Saturday, January 31, 2009
Meditations for pregnancy
Prenatal Yoga, Lesson II
Meditating during pregnancy can influence your health and happiness and your baby’s as well. In this class we will focus on a simple visualization for pregnancy.
We will start with the brief meditation that we do at the beginning of each class. You can refer the previous class transcript for this.
After this meditation, we will practice visualizations specifically for well being during pregnancy.
Take a comfortable position and close your eyes. Do a quick body trip to relax the body completely. Acquaint yourself with your breath – take a few seconds to do this. Now bring your awareness to the blank space behind your closed eyes. This is your mind-space, where you can project images as they arise in your mind. Search your mind-space for signs of activity, shapes, colors or whatever arises. If nothing arises, be aware of the emptiness.
Now visualize this: your body enveloped in golden light energy. Slowly feel this energy seeping into your body, part by part. Feel the entire inner space aglow with the energy of this light. Visualize it as well. Visualize your baby being bathed in this golden light too. Use this golden-light visualization to connect with your baby.
Now leave your mind-space and come back to your breath – stay with your breath for a bit - and come back to your body and the atmosphere around you.
Slowly open your eyes.
This entire practice can be done for ten whole minutes. You can time it so that each part (that is body trip, breath awareness and visualization takes about 3 minutes a piece. The breath awareness could probably be done for a minute-and-a-half or so either way – that is before the visualization and after)
You are welcome to practice shavasana as well after this practices. Do this guided shavasana if you like....
Mantras are a wonderful way to wellbeing during pregnancy. We will discuss this great method in a future class.
Until then…..practice these few asana and other techniques. Wellness is guaranteed.
Meditating during pregnancy can influence your health and happiness and your baby’s as well. In this class we will focus on a simple visualization for pregnancy.
We will start with the brief meditation that we do at the beginning of each class. You can refer the previous class transcript for this.
After this meditation, we will practice visualizations specifically for well being during pregnancy.
Take a comfortable position and close your eyes. Do a quick body trip to relax the body completely. Acquaint yourself with your breath – take a few seconds to do this. Now bring your awareness to the blank space behind your closed eyes. This is your mind-space, where you can project images as they arise in your mind. Search your mind-space for signs of activity, shapes, colors or whatever arises. If nothing arises, be aware of the emptiness.
Now visualize this: your body enveloped in golden light energy. Slowly feel this energy seeping into your body, part by part. Feel the entire inner space aglow with the energy of this light. Visualize it as well. Visualize your baby being bathed in this golden light too. Use this golden-light visualization to connect with your baby.
Now leave your mind-space and come back to your breath – stay with your breath for a bit - and come back to your body and the atmosphere around you.
Slowly open your eyes.
This entire practice can be done for ten whole minutes. You can time it so that each part (that is body trip, breath awareness and visualization takes about 3 minutes a piece. The breath awareness could probably be done for a minute-and-a-half or so either way – that is before the visualization and after)
You are welcome to practice shavasana as well after this practices. Do this guided shavasana if you like....
Mantras are a wonderful way to wellbeing during pregnancy. We will discuss this great method in a future class.
Until then…..practice these few asana and other techniques. Wellness is guaranteed.
Labels: pranayama during pregnancy, pregnancy, prenatal yoga, visualizations, yoga for pregnancy
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Guided Shavasan
This is an 8 minute shavasan that can be done right after an asana practice or for a quick pick-me-up at any time of the day. You can simply lay on your yoga mat or on your bed even, but don't get too comfortable or you may fall asleep!
This guided relaxation is a short shavasan, (though 8 minutes can be long, depending on the need of the moment) and has been created to assist in relaxation while time is of the essence.
Relax and enjoy....
This guided relaxation is a short shavasan, (though 8 minutes can be long, depending on the need of the moment) and has been created to assist in relaxation while time is of the essence.
Relax and enjoy....
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Simple prenatal yoga
Prenatal yoga, Lesson I
Welcome to Bindumandala’s online prenatal yoga class.
The aim of these lessons is to give simple techniques and tips to ease the stresses and strains of pregnancy. Please consult your doctor before attempting any of these practices.
This class has been divided into four parts for your convenience.
The first part is an introductory meditation that could last for anywhere between five and ten minutes.
Introductory meditation
Sit in a comfortable posture. Use a chair or a cushion or whatever makes you feel very comfortable. Close your eyes. Bring your awareness into the room where you are now sitting. Feel the atmosphere around you. Try and tune into your space. Now bring your awareness to your posture and the position in which you are sitting. Feel the contours of your body. Imagine that you are tracing the contours of your body with a pencil. Use this body awareness to get grounded into your mat. Now try and make your body still…..as still as you are able to be. Having done that, take your awareness to your breath. Feel the normal, natural movement of breath into and out of your nostrils. Keep your awareness on your breath for a few seconds. Now bring your awareness to your eyebrow centre – the space between the eyebrows. Stay there for a few seconds, before you come back to your breath at the nostrils, and then to your body and finally back into the room in which you are.
Gently and with complete awareness, open your eyes.
