Yoga Before, During, and After Pregnancy, part 2

Pregnancy is over within nine months, and those nine months are a time of challenge-the challenge of the ever-changing body, physical discomfort, mood swings, and fatigue. At the end is the biggest challenge of all, the actual labor. The person who practices yoga has the tools to deal with challenge, and can handle these nine months with assurance and calm. Even if she is unable for some reason to practice asana, the mother will benefit from a program of pranayama (2). Pranayama will bring prana to the baby and steady the mind of the mother (1). The breath is considered in yoga to be the link between body and soul, and it is in pranayama that this link is clearly demonstrated. Slow, steady breathing lowers the heart rate, reduces blood pressure, and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, suppressing the “fight or flight” response (2). Even those unfamiliar with yoga will know that breath control techniques are helpful during labor. The Lamaze Technique is a well known method that doctors teach women to take advantage of the breath as the link between mind and body to reduce pain during labor. Pranayama is not just helpful during labor. It can be used to calm the mind during pregnancy and after, and is prescribed to help with everything from uterine prolapse to constipation (3).

Meditation is a critical component of yoga and exponentially beneficial during and after pregnancy. A disciplined commitment to meditation will help keep the body’s internal clock regular, ensuring the new mother gets the sleep she needs and is awake and energized when her child needs her. Meditation turns the mind inward, making the meditator acutely aware of her flow of thoughts, enabling her to get rid of destructive or unwanted thoughts (2). Regular meditation can also balance hormones, lowering levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. This has the effect of lowering stress and connecting mother to her unborn baby (1). Because meditation has been shown to lower heart rate and blood pressure (Murphy and Donovan, The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation, IONS, 1999), it can potentially lower the risk of pre-enclampsia and preterm brain damage (4). Meditation’s most enticing benefit as the due date approaches is it’s ability to “switch on” the brain’s natural painkillers. According to Deepak Chopra, “the brain [and nervous system in general] produces narcotics up to 200 times stronger than anything you can buy . . . with the added boon that our own pain-killers are nonaddictive. Morphine and endorphines both block pain by filling a certain receptor on the neuron and preventing other chemicals that carry the message of pain from coming in, without which there can be no sensation of pain, no matter how much physical provocation is present (4).” A regular meditation practice during pregnancy will keep the mother calm and heighten her pain tolerance for labor. After childbirth, the new mother should continue to meditate, which will keep her hormones balanced, staving off insomnia and depression (4). On a psychological level, meditation brings mindfulness to everyday life, “off the mat (2).” The ability to be present with each moment will bring a sense of fulfillment and appreciation, allowing the new mother to enjoy the brief period that her child is dependent on her.

Pregnancy is a special time and soon over. Yoga enables the pregnant mother to nurture her body and mind and create a supportive environment for the fetus. By incorporating yoga into her life, the pregnant yogini not only takes care of herself, but sets a good habit for life for herself and her child. In fact, children benefit from yoga too and are usually enthusiastic, so the yogini should introduce yoga to her children as soon as possible. There are even Mommy & Me classes for mothers and infants that facilitate parent-child bonding. Classes are especially beneficial because the student can meet other new mothers or pregnant women who will be a source of support. As previously stated, this essay is by no means comprehensive, but will hopefully have stated adequately just how useful yoga can be. A program of asana, meditation, and pranayama will advance the quality of life for both mother and child.

1. McCall, Timothy. Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing. New York NY: Random House, 2007.

2. Swami Vishnu-Devananda.The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga. New York, NY: Julian Press, Inc, 1988.

3. Swami Vishnu-Devananda. The Sivananda Companion to Yoga. New York, NY: Gaia Books Unlimited, 2000.

4. Chamberlain, David. Benefits of Childbirth Meditation http://www.calmbirth.org/benefits.html, May 21 2009.

Yoga Before, During, and After Pregnancy, part 1

Yoga is a comprehensive system for achieving total health. It calms and focuses the mind, strengthens and heals the body, and can even lead to spiritual fulfillment. The asanas of yoga are much gentler on the body than traditional aggressive physical exercise. For these reasons, yoga is ideal for keeping mother and fetus healthy during pregnancy. A regular yoga practice will prevent back pain, excessive weight gain, and will make delivery easier. Pregnancy yoga is a huge topic, much too broad to be adequately covered in a three page essay, but this treatment can be considered a jumping-off point toward further study.

