Gail Silver, author of children’s books about mindfulness, director of Yoga Child, which brings yoga and mindfulness to Philadelphia schools. Mindfulness gives her permission to mess up sometimes. And that’s okay.
Her book Anh’s Anger began with a quest to deal with her daughter’s tantrums. When she tried to help her daughter with anger, it set off her own issues with her own anger.
Gail shares about treating your anger as though it was a baby in need of your care; preparing for the adventure/challenge of motherhood through yoga and mindfulness; and dealing with work as an child-advocate attorney
She wanted to help children who had been abused and neglected. Frustration with the “system.”
On living a fulfilling life: “When I feel a deep pull inside of me, I develop a belief in my ability to do something and to execute it and I go. This is right and I’m going to do it.”
Yoga child: bringing mindfulness and yoga to Philadelphia city schools. Children say, “When I breathe out, the bad things go away.”
How has yoga and mindfulness helped parenting? “It works great when I’m doing it!” (yoga mat in the kitchen story)
There will always be moments of chaos and difficulty.
Story of her toddler’s tantrums unfold. That child was almost 6 by the time she finished the book.
Story about visiting Plum Village monastery. Walking her daughter through a long-distance problem on the phone. Thay walks by as she’s talking her daughter down.
My feeling from this podcast: inspired, connected
Watch a video of Ann’s Anger here, Yogachild.net. Twitter: Gailpsilver, Gailsilverbooks.com