Stretching
Come into the standing position. We will start with a few simple stretches.
Tadasana: stand with your feet hip-width apart. Interlock your fingers and place them on the crown of your head, palms facing upwards. As you inhale, rise up, hold for as long as you feel comfortable, exhale and let go. Repeat five times. As you do the asana, keep your awareness on balancing, and focus your gaze on a point in front of you. Don’t hold your breath for more than a couple of seconds. This asana is a great stretch. It is very refreshing and addresses the organs in your abdomen.
Triyaka tadasana: this asana is done from the same starting position with interlocked fingers. Raise your arms above your head as you inhale and on the exhalation, bend to the side (do not twist the body sideways). This is a sideways stretch. Once again, on the inhalation, rise, come to the centre and as you exhale, extend yourself sideways again, on the other side. This is one round. Repeat up to five rounds.
A good thing to do after every two asana is to close your eyes and relax, feel the effects of the asana on the body, let your breath come back to normal. Once you feel relaxed, pick up the next two stretches.
Squats: the starting position is the same – stand with feet hip-width apart, interlocked fingers. Inhale in that position and as you exhale, squat (go all the way down if possible or stop half-way if that is more comfortable), don’t strain your knees. All asana should be done easily, not with a whole lot of effort and panting. As you inhale, rise up. Do ten squats with awareness on breath and movement.
Stand with your eyes closed and relax. Feel your breath coming back to normal.
For the first class, I will stop with three stretches. We will do many more over the next few days. In the meantime, we will practice pranayama and enjoy the benefits of these amazing breathing techniques.
Pranayama
Pranayama has particular application during pregnancy because it calms the mind almost the same instant that you start to practice it. It has many other benefits, some obvious and some subtle (more on that soon). Overall, it is very important to do these exercises during pregnancy. These pranayama can be safely practiced throughout pregnancy. Do consult your doctor, however.
Brahmari or bee humming: this pranayama has a relaxing effect on the brain of the practitioner (it massages the brain, they say). The mother feels very relaxed and the fetus picks up on this energy too. It generates a feeling of wellbeing.
Sit with your eyes closed. Place your palm on your chest or your belly, even the crown of your head if you like. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, make the humming sound from deep inside your throat. Feel the vibrations against your palm, wherever you have placed it. This pranayama generates calming vibrations throughout your body. The baby in the womb can feel these vibrations, as the humming sound creates ripples through the bag of waters. It’s a mild Jacuzzi effect for the baby.
This is how you finally practice it:
Use both your index fingers to plug your ears. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, make the humming sound. The humming sound should come from deep within your throat, as mentioned earlier. Keep your lips gently closed. Do not clench your teeth and please rest your tongue in one place inside your mouth. Maintain the same pitch throughout each hum. Inhale deeply and extend your exhalation for as long a hum as possible. Repeat this for ten rounds, more if you feel inclined and comfortable doing so. One round constitutes one inhalation and one exhalation.
Nadi shodana (NS): this pranayama is commonly known as alternate nostril breathing because it is just that. The first stage of NS pranayama involves breathing through one nostril (usually the right) only for five breaths while keeping the other nostril (left) closed with the ring finger. When you switch nostrils, then use the thumb to keep the right nostril closed. Your index finger and middle finger (together) can be placed against your eyebrow centre (this is a mudra known as nasikagra mudra). So inhale and exhale through the open nostril while keeping the other nostril closed and then switch nostrils. Part two of NS pranayama actually alternates nostrils for every inhalation and exhalation – that is, you inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left, now inhale through the left and exhale through the right. Remember to keep one nostril closed all the time, as you alternate.
I will discuss part two of NS pranayama again in the next class. For now, till we meet again, practice these two pranayama (brahmari and NS part I) regularly.
Shavasana
Lie down in shavasan. You can use the guided shavasan that I have uploaded, for end of class relaxation.
Pictures and podcast to be uploaded soon so keep an eye out for them!
Welcome to Bindumandala’s online prenatal yoga class.
The aim of these lessons is to give simple techniques and tips to ease the stresses and strains of pregnancy. Please consult your doctor before attempting any of these practices.
This class has been divided into four parts for your convenience.
The first part is an introductory meditation that could last for anywhere between five and ten minutes.
Introductory meditation
Sit in a comfortable posture. Use a chair or a cushion or whatever makes you feel very comfortable. Close your eyes. Bring your awareness into the room where you are now sitting. Feel the atmosphere around you. Try and tune into your space. Now bring your awareness to your posture and the position in which you are sitting. Feel the contours of your body. Imagine that you are tracing the contours of your body with a pencil. Use this body awareness to get grounded into your mat. Now try and make your body still…..as still as you are able to be. Having done that, take your awareness to your breath. Feel the normal, natural movement of breath into and out of your nostrils. Keep your awareness on your breath for a few seconds. Now bring your awareness to your eyebrow centre – the space between the eyebrows. Stay there for a few seconds, before you come back to your breath at the nostrils, and then to your body and finally back into the room in which you are.
Gently and with complete awareness, open your eyes.
Stretching
Come into the standing position. We will start with a few simple stretches.