A regular yoga practice will not only prepare the mother for birth, it will also provide a loving environment for the child from the very beginning of its gestation. Physical fitness will lead to an easier delivery, and yoga not only can make you fit, but will also provide the ability to remain calm and in control of the situation during labor. A regular practice of pranayama and meditation teaches the yogi to live in the moment, embracing the present and all its effects. This is especially important for pregnant mothers, who will no doubt fear their upcoming labor and subsequent sleepless nights. Meditation especially is known to keep fear and discomfort at bay, so the meditator is able to face any eventuality with calm and equanimity. It is easy to see that regular meditation can make one a better mother.

Yoga can be helpful during pregnancy for the seasoned practitioner or the beginner. In fact, the more adept yogini may notice improvement in her asana form during pregnancy. This is because a hormone called relaxin is being secreted at this time, which loosens the muscles and ligaments (3). Because she may be more flexible than before, the yogini may try to push herself further than she should, which can lead to soreness and injury. It is best to work with a knowledgeable teacher who will guide the yogini in the poses appropriate for her condition. Relaxin continues to surge in the body for about three months after the birth, so the yogini must continue to be vigilant not to over-stretch even then (1). Injuries from overstretching can lead to inflammation of the joints that may never really go away. One of the most basic rules of yoga is to avoid over-exertion, and this is especially true for pregnant women. Bikram and other “hot yogas” are to be avoided because of the risks of dehydration and overheating (3).

Pregnancy is a time of rapid change in the body, and different asanas become appropriate as the body changes. If there is a high risk of miscarriage, asana may have to be avoided altogether. Pranayama and meditation can and should still be practiced, but pregnant women are advised to avoid kumbhaka, or breath retention, as well as rapid breathing such as Kapalabhati or Bhastrika (1). Slow, steady breathing is best, as the surge of prana is beneficial and the slow pace will slow the heart rate. After the first trimester, the yogini should avoid poses which require lying on the back or belly. Backbends stretch the linea alba, a fibrous structure separating the rectus muscles of the abdomen, which is already being stretched by pregnancy (3). Lying on the belly will become more uncomfortable as pregnancy goes on, so side-reclining variations of asanas should be adapted. Also to be avoided after the first trimester are vigorous twists as well as forward bends with the legs close together, which puts pressure on the uterus (3). Standing forward bends should be practiced with a concave back to avoid bringing the lower ribs too close to the uterus (1). In the second and third trimesters, sitting poses gain critical importance because they help open the pelvis to prepare for the birth. Padmasana, Sukhasana, and wide-legged forward bends are all beneficial (3). Standing poses and all poses that strengthen the legs are helpful as well because a strong foundation becomes vital as the baby grows. Having strong legs will enable the mother to carry the fetus in as much comfort as possible (1). Perineal exercises will tone and create elasticity in the pelvic floor, helping the muscles stretch fully during birth and return easily to their previous position. To tone the pelvic floor, the yogini can lie down and clench the muscles of the thighs and buttocks with the lower back pressed into the floor (3). Alternately, she can perform the mula bandha, or root lock, in which the muscles of the anus are squeezed for a few seconds then relaxed (3). After the perineal exercises, the yogini should do a gentle squatting pose to open the pelvis. Women in countries where squatting and sitting on the floor are more common tend to have easier births because squatting opens the pelvic area and strengthens the legs (3).

The further into pregnancy one goes, the more cumbersome she will feel. Poses will have to be modified to accommodate the extra weight and special concerns pregnancy brings. As previously mentioned, the legs should be wide apart in forward bends. The hands can be used to maintain balance; for example, pressing the hands into the lower back during Surya Namaskar instead of raising them in Urdvha Hastasana, or leaning the arms on the front leg in Crescent Pose (1). Instead of leg raises to strengthen the abdomen, pregnancy sit-ups can be performed. To do them, one lies on the back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, elbows behind the head, and crunches the left elbow toward the right knee, lowers down, then switches sides. This will keep the abdominals strong throughout pregnancy and hold the baby in proper position (3). Inversions are only recommended during pregnancy if the yogini is already used to practicing them. Modified shoulderstand against a wall or a half-headstand, with the knees bent and feet on the ground, can be performed instead of their more vigorous counterparts. These poses rest the lower back and legs, and ensure the womb reverts to its proper position after birth (3). Again, inversions should only be practiced if one is already familiar with them, and only as long as they are comfortable. It will be nearly impossible to perform headstand or shoulderstand in the latter stages of the third trimester. Supta Badha Konasana is also valuable for opening the pelvis, and can be modified by either lying back with the feet together, lifted a few inches from the ground, against a wall, or, alternately, props such as bolsters and pillows can be used to keep the upper body at an incline. This prevents compression of the vena cava, a vein that runs on the right side of the body and delivers blood back to the heart (3). Side Savasana is the pregnancy modification of Savasana. It is done by lying on the left side (again to reduce compression of the vena cava) with a pillow or bolster between the legs (1). A pillow under the head will add to the relaxing effect of this pose.

