Mountain Pose or Parvatasana

Mountain Pose or Parvatasana

This asana makes the entire body strong. The abdominal muscles are drawn toward the spine when breathing deep. It strengthens the internal organs and has a profound effect on the reproductive organs.

·         Lie down on the floor on your stomach, i.e. with your face downwards. Keep your feet about 2.5 cm apart.

·         Rest your palms by the side of your chest, with fingers straight out, pointing towards your head.

·         Exhale. Raise your hips, lowering your head between your arms. You will be forming a triangle with your back and legs.

·         Try to keep your legs stiff. Do not bend your knees but try to press your heels and the soles of your feet on the floor. Also try to bring your head towards your knees.

·         Stay in this position for thirty to forty seconds while breathing deeply.

·         Release the posture by lifting your head forward, stretching your torso forward and lowering your body gently down to the floor.  

Shoulder Stand Pose or Sarvang Asana

Shoulder Stand Pose or Sarvang Asana

This asana balances your endocrine glands to your hormonal levels. It regulates menstrual activity and also is very beneficial for women suffering from a displaced uterus.

·         Lie on your back and flex your toes inward. Place your palms facing down, close to your hips. Inhale; push down on your hands and raise your legs straight up and above you.

·         Left your hips off the floor and bring your legs up, over and beyond your head at an angle of about 45⁰.

·         Exhale, bend your arms and support your body, holding as near the shoulders as possible, thumbs around the front of the body, fingers around the back. Push your back up and lift your legs.

·         Straighten your spine and bring the legs up to a vertical position. Press your chin firmly into the base of your throat. Gradually try to get your elbows closer together and your hands further down your back, towards the shoulders, so as to straighten your back.

·         Breathe normally while doing this posture and while holding it. Stay in this position 20 to 30 seconds.

·         Bend your knees and pull them to your forehead or chest; then gently lower your body, releasing the position.

Take care not to jerk into the posture instead gently keep pulling your body up into the final position.

Energising your Solar Centre or Agni Sara

Energising your Solar Centre or Agni Sara

This exercise tones your abdominal muscles and organs. It encourages digestion and excretion. It also tones all your reproductive organs and facilitates sexual functions.

·         Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position.

·         Place your hands on your knees, close your eyes and relax your body for a few minutes.

·         Inhale deeply. Exhale, by emptying out your lungs completely.

·         Lean forward a little and straighten your elbows, pushing down on your knees.

·         Lower your chin down towards your throat. Now contract and expand your stomach muscles rapidly for as long as you can hold your breath.

·         Perform about five to ten contractions in this way, but do not can hold your breath.

·         Slowly lift your head up, inhale slowly and deeply.

·         This completes one round. Relax your body, breathe and begin the next two rounds.

Do not practice this when menstruating, or if you are suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, hernia or an ulcer.

Yoga for Conception

Yoga for Conception

So you are planning to start a family. Then you must know that the implications of bringing a child into this world are enormous- not only on you as a mother-to-be, but on your partner and on your lifestyle as well. But if the timing is right, and you are mentally prepared, then you should start preparing your body for pregnancy at least a year in advance.

                Time and again it has been proven that stress is one of the biggest blocks to getting pregnant. In this busy world it becomes harder to find the inner peace that our body and mind craves for. Yoga is a mind and body exercise that enables you to recharge at all levels and allows your body and mind to work with its innate magic.

                Start on a protein diet and increase your intake of green vegetables and fruits, reducing fried and junk food, thus cleaning your body of toxins. Those of you, who have been on a contraceptive pill, give yourselves three months without it to let your body get used to the new situation. Visit a gynecologist and make yourself familiar with what is going to happen. It is important that you get yourself checked for Rubella virus. Take special care of yourself so as to make your body’s stay comfortable.

                The way to approach your conception is to create the correct environment for becoming pregnant, which means that as a prospective parent, your body must be in optimum health and in fit condition to facilitate conception. In addition, your mind must be calm and positive. Time and again it has been proven that stress is one of the biggest blocks to getting pregnant.

