This is the background information for an upcoming 10-part series. Shining Light Prenatal Education is a blend of Yoga and Lamaze, as I am both a certified Yoga (and Prenatal Yoga) Instructor as well as a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. Once you’ve taken a few Yoga classes, you can start to see how the asana (postures) can relate to childbirth with regards to relieving discomfort and positioning the baby. However, there’s quite a bit more to Yoga then just being bendy – seven other components (limbs), actually. https://www.yogajournal.com/basics/158
The Yamas and Niyamas are the first two limbs of Yoga’s eight fold path and are the foundation to all yogic thought. They are found in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. More information about them can be found here https://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/2565
Yamas
- Ahimsa – Non harming
- Satya – Absence of Falsehood (Truth)
- Asteya – Non Stealing
- Brahmacharya – Restraint or Self Control
- Aparigraha – Absence of Avarice
Niyamas
- Saucha – Cleanliness of Body and Mind
- Santosha – Contentment or Satisfaction
- Tapas – Austerity
- Svahyaya – Study, leading to Introspection
- Ishvara Pranidhana – Surrender to God
Over the course of the next few weeks I am going to expand on each of the Yamas and Niyamas, as they apply to pregnancy and childbirth. I am looking forward to writing this series.
Sat Nam
[…] interrupt the series on “Integrating Yoga and Lamaze” for a moment… I’ve had something nagging at me for a while… I keep hearing the same theme […]