I know this has been a long post. Tomorrow I will post the much shorter Part 2

Current Class Schedule

This is my current teaching schedule. It is pretty sparse right now but I will be adding at least one class in Red Bank (beginning Monday nights in a couple of weeks), possibly more. Please email or put something in the comments if you are interested in these classes. My Tuesday lunch hour class is also in danger of being cut due to lack of interest, so come by if you can. Lastly, if you are interested in classes but none of these listed times are convenient, let me know. I am looking to add more classes to my roster but need to know when potential students are able to come. If you are interested in private one-on-one sessions in your home and live in Monmouth County or New York City, please contact me for rates.

Tuesdays and Thursdays in locations in Monmouth County, NJ

Monday:

Tuesday: 9:00 am Beginner Hatha Yoga at Cedar Village Adult Living Community

12:00 pm to 12:50 Lunch Hour Hatha Yoga at Inspired Life Studios, 560 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ Inspired Life Studios

Wednesday

Thursday: 7:00 pm Vinyasa Yoga (level intermediate and up) at Inspired Life Studios 560 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ Inspired Life Studios

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Yoga for Dancers

New YouTube video! This time I've decided to focus on yoga for the dancer. I have been dancing on and off my whole life, since my first ballet class at the age of 3. I've taken classes in ballet, hip hop, and jazz, and have performed with the FDU Devils Dance team and as a belly dancer in a recent short film. During my time dancing I saw numerous injuries occurring in my fellow dancers and noticed a decidedly unhealthy spirit of competition in the dance world. The solution, of course, is yoga.

Yoga's principle of ahimsa, or non-violence (perhaps better translated as "un-violence," a refraining from all forms of harm) is the watchword here. When we practice ahimsa toward ourselves, we respect the limitations of the body and do not push ourselves to the point of injury. We can also see how feelings of competition with others lead to our own unhappiness. When we practice ahimsa toward others, we do not wish to see them harmed, which leads to the yogic principle of mudita, or taking delight in the virtue of others. It's pretty much the opposite of schadenfreude. Maintaining the equanimity of mind that yoga brings can help the dancer safely navigate a world of competition.

The following video is a very basic series of poses for the dancer. I've heard some ballet teachers specifically recommend NOT doing yoga because there is so much work in parallel that there is a fear dancers will lose their turnout. I've included two poses done with turnout here (vrkasana and eka pada rajkapotasana) to demonstrate that yoga can indeed be used to improve turnout, but there are also plenty of parallel poses as well. In order to prevent injuries and maintain healthy joints, the hips should be worked from ALL positions-turned out, turned in, and parallel. Doing yoga can bring balance to dancers' hips that may be tight from being constantly turned out. I've included poses here designed to strengthen the core, build balance, and stretch the hips; all things that are imperative no matter what style of dance you do. All my videos are ten minutes long so I can put them on YouTube, but please feel free to hold the poses for longer than I do here. I also recommend doing a full warmup and a few sun salutations to build heat in the body before performing the sequence below. Namaste!

Yoga and Christianity: Namaste

Human beings have an innate desire and perhaps need of ritual. I provide ritual in my yoga class-outside of any religious context-and sate my own need for ritual in the Catholic Mass. Yes, this article is about religion, so if you are offended in any way please stop reading. I won’t hold it against you. I intend this to be the first article in a series.