                The result of a balanced yoga session will give you tranquility o mind and the body will feel rested and energized. Your internal organs will feel recharged and this will allow them to function more effectively. Therefore if you are having trouble conceiving you should give yoga a try. By starting early, you will develop all the good habits that are essential to carry, protect and nourish your unborn child when the time comes.

                The regular practice of hatha yoga will help achieve hormonal balance, regulate irregular menstrual cycles and tone all the reproductive organs. Yoga postures foster awareness of feelings, both physical and emotional. They build strength and flexibility and also help in lubricating the joints and in releasing the toxins that build up in the body. The various postures also tone the muscles of the spine and strengthen the entire physical body-internally as well as externally, making it fit to carry a new life inside it for nine months.

                The asanas describes in this section should be done before one decides to conceive. Once you become pregnant, you can make changes and add new asanas that will help and support you through your pregnancy.

Relaxation or Yoga Nidra

Relaxation or yoga Nidra

The state of our minds and the state of our bodies are intimately linked. If our muscles are relaxed, then our mind too is relaxed. In today’s world, we are bombarded with stimuli that leave our bodies in physical and mental tension. Such undue tension drains us of our energy and becomes the major cause of our tiredness and ill health.

                Relaxation releases the muscular tension, infusing the body with serenity. To relax is to rejuvenate. To rejuvenate is the key to good health, vitality and peace of mind. Yoga nidra is a gentle relaxation technique that requires a few minutes and is very effective in our day-to-day lives.

a.       Lie down in balasana and make yourself comfortable. Relax your body and focus on your breathing.

b.      Relax your body physically by mentally starting from the toes and moving upwards slowly, till your entire body is relaxed.

c.       Your mind can be relaxed by focusing on your rhythmic breathing and letting no other thought to creep in.

d.      Stay in this position for as long as you want.

Mantra Meditation or Japa Meditation

Mantra Meditation or Japa Meditation

Sound is a form of energy that is made up of vibrations and wavelengths. Mantras are Sanskrit syllables, when chanted, will take you to a higher stage of consciousness. Sincere practice and repetition of a mantra lead to birth of pure thought. Mantra meditation calms the body and mind. It induces a state of silence and stillness. The vibration of the chant has a very soothing and positive effect on you and your baby.

a.       Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position with the spine held erect, or preferable still, sit against a wall, as you will be more comfortable and less distracted. Cushions and bolsters may also be used as per your needs.

b.      Place your hands on your knees with palms upward and the fingers in the chin mudra, i.e. your thumb pressing the tip of your index finger. Relax your body and calm your breathing.

c.       Gently focus your eyes on the point between your eye-brows –the ajna charka.

d.      Feel your breath moving in and out of your body. Visualize that from this point you are sending all your energy to your baby.

e.      Now chant a mantra or the cosmic sound, OM. First chant loudly for a few seconds, and then slow it down to a whisper that you only can hear. Then chant it mentally 108 times. ( You could also use a Japa mala to keep a track of the cunts)

f.        Continue till you are comfortable and then lie down in balasana.

One can also use a japa meditation to keep the mind from distraction. Listening to mantra or spiritual music can be another option.

Medication and Relaxation - Pregnancy yoga

Meditation and Relaxation

Everyone seeks peace of mind though the path adopted to achieve it may differ. Some use soft soothing music to ease that tensions of the day, some read quietly and still others find solace in prayer. The purpose of all these activities is to focus attention on any one point of concentration and still the mind, shutting away all other thoughts till the incessant internal chattering stops. As the mind calms down, and the worries get forgotten, there arises a feeling of contentment. With continued practice of meditation, you can discover a greater sense of purpose and strength of will. Your thinking becomes clearer and more concentrated, affecting all that you do.

                Pregnancy is wonderful but it can be a period of strain and stress; striking a harmonious balance between the mind and the body under these circumstances can be rather difficult.

                The meditation and relaxation techniques taught during the yoga class help you to cope well with the various mood swings that one suffers during pregnancy. These mood swings are due to the hormonal changes that take place during your first trimester. Hormone fluctuations are greatest in this period due to the changes in the levels of estrogen and progesterone. This causes emotional disturbances, nausea and a feeling of lethargy.

