to things... especially our kids.
What lessons have you learned from yoga that you now teach to your kids?
He has been my greatest teacher and the true vehicle for practicing my yoga.
How has your yoga practice helped you in fatherhood?
Yoga has helped me learn many lessons in fatherhood. The biggest one is to be more patient—with the outside world, but even more importantly, with myself.
What lessons have you learned from yoga that you now teach to your kids?
If you’re having fun, you’re doing it right!
Favorite yoga pose to do with your daughter?
Downward facing dog and, of course, Savasana.
How has your yoga practice helped you in fatherhood?
As a yoga teacher, compassion is a huge component, and it’s also such an important thing for parents. Parenting has also helped my yoga! It has reminded me to cherish every small joy in life, and to push myself to make the most of any opportunity that presents itself.
What lessons have you learned from yoga that you now teach to your kids?
When it comes to life with a newborn, you have to learn to live in the moment and do so with patience. Patience and adaptability are two aspects I now think about regularly when I practice. I continually remind myself to savor the experience. These are all lessons I will pass onto Koa.
What is it like practicing yoga with your child?
A 5-month-old is still a little young to do yoga with me! It's more about me being creative enough to keep up my yoga practice with her, whether it's putting Koa in a carrier on my chest and flowing, or playing my ukulele and singing to her. This is all yoga because it brings us together in unity, and yoga means union, after all!