Claim Your Serenity During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is not a sickness and hence it is very important
to be joyful and aware, rather than sad or low during these
nine months of growth and constant physical and emotional
changes.Minor complication leading to discomforts such as
backache, headache, constipation, stuffy nose, worry,
anxiety, nausea, morning sickness, heartburn, shortness
of breath, skin rash, fainting back ache piles and varicose
veins are common during pregnancy.
Yoga can help alleviates some of these.Is possible to practice
yoga until the last stage of pregnancy, only if you do not have
any major complications. Before starting yoga while you are
pregnant, check with your doctor about yours and the baby’s
condition. Be aware and watchful about your mind and body
during yoga practice to avoid straining your system. Try to
stay calm and relaxed. During pregnancy be particularly
carful to eat a good diet and try to maintain a simple lifestyle.

What practices can you do during pregnancy?

There are many techniques that can be practiced during
pregnancy which are safe and help eliminate the above
discomforts. Simple techniques such as asana, pranayama
and meditation increase your circulation, improve the digestion
system eliminating gastric discomfort, acidity and indigestion,
reduce joint pain and all other complications which can
arise during pregnancy.

Asanas (posture):

These three groups of pawanmukhta groups, basic asanas
(postures), increase flexibility and prepare your mind and body
base position ( prarambhik shiti), toe bending (padanguli naman),
ankle rotation (goolf chakra), ankle rotation (goolf chakra),
ankle crank (goolf ghoornan), knee bending (janu naman),
knee rotation (janu chakra), half butterfly (ardha titali),
full butterfly (poorna titali), hand clenching (mushtika bandhana),
wrist bending (manibandha naman),wrist joint rotation
(manibandha chakra), elbow bending (kahuni naman),
flapping fish, shoulder socket rotation (skandha chakra),
head movement (greeva sanchalana), shashank asana,
cat pose (marjari asana ), tiger (vyaghrasana), cow's face
(gomukha), hero meditation (dhyana veerasana),
spinal twist (maru wakarna) and half spinal (ardh- machendra)

Ajapa japa (meditation):

Has a direct effect on the nervous system through mental
chanting of the Soham mantra. With total awareness,
these practices will bring out hidden fears and
complexes to the surface. You will have to learn to observe
and accept whatever has been out of sight until now.

Pranayama (breathing techniques):

Will strengthen your nervous system, bring balance to the
autonomic nervous system and enhance voluntary control
over the respiratory system. Some common examples
are nadi shodhana, bastrika (up to third month only),
bhramary and ujjayi pranayama. Yoga nidra (psychic sleep),
meditation, ajapa japa, ashwini mudra, vajroli mudra and moola
bandha and shavasana also increase the relaxed state of your
mind and help with self-analysis. Shavasana increases
the knowledge of inhalation and exhalation and thus will improve
the state of your mind and body during pregnancy.
When practiced along with kumbhaka (breath retention) and
jalandhara bandha (throat lock), it increases the lung capacity
and strength. Pranayama also helps you to develop breath
awareness and awareness of thoughts thus improving mental state.

Neti kriya (nasal cleansing):

To ease breathing, it is necessary to have nasal passages
which are free from mucus and pollution. This also relieves
allergies such as colds, sinusitis and disorder of the eyes,
ears and throat, reduces the tension of the face muscles,
and has a cooling effect on the brain. Anxiety, anger and
depression can be alleviated. This can be useful in the
treatment of epilepsy as well as migraine.

Shatkarma (six action of purification):

Ensures the balances between the three doshas - kapha
(mucus), pitta (bile) and vatta (wind) since any imbalance
of the doshas brings illness to the body and the mind.

Yoga nidra (psychic sleep):

Along with shavasana (corpse pose) helps relax the mind,
aids self-analysis and increases the power of visualization
and creativity. Shavasana also increases the awareness of
breathing in and out.