                After the there-to-six month period, your placenta replaces the ovaries, which produce the harmones-oestrogen and progesterone. As these hormonal levels reach a balance, your energy levels return and your emotional swings diminish.

                In the last trimester, another major change takes place in your body as it prepares itself for labor and lactation. After your baby is born, the oestrogen and progesterone and progesterone levels fall once more, causing extreme depression and fatigue.

                Mediation and relaxation techniques help your cope with all these hormonal imbalances and emotional ups and downs. They also keep the mind calm, focused and well balanced, besides creating a positive state of mind. Now you are at the stage to willingly accept the changes taking place in your body and in your life.

                Meditation is only a path to increasing your self-awareness and connecting to your unborn baby. It is a proven fact that mothers who practice yoga during their pregnancy give birth to babies who are of happy disposition, calm, healthy an flexible. Your nine-month journey through pregnancy will be a lot easier with meditation as you focus your energies on creating another life within you.

                In order to get the maximum out of meditation, it is essential to make it a regular habit in your life. If you follow these simple instructions, you will be able to gradually train your mind to respond without delay.

a.       Identify a special place for meditation, where you can be left undisturbed for a period of time.

b.      Ideally the best time to meditate is early dawn or dusk, when the atmosphere is charged with spiritual energy. If neither of these times is suitable, then choose  a time when you can concentrate wholly on meditation.

c.       Use the same time and place each day, as this will train your mind to slow down more quickly.

d.      Sit with your back, neck and head held in a straight line, facing the north or east, to benefit from the subtle effects of the earth’s magnetic field.

e.      Try to keep your mind calm during the meditation sessions, by forgetting the past, the present and the future.

f.        Regulate your breathing by first slowing it down and then establishing a rhythmic pattern. This will control the flow of prana and help you to still your mind.

g.       Practice meditation daily, staring with twenty minutes and gradually increasing to an hour.

Womb Seal or Yoni Mudra -Pregnancy yoga

Womb Seal or Yoni Mudra

Bandha and mudra are the locks and seals that have a powerful effect on the reproductive organs of a woman. They also help in altering the mood, attitude besides enhancing awareness and concentration. We have featured two of the most important and beneficial exercises here.

This Mudra is helpful in soothing your mind and the nervous system. It helps you to withdraw yourself from the outer world and enter your inner world. This practice provides the peace needed to prepare you for your new stage of life.

a.       Sit in comfortable position; relax your body and focus on your breath.

b.      Raise your arms and cover your face gently.

c.       Place your index finger on the eyebrow, and your middle finger on your closed eyelids. Press the tips of your ring finger on the outer side of the nostril and your little finger on your lips at the corner of your mouth. Press your thumbs on your ear-holes to withdraw from all the sounds.

d.      Breathe normally and remain in this position for as long as your feel comfortable. Then ole down in balasana.

Pelvic Floor Exercise -Yoga in pregnancy

Pelvic Floor Exercise

Pelvic Floor Exercise is  the locks and seals that have a powerful effect on the reproductive organs of a woman. They also help in altering the mood, attitude besides enhancing awareness and concentration. We have featured two of the most important and beneficial exercises here.

Exercising the pelvic, anal and vaginal muscles keeps them strong and flexible, as these muscles are going to stretch fully at the time of the birth of your baby. They have to withstand the pressure and the stress of birth and return to normal position, avoiding any postnatal problems.
a. Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position, with your eyes closed and your body relaxed.
b. Focus on your anal sphincter, the perinea muscles and the vaginal area.
c. Inhale. Contract these muscles. Exhale and release these muscles.
Repeat several times.

Pregnancy yoga

Ujjayi  Pranayama

This pranayama increases your endurance level, soothes your nerves and tones your entire nervous system. It prepares you well for labor as it helps you to stay calm during the entire period.

a.       Sit in a comfortable position with eyes closed. Relax your body and breathe.

b.      Inhale deeply from both nostrils through the throat, partially keeping your glottis closed in order to produce a sound of low uniform pitch (sa).

c.       Fill your lungs, but take care not to bloat your stomach. Exhale slowly and deeply until your lungs are empty. As you exhale, the air should be left on the roof of the palate and make a sound (ha). These sounds should be so silent that only you should able to hear them. This completes the first sequence of this pranayama. Wait for a few seconds to begin the next round.

