Practicing Visualization in Prenatal Yoga

 

Visualization is just one of many techniques we practice at in prenatal yoga classes Full Circle Yoga KC: Close your eyes and allow your facial muscles to relax, soften your brows, allow your jaw to relax releasing the tongue from the roof of you mouth.  Take two breaths here, letting the exhale be longer than the inhale.  Let yourself be present to this moment and find gratitude in all your beautiful body and baby are doing together in team.

As your eyes remain closed imagine yourself standing on a warm beach, first feel the warmth of the sand on your feet and between your toes.  With a stick in hand, or using your finger, imagine that you are writing the number one in the sand.  See the number one in your mind, watch your finger start at the top and draw a line to the bottom, making the number two visualize the curves and turns to complete the number two, moving to number three see the number being engraved into the sand, now to 4, see in your mind the number 5.  Continue in this manner until you get to the number 10 and start over again.  Take a restorative breath, feel yourself surrender into this journey.

Above is just one of many examples of visualization techniques for birth.  Other techniques include:

• count the ripples as you imagine throwing a rock into a pond
• visualizing the contractions as riding the waves- hear the rhythmic lapping of the waves,  the breaker in the wave is the most intense part of the contraction and as the wave crashes into the beach is a moment to relax before the next wave/contraction.
• the mental imagery of your favorite flower- what is the flower, where do you see the flower, size, shape, how many pedals, smell.  Visualize the opening of the flower as your body opens to bring life into the world.

 

heading 2 Importance of Visualization

Practicing visualization in prenatal yoga allows it to become a practiced tool when entering labor, a journey into the unknown.   Visualization can be a wonderful tool to ride through the contractions and avoid spiraling from the pain of contractions.   When a Mama can place her attention on imagery it can often curb the intensity of the contraction in order to get to the next contraction.  Lots of visualization is placed on the end of the long hard journey of giving birth at Full Circle Yoga KC.

Visualization is not a practice that comes natural to many.  It’s easy to get off track or let the outside stimuli or thoughts interrupt visualization.  Practicing prior to the birthing journey allows it to be an organic self-help comfort measure.

 

At Full Circle Yoga KC our prenatal yoga offers a class that mamas at all stages can practice and build their physical and emotional strength in preparation for their birthing journey.