Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation

by Khalsa, Gurmukh Kaur; Crawford, Cindy; Crawford, Cindy

• ISBN13: 9780312310882
• ISBN10: 0312310889
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-06-01
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Summary

From internationally renowned yoga teacher Gurmukh comes a book on pregnancy unlike any other. Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful is a treasury of wisdom, information, and inspiration for pregnancy and motherhood based on the spiritual and physical practices of Kundalini yoga, which Gurmukh has taught for the last thirty years. With illustrated, step-by-step instructions, she teaches time-tested techniques, meditations, and exercises that will help you physically, mentally, and spiritually. In the timeless way that women have passed down wisdom surrounding birth and child rearing to one another for centuries, Gurmukh weaves folk stories and contemporary testimonials into a program designed to help you get profound results in the shortest possible time.The sections in this book cover each trimester of pregnancy as well as delivery and life with the baby. In her wise, gentle, and comforting voice, Gurmukh suggests meditations, exercises, and yoga positions to respond to the various needs of expectant and new mothers as you undergo dramatic body changes. Gurmukh also helps you explore and, when necessary, heal your own history and unconscious attitudes about pregnancy, birth, and parenting. In Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful, Gurmukh gives you all the tools you need to have a healthy and happy pregnancy while increasing your connection to your partner and building compassion and prosperity. The ancient practices of yoga can lead you back to your own power as a woman, capable of more than you ever dreamed. All you need is a belief in the possibility of change and a commitment of as little as three minutes a day. Gurmukh has helped thousands of women and their families find fulfillment through the healing movements and meditations of Kundalini yoga---and she can help you, too!

Author Biography

Gurmukh is a pioneer in yoga and the mind-body-spirit connection. Based in Los Angeles, Gurmukh teaches Kundalini yoga, meditation, and pre- and postnatal care. She founded the Golden Bridge Yoga Center, where she is the director and senior teacher. She has been featured in many magazines, including Vogue, W, InStyle, and People. Gurmukh teaches all over the world, from India to Europe and from Central America to the United States. Her previous book is The Eight Human Talents (cowritten with Cathryn Michon). Her kind, compassionate wisdom and counsel touch the life of everyone she meets.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
How to Use This Book: A Program for Life	p. xv
Yoga and Meditation Directory	p. xvii
Introduction	p. 1
The First Trimester	p. 13
The First Step of the Journey	p. 15
Pregnancy as a Living Prayer	p. 22
Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful	p. 28
The Emotional Abyss	p. 32
Morning Sickness	p. 36
The Importance of Breath	p. 39
Healing Old Wounds	p. 42
Remembering Your Own Birth	p. 47
Creating a Neutral Mind	p. 52
Cultivating Patience	p. 56
Appreciating Your Partner	p. 59
Creating a Positive Picture of Pregnancy and Birth	p. 62
Considerations for How and Where to Birth	p. 65
The Second Trimester	p. 69
A Soul Arrives	p. 71
Nourish Yourself	p. 75
Believe in Miracles	p. 82
Revel in the Joy	p. 86
Your Most Important Job	p. 90
Squatting for Strength	p. 94
The Power of Touch	p. 98
Making a Healthy Environment	p. 101
Intimacy and Your Partner	p. 104
Reconsidering How You Will Deliver	p. 106
Birthing at Home	p. 113
Born at the Hospital	p. 121
Birth by C-Section	p. 127
Things to Consider About Epidurals	p. 133
Water Birth	p. 138
Strengthening Your Soul	p. 140
Learning from Your Dreams	p. 144
The Third Trimester	p. 149
Time to Surrender	p. 151
The Art of (Not) Sleeping	p. 155
Trusting Your Partner	p. 158
Redefine the Idea of Pain	p. 162
Pregnant Pause: Waiting for the Birth	p. 166
Birth...	p. 171
What Laboring Women Need	p. 173
Who Attends the Birth?	p. 176
Labor	p. 180
The Secret of Mothering	p. 184
Moving Through Fear	p. 185
...And Beyond	p. 189
Baby in Your Arms	p. 191
Advice and Options on Nursing Your Baby	p. 196
Including Your Community: Forty-Day Celebration	p. 202
Establishing New Roles and Traditions	p. 207
The Family Bed	p. 211
Time Enough: The Transition of the Family	p. 216
The Infinite Horizon of a Mother's Love	p. 220
Final Thoughts: A New World	p. 222
Glossary of Yogic Terms	p. 227
Inspired Resources	p. 229
Acknowledgments	p. 232
Table of Contents provided by Rittenhouse. All Rights Reserved.