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

Vrkasana - Tree pose:

“Many Yoga poses are named after elements (particularly the flora and fauna) of the natural world. This helps to create a link with the external world, and draws upon the balance that is innate in nature. Trees grow down in response to gravity and water, as well as upwards in response to light. In the same way, many Yoga poses involve a two way movement, a grounding and an elongating.
   Although poses involving balance can sometimes be daunting for the beginner, they are wonderful to practise, and can always be moderated or performed next to a wall where a finger or a hand can be used to steady oneself.
   Alternatively, you can practise using the back of a chair for support. Often I find that the more advanced in pregnancy, a woman becomes better at balancing as her mind tends to be more settled. Whilst there is of course a physical component to balancing, being steady depends on mental stability. A mind that is wandering often creates a body that wants to wander also.
   Begin by coming into Mountain pose or Tadasana. Keep your feet hip-width apart and position yourself beside a wall or chair if you think you will be unsteady. Roll the shoulders several times to release the upper back before bringing your attention to your exhalation. As you exhale, root down through both feet, feeling every point of contact with the floor. Imagine that your body is like the trunk of a tree, and that from beneath your feet roots are spreading out in every direction, creating a breadth and a stability to your stance. Then, as you inhale, imagine that from this rooted base you are extending up through the waist, like the branches of a tree...”

This series on Yoga and Pregnancy is written by Nicole Croft, who is an Active Birth and Yoga for Pregnancy teacher 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.