In the mass, according to the Vatican II Council Fathers, Christ is present in four ways, as this article so articulately states it (I highly recommend both of Louie Verecchio’s articles on St. John Chrysostom’s Homily on the Holy Pentacost for any Catholics interested in learning more about the liturgy and the upcoming changes). He is present in the scriptures, congregation, in the priest, who acts in persona Christi at the consecration, and of course, in a very special way, in the Eucharist itself. During the Mass at key moments the priest will say “the Lord be with you,” to which the faithful reply “and also with you” or “and with your spirit,” more accurately. Beginning in 2011 or 2012, congregations in the United States will go back to saying “and with your spirit.” The congregation and the priest acknowledge that the same Spirit (as noted in the linked article, St. John Chrysostom plays with the relationship between “spirit,” lower case, and “Spirit,” as in the Holy Spirit) is in all present.

This reminds me very much of the Indian word Namaste, which I find myself saying often in my yoga classes. It means “the spirit in me bows to the spirit in you,” or “the Divine in me acknowledges the Divine in you.” Yoga sprang up in the Indus Valley millennia ago in an essentially Hindu context, but it can be seen as the philosophy that underpins Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism-to varying degrees respectively, of course. To the Hindu, all beings share the same Spirit-Atman, and at Enlightenment the individual soul is reunited to the universal Atman. The “divine” that is meant in the term Namaste refers to Brahman, a concept that is too overwhelming to dive into in this brief article. Suffice it to say Brahman, in simplest terms, can be called “God.” The profound truth one supposedly understands at Enlightenment is that Atman is Brahman.

Now, of course, I’ve already declared myself a Catholic and as such do not subscribe to the belief in Atman, at least as Hindus understand it. Even as a yoga teacher, I do not feel the need to believe this, even if many of my students do. As a Catholic, I can see similarities and parallels between my religion and Hinduism that make me feel that yoga can be a philosophy for people like me as well. For instance, at the Eucharist, God joins himself physically to me. I can in a real sense say that “God is in me.” Any yogi, regardless of religion, would say the same thing. When I say “Namaste” to my class, I do not mean that I acknowledge that my students and I in any sense “share” a soul, but I acknowledge that they, like me, have a soul. We’re made of the same “stuff.” I acknowledge that there is something divine in them (a “divine spark” if you want to bring Kabbalah into this) that my own soul can see, and I bow before that divine spark in awe and humility. Namaste.

Yoga for the Hips

One of the main reasons people turn to yoga is that they are experiencing back pain. Pain or tightness, especially in the lower back, is extremely common, and fortunately is something that the specific stretches prescribed by yoga can alleviate. Yoga teaches the interconnectedness of the body and its different muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and bones. Discomfort in one area of the body can (and in the case of areas like the back, usually is) caused by a problem in another part of the body. That part of the body is often the hips.

In our modern society we spend a lot of our time sitting-at a desk at work or at school, driving, at meals, etc. This is one of the reasons we also have poor posture, digestive problems, and yes, sore backs. The muscles at the front of the hips spend so much time contracted while we sit that they cause imbalances in the body. Sitting is a major cause of tightness in the hips, but it isn't the only one. When we experience certain emotions, we tend to reactively tense up certain muscles. Personally, I store my tension in my jaw. After a stressful day I always notice that my jaw is clenched and my neck hurts. For many others, especially women, this tension is stored in the hips. It is not unusual for people to experience long-buried emotions and even cry when they finally let go of the accumulated tension in the hips in yoga class. It is almost as though the emotions themselves are stored in the hips, and the release of the muscle is cathartic emotionally.

The following video is a brief practice designed to open up the hips from every angle. Performing the asanas I lead you through in this video a few times a week will bring noticeable improvements to your posture and may help improve digestion, alleviate back pain, and release old emotional patterns that no longer serve you.

Master Class: Yoga for the Core

A few months ago I posted Yoga for Abs and have had some requests for a follow-up. Well, here it is! Below are the original video and a newer one with some different poses. In yoga you often use the core (the inner and outer abdominals, inner and outer obliques, pelvic floor, and lower back muscles) in poses that at first glance would appear to have nothing to do with the core. I designed the sequence in the second video with that in mind. Although the poses are generally ab-oriented, they teach you how to use the abs in motion, which is helpful for all yoga asanas. I also instruct you to use the bandhas, which is truly the secret to engaging the deeper muscles of the core, including the transverse abdominus, which acts like a natural corset. If you don't understand the use of bandhas, click on the word above for about.com's explanation.