THIS IS A HANDOUT I GIVE TO MOTHERS AT MY YOGA CLASSES FOR PREGNANCY. YOU CAN USE THESE IDEAS EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT PREGNANT, OR NOT A MOTHER. THE PRACTICES SHOULD BE SAFE FOR EVERYONE BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT ME OR ANOTHER QUALIFIED YOGA TEACHER BEFORE WORKING WITH THE TECHNIQUES.
The more you connect with your Breath, the calmer you will feel.
The calmer you feel, the calmer your baby will feel. With each inhalation, remind yourself that every breath nourishes & nurtures you and your baby. These practices are safe for you during pregnancy and also ideal once you have your babe in arms.
£ Mindful breathing: sit with a tall spine, lifting your crown to the sky and sending a root from the base of your spine into the Earth. Rest your hands palms up on your legs or rest your left palm face up in your right palm. You may prefer to work with your hands cradling your baby bump or in a mudra of your choice.
Bring your focus to your breath: witness your natural breathing rhythm as you become mindful of your inhalation and your exhalation. Without any attempt to control or change your breathing pattern, become aware of the small pauses between the inhale and the exhale, and the pause at the end of your outbreath before your breath returns to your body.
As you breathe, visualise your breath travelling up your spine on the inhalation, from tailbone to crown, and watch it flow back down with your exhalation.
As you inhale welcome your breath, and new prana (life energy) bringing new stamina, strength and healing. As you exhale, release any tension, stress or strain, discharging any negativity into the Earth through the root at the base of your spine.
You may like to spend more time watching your breath, visualising its journey: through your spine, into every blood vessel and nerve channel in your body, as though spreading through the trunk and branches of a tree. You can also visualise the flow of your breath through your placenta, like the roots of a second tree, the trunk your beautiful baby’s amazing umbilical cord, carrying the breath to echo its journey through your body in your little one’s body.
If you want to work with a more formal breathing technique:
£ Nadi Sodhana Pranayama: for this simple alternate nostril breath, you can work using the fingers to open & close the nose or you can work more subtly by visualising the flow of the breath. Sit comfortably with a tall spine. Spend a moment tuning into your breath by watching its natural rhythm. When you are ready begin breathing to the pattern:
Inhale left ~ Exhale right ~ Inhale right ~ Exhale left
This is one round. Try to work this way for at least 3-6 rounds. You can continue for up to 12 rounds if you feel comfortable with the practice.
Nadi Sodhana balances the flow of the breath in the body and balances your body’s energies, as well as your hormones. It is a very calming, restorative breath and ideal before meditation, sleep or when you, or your baby, are feeling anxious or fretful.
It is essential that you take care of yourself as a mother:
£ Caring Breath: resting your hands palms up on your knees, inhale and raise the right hand to shoulder level; exhale and move your right hand to your left shoulder pressing firmly but gently into the upper arm and turning to look at your shoulder at the end of your out breath. As the breath returns move the hand back across the body at shoulder level, exhale and return your right hand to your right knee and turn your back to face centre. Repeat with the left hand. Both sides is one round. Work with 3-6 rounds. Feel your breath nurturing you and acknowledge your needs as a mother, taking this time for yourself to replenish your energy and listen to your self so that you understand and can meet your own needs.
Lucy Barlow. Yoga for Joyful Motherhood. 2011©
