Sarah and Chad have asked me to help them prepare for birth with a private partnered yoga session. Here is an excerpt from my introductory letter encouraging them to use rituals at our session to help support their birth intention, and enliven their experience with beauty, substance, and power.
We can add weight to ritual by framing them in the elements. Consider the following possibilities.
Earth is the grounding, solid, heavy quality needed to give birth. It is the heavy, open pelvis. It's the contracting uterus pulling you down, the blood of a bloody show, and the placenta after birth.
Example
*Crystals
Jessica's mom passed around crystals at her daughter's baby shower inviting guests to meditate and send Jessica blessings and love for her birth. I noticed entering Jessica's room at the hospital that she had the crystals resting on her pregnant belly while she was sleeping.
Fire is the fuel you need to push your baby out, and remain focused on your intention despite tendencies that may keep you feeling small, contracted, and inadequate. You may wish to reflect on your life thus far and call forth those activities or experiences that required you to dig deep? Do you have a momentum symbolic of that time? What reminds you of transformation?
*Unlit candles
*Incense
*Pictures
*Graduation caps
In Love and Light,
Maurene
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Create A Ritual For Your Intention
Now that you have your intention, it is time to ground it in ritual. Remember, intention is purposeful creation of thought and moves in realms that are very difficult for us to hold. Despite its' elusive nature, she is worthy of pursuit since intention has the power to direct energy, and energy moves matter including the physical body (even pregnant bodies)! One of the ways we can hold such subtle refinement is to surround ourselves with items that help to arouse its essence. Rituals do just that. Rituals use items in conjunction with activities for the purpose of igniting intention.
The very finest display of ritual I ever encountered was with a woman who gave birth at the hospital. The very moment I walked into her room, my full attention went to an altar she had created on the bureau. Her altar was so elaborate, I couldn't seem to get enough, looking at each of the figures, resisting my temptations to hold and feel them through my fingers.
Many of the items placed on the alter were pieces that she had created ritual around. For example, do you see the bag of small stones in one of the pictures? Every time she thought of herself giving birth and wanting to be open and free, she took one of the pepples and placed it in the small box with the mother and child figure carved on the top.
Consider creating ritual around a steady, continuous yoga practice. Bring a small floral pillow, or even one of the bolsters we use so frequently in our class at the hospital. When it is time to give birth, bring the items with you to help remind you of your intention.
Here are some other ideas you may want to consider using to create ritual for your birth. Integrate the elements into your story to further help ground your intention i.e., earth, water, fire, air and ether. Be creative and have fun!
*bright floral pillows
*music
*photographs
*perfume sprayer filled with rose water
*a bowl of rose water
*jewelry
*sage sticks
*candles (please, they cannot be lit in the hospital)
*chimes to hang on IV poles
In love and light,
Maurene
The very finest display of ritual I ever encountered was with a woman who gave birth at the hospital. The very moment I walked into her room, my full attention went to an altar she had created on the bureau. Her altar was so elaborate, I couldn't seem to get enough, looking at each of the figures, resisting my temptations to hold and feel them through my fingers.
Many of the items placed on the alter were pieces that she had created ritual around. For example, do you see the bag of small stones in one of the pictures? Every time she thought of herself giving birth and wanting to be open and free, she took one of the pepples and placed it in the small box with the mother and child figure carved on the top.
Consider creating ritual around a steady, continuous yoga practice. Bring a small floral pillow, or even one of the bolsters we use so frequently in our class at the hospital. When it is time to give birth, bring the items with you to help remind you of your intention.
Here are some other ideas you may want to consider using to create ritual for your birth. Integrate the elements into your story to further help ground your intention i.e., earth, water, fire, air and ether. Be creative and have fun!
*bright floral pillows
*music
*photographs
*perfume sprayer filled with rose water
*a bowl of rose water
*jewelry
*sage sticks
*candles (please, they cannot be lit in the hospital)
*chimes to hang on IV poles
In love and light,
Maurene
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Listening For Intention In Malasana
My dearest ones,
When I gave birth to my daughter Candyce now almost a quarter of a century ago, I knew nothing about yoga, power in your spine called kundalini, or transformation. All I knew was that I believed that by giving birth naturally I was doing the best for my baby and that the process somehow would bring me closer to her. Of course, I was so madly in love in my pregnancy, I wanted to drown in the intense love that I felt inside of me. I wanted to merge with what was inside of me.
My intention for natural childbirth may have been irrational, but love is not about what is explainable but rather what one is willing to risk for the sake of truth, connection and happiness.
