Buddhabellies: yoga for pregnancy
Pose of the month - January 2009

Pyramid Pose or Parshvottanasana
“We tend to think of balances as involving the lifting of a leg off the floor, yet there is balance involved in every posture. Straining, either physical or mental, has no place in Yoga, as it implies that the body is not in balance and so has to be cajoled or even forced into position. Straining creates tension which is the exact opposite of what we are trying to achieve. One of the major benefits to practising Yoga during pregnancy is not simply the physical release and relaxation but also mentally letting go. Both are an essential preparation for the act of giving birth. It would not be too simplisitc to see birth as one giant act of letting go, both mentally and physically. So gently encouraging our mind and body to do this on a regular basis is of great benefit when it comes to labour.
   Pyramid pose is a perfect example of a Yoga pose that requires balance even though both feet remain firmly rooted to the ground. During this pose, the moment the body no longer feels light and the breathing is strained, it is time to ease off and return to a position in which the body feels both soft and free. Remember that this is Yoga. As my own teacher says ‘Every step on the way to a pose is a pose in itself.’ The first few times you practise Pyramid pose, it might be wise to keep the upper body completely upright, and only attempt to move gently forward once you have established the base of the posture and the sense of rootedness through the feet. Note that asymmetric postures of this nature should not be practised by those with SPD...”

   The articles continues to describe the Pyramid pose in detail.
   This series on Yoga and Pregnancy is written by Nicole Croft, who is an Active Birth and Yoga for Pregnancy teacher who is based in Woodstock in Oxfordshire. She is also the founder of Buddhabellies, which is dedicated to empowering women to birth instinctively and with confidence. For more information please visit her website at www.buddhabellies.co.uk.