Santosha – Contentment or Satisfaction “The opposite of such conditional happiness is unconditional happiness, a state that allows us to find contentment in any situation, whether we are uncomfortable in a yoga pose or stuck in a traffic jam. When we let go of our narrow idea of happiness and open ourselves to all […]
Perfection vs. Purpose OR the Birth Experience vs. Giving Birth
To 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 from mothers who didn’t have the natural birth they wanted; the birth they were told they were *supposed* to have. They feel like failures because their “birth experience” […]
Integrating Yoga and Lamaze: How the Ethical Practice of the Yamas and Niyamas Relate to Pregnancy and Childbirth. Part 5 – Aparigraha – Absence of Avarice
Aparigraha – Absence of Avarice: How much stuff do we really need? Another way to describe Aparigraha is non-possessiveness, not being greedy or non-grasping. This is both on the material level and on an emotional level. We’ll talk material first: How many maternity outfits do you need? You’ll wear them from about 15 weeks – […]
Attachment to Your “Ideal” Birth
The “ideal” birth is usually an all-natural, no medical intervention birth. It goes something like this… You labor at home as long as possible. You eat, drink and move as you see fit. You decide when to go into the hospital to continue laboring. The transition from home to hospital is smooth. You are at […]