Repeat 10 to 15 times.

Yoga in pregnancy and Childbirth

 Alternate Nostril Breathing

In this Pranayama, the blood receives a larger supply of oxygen than in normal breathing; your mind feels relaxed and calm. It also soothes the entire nervous system.

a.       Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position. Relax your entire body and keep your eyes closed.

b.      Bend your right arm from the elbow. Bend the middle and index finger inward to your palms. Bring your ring finger and the little finger toward your thumb.

c.       Place your right thumb on the right side of your nose and your ring and little finger on the left side of your nose. By pressing your thumb, back the right nostril.

d.      Inhale slowly and deeply through your left nostril. After full inhalation, block your left nostril with your ring and little finger. Exhale, breathing out the pressure from your right nostril and releasing the air slowly, deeply and steadily.

e.      Next, blocking your left nostril, inhale deeply from the right. After a full inhalation, block the right nostril and exhale, steadily. This completes one round of the pranayama. Try to do four to eight rounds at least twice a day.

f.        Lie down in balasana and relax.    

Pregnancy yoga

Yogic Breathing

Breath is the very essence of life. According to the yogis, there are two main functions of breathing. The first is to oxygenate the blood and the second to control the Prana or vital energy, leading to control of the mind.

Yogic breathing is very important in yoga. In the yoga sutras, the practice of pranayama and asana is considered to be the highest form of purification and self-discipline for the mind and the body. In pranayama we focus attention on the breath. Therefore, it is very important to keep an alert mind. There is no movement in the body as in the practice of asanas, but we must feel the movement of the breath within as pranayama prepares us for achieving stillness- a prerequisite of meditation.

 Just as there are three stages in an asana, in pranayama there are three parts to each breath – inhalation, retention and exhalation. Unlike the general belief that inhalation is the most important part of breathing, yogic breathing focuses on prolonged retention and exhalation. Nasal inhalation maximizes the amount of prana taken in, for at the back of the nose lie the olfactory organs through which the prana passes, to reach the central nervous system and the brain.

Yoga breathing exercises teach you how to control the prana and thus control the mind. Since breathing reflects your state of mind, by controlling your breathing, you can control your state of mind. The increased intake of prana will bring you great vitality and strength. It also steadies your emotions and encourages greater clarity of mind. In order to facilitate the flow of prana, all yogic breathing exercises are performed while sitting down with the spine, neck and head held in a straight line. Always try to be aware of the breath, and focus on place in the body where we can feel or hear the breath entering and leaving the body at the nostrils. It is also possible to listen to the breath, especially if you make a slight noise.

During pregnancy, yogic breathing is extremely beneficial as you are breathing for the two of you. You need an abundant amount of oxygen to pass it on to your baby, so that it develops into a healthy, strong infant. Yogic will help control pregnancy anxieties and gestation period. It also proves beneficial during labour as it helps you cope with the painful muscular contractions and calms you, so that your delivery is smooth and natural.

During pregnancy, yogic breathing is extremely beneficial as you are breathing for the two of you. You need an abundant amount of oxygen to pass it on to your baby, so that it develops into a healthy, strong infant. Pranayama will help control pregnancy anxieties and promote a feeling of calmness and well-being during your entire gestation period. It also proves beneficial during labour as it helps you cape with the painful muscular contractions and calms you, so that your delivery is smooth and natural.

Whilst performing breathing exercises, do remember to sit up in a comfortable position, supporting yourself with cushions, keeping your facial muscles released and breath natural. Also remember not to retain your breath and stop the exercise if your feel breathless

.

“Breathe naturally, without forcing. No pressure, no disturbance. Nothing should interfere with the simple tide-like movement of our lungs as we breathe in and out.” – Vanda Scarvelli