Tadasana: stand with your feet hip-width apart. Interlock your fingers and place them on the crown of your head, palms facing upwards. As you inhale, rise up, hold for as long as you feel comfortable, exhale and let go. Repeat five times. As you do the asana, keep your awareness on balancing, and focus your gaze on a point in front of you. Don’t hold your breath for more than a couple of seconds. This asana is a great stretch. It is very refreshing and addresses the organs in your abdomen.
Triyaka tadasana: this asana is done from the same starting position with interlocked fingers. Raise your arms above your head as you inhale and on the exhalation, bend to the side (do not twist the body sideways). This is a sideways stretch. Once again, on the inhalation, rise, come to the centre and as you exhale, extend yourself sideways again, on the other side. This is one round. Repeat up to five rounds.
A good thing to do after every two asana is to close your eyes and relax, feel the effects of the asana on the body, let your breath come back to normal. Once you feel relaxed, pick up the next two stretches.
Squats: the starting position is the same – stand with feet hip-width apart, interlocked fingers. Inhale in that position and as you exhale, squat (go all the way down if possible or stop half-way if that is more comfortable), don’t strain your knees. All asana should be done easily, not with a whole lot of effort and panting. As you inhale, rise up. Do ten squats with awareness on breath and movement.
Stand with your eyes closed and relax. Feel your breath coming back to normal.
For the first class, I will stop with three stretches. We will do many more over the next few days. In the meantime, we will practice pranayama and enjoy the benefits of these amazing breathing techniques.
Pranayama
Pranayama has particular application during pregnancy because it calms the mind almost the same instant that you start to practice it. It has many other benefits, some obvious and some subtle (more on that soon). Overall, it is very important to do these exercises during pregnancy. These pranayama can be safely practiced throughout pregnancy. Do consult your doctor, however.
Brahmari or bee humming: this pranayama has a relaxing effect on the brain of the practitioner (it massages the brain, they say). The mother feels very relaxed and the fetus picks up on this energy too. It generates a feeling of wellbeing.
Sit with your eyes closed. Place your palm on your chest or your belly, even the crown of your head if you like. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, make the humming sound from deep inside your throat. Feel the vibrations against your palm, wherever you have placed it. This pranayama generates calming vibrations throughout your body. The baby in the womb can feel these vibrations, as the humming sound creates ripples through the bag of waters. It’s a mild Jacuzzi effect for the baby.
This is how you finally practice it:
Use both your index fingers to plug your ears. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, make the humming sound. The humming sound should come from deep within your throat, as mentioned earlier. Keep your lips gently closed. Do not clench your teeth and please rest your tongue in one place inside your mouth. Maintain the same pitch throughout each hum. Inhale deeply and extend your exhalation for as long a hum as possible. Repeat this for ten rounds, more if you feel inclined and comfortable doing so. One round constitutes one inhalation and one exhalation.
Nadi shodana (NS): this pranayama is commonly known as alternate nostril breathing because it is just that. The first stage of NS pranayama involves breathing through one nostril (usually the right) only for five breaths while keeping the other nostril (left) closed with the ring finger. When you switch nostrils, then use the thumb to keep the right nostril closed. Your index finger and middle finger (together) can be placed against your eyebrow centre (this is a mudra known as nasikagra mudra). So inhale and exhale through the open nostril while keeping the other nostril closed and then switch nostrils. Part two of NS pranayama actually alternates nostrils for every inhalation and exhalation – that is, you inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left, now inhale through the left and exhale through the right. Remember to keep one nostril closed all the time, as you alternate.
I will discuss part two of NS pranayama again in the next class. For now, till we meet again, practice these two pranayama (brahmari and NS part I) regularly.
Shavasana
Lie down in shavasan. You can use the guided shavasan that I have uploaded, for end of class relaxation.
Pictures and podcast to be uploaded soon so keep an eye out for them!
Labels: asana, guided relaxation, guided shavasana, pregnancy, prenatal yoga, shavasana, yoga for pregnancy
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Yoga Glossary
Here is a very useful tool that I wanted to share with all you yoga enthusiasts out there. It is a pretty extensive glossary of terms and I hope you will find it helpful.
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Thursday, January 1, 2009
Another New Year is here…
How many times have you heard yourself say that you simply don’t have the time to exercise? (I catch myself saying that sometimes....) There is never enough time exercise and 10 minutes a day seems to little to be any good. But nothing could be further from the truth. Yoga has some simple practices that can even be done sitting on the couch. Mudras, bandhas and pranayama, for example. The entire practice need not take more than five minutes. Moreover, you can spend an extra five minutes as soon as you crawl out from under the comforter every morning, just stretching those stiff and sleepy muscles and joints.
Winter is when the joints get stiff and the muscles ache for some tender loving care. A simple five-minute stretching routine can do more for you than you will even believe. Maybe this New Year we can make ourselves a promise of trying to influence our own health (mental, physical, the works) positively.
Can we invest a little time towards our health every single day? Can we try and change one little habit at a time so that we bring about our own wellbeing?
Happy New Year!