\*.

o^

?*tsr\

S sc-.

(8o

Antenatal Yoga
By S. Ramaswami
' The approachtoYoga these
Then again, thirdly, yoga approach. Those methods
daysmay be classified into is thought of as a therapy arecalledSrishti,Sthithi and
three. Firstly,Yoga is treated for manyailments,as curative Laya. Asanas to be done
as preventive. during the age of growth
as a vaidic philosophy based and especially
Naturally
the
approach
(Srishti),rhosethat are ro be
on the sutrasof Patanjali. lt
deals with all aspects of (chikitsakrama)will be disti- doneduringmiddleagewhen
nctly different from that of a there is neithergrowth nor
Samadhi,
its prerequisites,
its
studentof yogawho approa- decayand thirdly those that
ramification,culminating in
chesit as an art, or a philo- are to be done during the
the realizationof distinctive
sophy.Many textstalk abcut decayingperiod, called the
natures of prakriti and the benefitsof certainasanas, Laya
krama.
indwelling consciousness,pranayamas,
Mudras, bandpurusha.
This leads to has, etc. Accordingto Ayur- YOGA FOR WOMEN
Kaivalyaor Moksha, accor- veda,thosediseasesthat are
It is established
that women
ding to yoga philosophy.
chronicand that cannot be have beenpractisingyoga in
cured or completely eradi- the oldendays. In fact there
catedby medicinealone can are specific yogic practices
YOGA AS AN ART
be and should be attempted for women. SageNathamuni
Yoga, secondly is treated to be cured with yogasanas considersthe specialconditions of women and has
as an art. Yoga is a complete and pranayamas.
prescribed yoga treatment
physical culture (Sarvanga
Followingthis procedure, for tlrem-during pregnancy
Sadhana).Manyasanas,
their
variations
alongwith coordi- certaintextstalk about yoga for the proper development
different of the foetus(garbha vridhi)
nated breathing make it an practice being
art, and it is consideredone dependingupon one's age. or specifically ante natal
of the 64 kalas or vidyas. They would divide people exercises;then asanas that
This physicalcultureitself is accordrngto their stage of specifically tone up the
life and suggest a different "delivery apparatus", and
to many.
fascinating
November'80

41

help normal delivery and d) Padmasana

or lotus pose for about 3 to 6 breaths. tt
Further Sarvangasanam is a vety good stretching
thirdlythose that are useful
(Head movment involving the
and Sirshasanam
in family planning (Mitha
stand) are also sugge- anterior portions of ankles,
santhana)and for contraception (garbha nirodha). But
sted. This would be the shin,knees,thighsand espethen readers may wonder
daily routinewhich will cially pelvis,abdomen, neck,
whether these have been
facilitate proper foetal sl'nu;6"r. und arms. The
medically tested. lt has to
development.Brieflythe c -st is openedup. lt helps
asanas,are described.
be mentioned
that one should
to tone up the breasts and
have practisedthese asanas
irnproves vascularity and
1) Poorvatana
or Anterior could help later in proper
from earlychildhood-priorto
puberty,or elsemany asanas stretchingposture. This has lactation. A mildervariation
earlier(lndian of it is chatushpadapeetam
are not possibleto do at all beenexplained
Review
1978), as a (lndian Review Juue 1978)
June
at the time necessary-unlike
counterpose
for
Paschima- which could also be attemtaking a pill or undergoing
tanasanam.
Briefly
it is to pted.
instantsurgery. All of them
sit
with
feet
erect
together
however, are logical and
those interestedcould take and stretchedforward. This
2) Dwipadapeetam
or Desk
them up from young age to is calledDandasanaor stick
your
Pose.
Lie
on
back
down
pose.
inhale,
raise
both
Then
see the efficacY of the
Support
the
on
a
soft
carpet.
stretch
and
arms overhead,
system.
ln this article,those yogic
practicesthat are prescribed
for a healthydevelopmentof
the foetesare takenup. Sage
Nathamunigives his prescription in the followingsloka.
Poorvathana
Divipath
BadhakonaPadma
Chatushtayam.
Sirsha,Sarvanga,
pavanayamaihi,
garbho. interlockfingers. Next step neck and head w i th a smal l
vivardhate. is to exhale and keep the soft pi l l ow . E xhal e bendi ng
palmson the ground about the legs at the knees,
one foot behind the back. draw i ng and pl aci ng the teet
It meansthat foetal deve- Then keeping the back
cl ose to the buttocks. D o a
lopmentis helpedby
straight, press the palms, few modul ated breaths w i th
exhale and raise the trunk, chi n l ock or Jal andharaa) purvathanasanam
of An- droppingthe head back, the bandha. l f possi bl e hol d
teriorstretchingposture, chestand pelvis pushed up. the ankl es w i th the hands,
This is
Purvatasanasana
i f not keep the pal ms pressed
cr desk (Sketch1). Inhale returnto
b) Dwipathapeetam
on the fl oor. Inhal e press
Post,
startingposition. Do about the back of the head, neck
6 times,or stayin the posture and al so the feet, rai si ng
c) Badhakonasana

42

Tha InJian_Review

one knee outward so that ths

thi gh i s at about 90o. K eep
the heel pressing against the
peri neum. On the
next
exhafati on, bend the other
knee al so, so that both the
feet ate together and the
heel s pressi ng agai nst the
peri neum. K eep the pal ms
on the toes. S tay for a ' few
n)i nutes,doi ng normal i nhal ati on and exhal ati on. Thi s i s
B adhakonasanam.(sketch 3)