There is an asana called Malasana (squatting) that provides the perfect conditions for one to hear intention in pregnancy. In squatting, there is an opening, with the thighs taken wide, and the womb exposed to daylight. Simultaneously, the pose provides protection needed for introspection, as the spine drapes over the portal to new life. The pose physically is effortless. The work is all inside, breathing, listening, waiting. Waiting, not just for the baby, but what is ever lasting, the glory in the moment.
In love and light,
Maurene
When I gave birth to my daughter Candyce now almost a quarter of a century ago, I knew nothing about yoga, power in your spine called kundalini, or transformation. All I knew was that I believed that by giving birth naturally I was doing the best for my baby and that the process somehow would bring me closer to her. Of course, I was so madly in love in my pregnancy, I wanted to drown in the intense love that I felt inside of me. I wanted to merge with what was inside of me.
My intention for natural childbirth may have been irrational, but love is not about what is explainable but rather what one is willing to risk for the sake of truth, connection and happiness.
There is an asana called Malasana (squatting) that provides the perfect conditions for one to hear intention in pregnancy. In squatting, there is an opening, with the thighs taken wide, and the womb exposed to daylight. Simultaneously, the pose provides protection needed for introspection, as the spine drapes over the portal to new life. The pose physically is effortless. The work is all inside, breathing, listening, waiting. Waiting, not just for the baby, but what is ever lasting, the glory in the moment.
In love and light,
Maurene
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Share Your Story
Dear Ones,
My Alma matte is always encouraging me to tell my story. They say that it is an important part of the school's history. They want to know how my experience has influenced my life, and do I have any advise for new, upcoming students. More than my college years, my birth event was monumental, remarkable. I continue to look back and touch upon the many chapters. It was grueling, exhausting. But somewhere in the heat of all of that work, something happened. I can't recall exactly the moment, but something grand happened and I have never been the same.
How do you want to recall your birth experience, and what can you do to help support your intention?
In the coming year, in yoga, I envision giving women an opportunity to journal about their pregnancy experience. My hope is that it will entice you to continue writing and record, special, significant moments of your birth that capture your heart. For example, Kelly broke all of our hearts in our closing circle when she shared how sweet the smell of her baby Helen was when they first put her on Kelly's chest. These moments are precious, and we should do everything in our power to anchor them deep in our being.
This week in yoga I will be bringing my camera and taking pictures of all of you in poses in anticipation of sharing you on my blog. Then, after you have your babies' I'd love the opportunity to do a feature story on each of you. I truly hope you will join along.
In love and light,
Maurene
My Alma matte is always encouraging me to tell my story. They say that it is an important part of the school's history. They want to know how my experience has influenced my life, and do I have any advise for new, upcoming students. More than my college years, my birth event was monumental, remarkable. I continue to look back and touch upon the many chapters. It was grueling, exhausting. But somewhere in the heat of all of that work, something happened. I can't recall exactly the moment, but something grand happened and I have never been the same.
How do you want to recall your birth experience, and what can you do to help support your intention?
In the coming year, in yoga, I envision giving women an opportunity to journal about their pregnancy experience. My hope is that it will entice you to continue writing and record, special, significant moments of your birth that capture your heart. For example, Kelly broke all of our hearts in our closing circle when she shared how sweet the smell of her baby Helen was when they first put her on Kelly's chest. These moments are precious, and we should do everything in our power to anchor them deep in our being.
This week in yoga I will be bringing my camera and taking pictures of all of you in poses in anticipation of sharing you on my blog. Then, after you have your babies' I'd love the opportunity to do a feature story on each of you. I truly hope you will join along.
In love and light,
Maurene
Friday, November 5, 2010
Moving In Full Circle
For the next several weeks, we will be putting it all together. Our starting place is early labor, a time to retreat, taking rest and nourishment for the demands ahead. This is the fetal position, being still, connecting with the subtly of cellular breathing. Labor progresses, movement begins slowly, ease fully as we expand outward, from our core like your baby will do when it is time to be born. Active labor involves more concentrated effort, yielding in standing poses, reaching in forward bends while connecting reverently with the breath. We will give birth, arching into backbends, leading with the mouth and pushing with the tail. In postpartum, we round back, reconnecting with our core. This will be a time of strengthening/connecting with the physical body that makes up our core i.e. the pelvic floor, lower abdominals and the muscles of your inner thighs. Finally, our work is complete, we conclude where we begin, resting back, huddled over in the fetal position.
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