Ishvara pranidhana, often translated as surrender, is a key concept in yoga philosophy that helps us contextualize our role within our own lives and that of the greater universe. As modern yogis living in a fast-paced society, application of this principle can release us from the flows of society and set us onto the path of universal intelligence and alignment.

The concept of surrender can be particularly difficult to embrace as busy moms, as we constantly aim to dictate how our lives, and the lives of those around us (our kids!) unfold. Ishvara pranidhana offers a pathway to simply live in accordance with our purpose without needing to control every aspect of it.

This article is inspired by Brett Larkin's Yoga for Self Mastery course. Sutras quoted in this article come from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Translations and quotes describing the sutras are from Tantra of the Yoga Sutras: Essential Wisdom for Living with Awareness and Grace by Alan Finger with Wendy Newton.

Ishvara Pranidhana in Yoga Philosophy

Ishvara pranidhana is one of five niyamas that are described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. The niyamas offer guidance on how to "reprogram the mind" to help us inch closer to harmony with the universe. In contrast, the yamas are guidance around what not to do to ensure alignment with universal intelligence.

The yogic concept of surrender challenges us to remember that "we are part of and governed by universal consciousness." Ishvara pranidhana is the practice of allowing ourselves to fall into flow with universal consciousness, rather than to assume the way we are doing things is already in perfect attunement. According to Finger and Newton, "true alignment with universal consciousness requires that we know our own unique power and importance within the sphere of our own karma and at the same time recognize our small role in the larger shared karma..." Accepting this true alignment is the practice of ishvara pranidhana.

When applied alongside the yamas and other niyamas, surrendering to universal consciousness through ishvara pranidhana, allows us to live in greater coherence with the universe. But what can that look like for an everyday working mom?

Applying Surrender in Everyday Motherhood

You don't need a meditative retreat to start to understand and integrate yogic concepts like ishvara pranidhana into your daily life and your mothering. To engage with surrender, think of it as relinquishing control or letting go.

A tactical, day to day opportunity to apply ishvara pranidhana to your motherhood is to practice radical presence in the now. Rather than running through your to do list yet again while your toddler is telling a semi non-sensical story about daycare, just listen. Release the list for this moment and engage with what's happening right in front of you.

Another great opportunity to relinquish control in relationship with your kids is to encourage their own decision-making. As the mom, you can provide appropriate options (thus maintaining some level of control as necessitated by your role as the parent), but allow them to make the choice without judging or acting like there was a right answer. For my toddler, those moments might look like giving him a couple of different shirt options and letting him pick which one he wants to wear, or telling him he can either help me cook dinner, play with his toys, or read his books. I really love it when he helps me in the kitchen as it is fun bonding time, but sometimes he just wants to make block towers, and my ishvara pranidhana practice in that moment is allowing him.

As moms, we try so hard to raise our children the right way. We read the expert guidance books, give them access to anything we feel will support their growth, encourage their exploration and learning, and generally do everything in our power to make sure they grow up to be good, capable humans. But the truth is, our kids are also on their own karmic path, living their own version of finding coherence with the universe. Even with our best intentions, we simply can't control and manage every single aspect and outcome of their lives (and that sounds like a surefire way to strain our relationships with them as they grow up anyways).

Consider whether there are areas in your own life or in relationship with your kids and others where you are clinging to a specific outcome. Naturally, it makes sense to maintain control of some things (read about the ebb and flow between effort or structure and ease or release), but are there areas you're pushing a little too hard in one direction? Or maybe there are natural behaviors you've noticed in your children that are just different than your own; do you need to push for them to behave just like you, or is their path actually working out alright?

One of the best yoga tools to practice letting go is meditation. During meditation, thoughts naturally arise, and the practice encourages us to notice them, but allow them to move on without concerning ourselves with them in that moment. It's the literal practice of letting go, and a regular meditation practice can help you move that intention from the yoga mat into your day to day.

Yoga, Nature, and Slow Living for Busy Moms

• The online yoga studio for busy, working moms seeking a slower way of life offers monthly pre-recorded yoga and meditation you can use to sink into a slower pace, plus a slow down framework where you can restructure your most overwhelming challenges into peaceful, rhythmic routines that support you and your family.

• Two-minute Reset Meditations for Routine Calm Days includes ten completely free two-minute meditations for you to capture a moment of calm right now, without spending an hour at the yoga studio or taking paid leave.

• The Mama Naturalist on my website and Substack is a space where I share both conceptual and practical guidance on slowing down, connecting to nature, and living seasonally.

• Mindful Moms Digest offers exclusive yoga and meditation classes, nature stories from a wildlife biologist (me!), and free, supportive resources including links back to every blog post for busy, working moms journeying toward a slower, more seasonal way of life.

• Cultivate Calm Mornings is a structured series of three yoga workshops that supports you in transforming your morning routine from chaotic to calm.