@
th e tr unk s lowy a s h i g h a s
yo u c an, ar c hing a n d s tre t..
ch i n g t he s pine. Sta y fo r a
fe w s ec onds , pu s h i n g th e
h i p ( and s t r et c hin g th e l o rry
b a ck in t he pr oc ess ). Ex h a l e ,
sl o w ly lower r ng th e b o d y .
Re p eat3 t o 6 t im e s T h i s i s
.Dwipada P eet am o r d e s k
p o se . ( S k et c h 2) T h e tru n k
ta i si ng m ay be d o n e o n
e xh a lat ion,if one i s te n d i n g
to b g obes e dur i n g p re g n -

ancy.
l t i s comparati vel y
easy but a very effective
a s a n a . l t i s e speci al l yuseful
i ,r re l i e v i n g l o w back pai nso
c o m m o n a m o ng prognant
w o me n .
T H E S T IC K POS E
3 ) B a d h a k onasanam:
Thi s
a s a n as h o u l d b e practi sesdby
w o m e n d a i l y . From D andas a n a , e x h rl e , b end and push

It coul d be observed that

unl ess one has been practi si ng thi s asana from chi l dhood, the hi ps w oul d have
become too rrgi d to do thi s
asanaproparl y.Thi s i s theone
asana which stretches the
pel vi c muscl es, and the peri neum w el l so that the normal
devel opment of the foetus i s
faci l i tatedby the etasl i cpel vi c
muscl es. Further i t
al so
hel ps i n toni ng uD the muscl es so that they hel p to bear
dow n at the ti me of del i very.
It is one of the few asanas
recommended for practi ce
even duri ng menstruati on.
4\
P admasanam; The
fourth posture that N athamuni suggests i s l otus pose
or P admasana. l t i s one of
the w el l -K now n asanas and
hol ds the pri de of pl ace
among si tti ng postures. S i t
i n D andasana,exhal e oeepl y
bend ri ght l eg, draw the ri ght
foot cl ose to the body w i th
hands and pl ace i t on top of
the l eft thi gh, i n l i n8 w i ththe
groi n. On the next exhal a-

Noventber'80

43

.a

"St
.,,S
'@

ti o n , i n a s im ilar fashion,

bend the left Kneeand place

the left foot on top of the
right thigh. Now you have
a very firm baseto sit and
lower back is relievedof the
strainof the outward curve
normallyfound in squatting.
Now keepthe palms on the
kn6es, Iock the chin and do
normal breathing,with the
mind following the breath.
This is Padmasana.ln this,

one feelsextremelysecureotr
the firm base,the lower back
enjoysa freedom and comfort unknowneven in a nrost
cosy couch orsofa. The body
is erect. Naturallythe mind
will be relaxed and alert,
unperturbedby posturaldistractions. This is recommended for both Pranayama
(Sketch4) and some relaxation procedure like Shanmkhi Mudra(SketchS).
TWO OTHER ASANAS
Apart from these four,
Nathamunirecommendstwo
other inverted postures,
sirsasana (Sketch6) and
Sarvangasana.(Sketch 7)
The technigueof doing Sarvangasanaand Sirasanahas
been explained in earlier
lndian Review issues in

@
q,4

-!l

@
detail (April 1978
December1977)

and

Accordingto yogic theory,

diseasesare caused by displacement of vital internal
organsand muscles and the
yogic practiceis resorted to
for normalisation. This is
by
soughtto be accomplished
and Sarvangasana.
Sirshasana
Thereare manybenefitsattributedto the practiceof these
asanas. lt has a tonic effect
on the overiesand pelvis by
removalof congestion.
Sirsasana has a sedative etfect.
Pregnantwomen tend to get
circulatoryproblem in their
lower extremities during
pregnancy.lt helpsto restore
has
circulationSarvangasana
th'eadvantageof working on
thethyroidand helpsto tone
it up. A sluggish thyroid
affectsths foetus.
Nathamunl
Even here,
cautions that the inverted
The Indian Review

The kumbhaka or retention

of
breath should be very
limited, Thefood shouldbe
Satvicand nourishing.

antenatal yoga exercises.

One should avoid all forward
bending movements. And
while practisingpranayama,
it should not bo precededby
kapaalaBhaatior Bhastrika.
paryantam
Shan massakaala
Then Moola and Uddiyana
Sirshasar
vangasadhanam
Bandhas also should be
SudhirgaRechakaPuraavoided. The selection of
kaischa yogic vyayamafor a pregnant
Mithakumbhakayoshi
womanis quite effective.
rhaihi. SAVASANA
Praanayamaihi
Sradhubak
As for relaxationSavaasashaihi nam and Shanmukhi Mudra
(t
Samyak Gatbhovirvar
(Sketch5) can be practised
posturosshould be Perform'
dhate. after Pranayama.Apart from
ed only upto the sixth month
the asanas explained, there
of pregnanay.
It would be clear that are certain others which if
one cannot start to learn practiced from the early
PRANAYAMA
yoga after pregnancy. One ante natal period will faciliApart from the asanas, should have been practising tate normal delivery and
pranayama to be done is regularlyand the above are thesewill be takenup in ths
Nadi Sodhana. (Sketch4) selected by Nathamuni as next issue.

V>i'<V
tt
{i:. *
A>oa1

Novembet'80

45