With a tight schedule for the delivery of Stop. Feel. Breathe. , I saw myself in the fourth month of life of my daughter Concha, in front of the camera lens of Vera Sepúlveda! As you might imagine, especially those who are already mothers, it was not at all an easy process!

Although practicing Yoga for two decades and Ashtanga Yoga 15 years ago, it has undoubtedly helped to keep my body stable during the changes that occurred in pregnancy, the truth is that after childbirth, we need time to heal and to recover. When we started shooting, we had to begin with  simple positions that would not hurt my recovery, so as not to force my abdominal muscles. We had an extensive list of positions we wanted to include in the book, and I had not done most of them for over 12 months! The challenge was intense, and the biggest problem was not all these issues, but when I saw the result of the first photographs, where I recognized a mental and emotional discomfort that I identify in many other women and men.

It is not at all easy or simple to realize that after so many years of practicing Yoga that works acceptance and nonjudgmental, I was criticizing my belly for looking strange, of course,  4 months ago  it  had been there a baby! Or the arm and leg that were not long and toned, and a few more parts of myself that ranged from a long list that hid stereotypes and ideals of beauty, health and well-being. This mental and emotional game that devalues ​​the relevant and strengthens what makes no sense, feeds a strong pattern of self-judgment and shame. Did you recognize these words? For many years I have tried to test myself in these areas in order to counteract these situations of self-criticism, and it was important to make peace with this subject, to be totally honest with everyone who would read the book, and especially to cut a pattern that I do not want to perpetuate for my daughter!

I spent some time reflecting and managed to structure an exercise that transforms the negative into gratitude, see if it works with you – I repeated it almost every night after falling asleep  my baby, which consisted of looking with  my eyes and heart for the photographs of the my past, where I nurture love, peace and honor for every inch of myself, whether in the phases of greater or less physical comfort, in a daily practice of self-love, self-confidence, self-knowledge. It is an exercise that does not end when we get to the photographs of our present, implies regularity just like an Ashtanga Yoga practice. It further forces the responsibility to take care of ourselves, to give our best without going after judgments that withdraw the power of our essence and annihilate potencialidades.Há that reproduce this practice when we have time to be alone, it can be 5 or 10 minutes before falling asleep, even because it is relaxing, and in conscience we develop peace with ourselves, despite the belly, cellulite, stretch marks, marks, wrinkles, or anything else that prevents us from being the best version of ourselves, because even with dark circles, life is still beautiful!

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