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Namah Pre-natal consciousness and care

Practising listening is a source of nurturance. It is imperative that the mother embraces a
In Thich Nhat Hanh’s words, “The ground healthy and kind structure in matters of food,
of our being contains lots of seeds. It needs rest, sleep, exercise that is beneficial to her
the rain to penetrate deeply into it. Give your health and the child’s. When mindfulness is
intellect a vacation. Let your body and depth of infused into these daily acts of life, it transforms
consciousness receive the Dharma (8).” Verbal the routine to a ritual that’s deeply nurturing
interactions with the child with affirmations of as it imparts a joyous flavourto life.
love and care can lend a hand to acknowledge
and celebrate the presence of the child and Nurturance through spontaneity
strengthen the bond. Harnessing the spirit of spontaneity imparts a
freshness to our lived-in moments and can be
Non-verbal acknowledgment can take the truly nurturing. It’s akin to a dolphin’s spirit
form of positive thoughts that as vibrations that demonstrates a joyous presence of life.
can transact the mother’s care and love. When
nurturance is embraced as a culture and Nurturance through cooperation and collaboration
aligned to intention and purpose, it can be Collaboration and cooperation, seen in this
most rewarding and fruitful. context is about achieving inner harmony
that can function as a psychological womb of
As outlined in Garbhasammskaara, music and wellness for the child and nurture its growth.
meditation become tools to facilitate the mother
to experience the pulsating vibration of Body, mind and emotions must collaborate
rhythm, peace, quietude. So does Yoganidraa, in this process of achieving harmony. It is
visualisation and time with Nature. Be it imperative to embrace the art of letting go
Japa, prayers or other meditative practices of restrictive thoughts and mental attitudes
they must be strengthened with the power of and also rein in impulsive reactions that
intention. In matters of interactions, she must trigger disturbances and imbalances at the
ensure that they are free of arguments and vital level. Patterns of behaviour too (inertia
conversations that are laced with anger or or over-indulgence) may act as stumbling-
negative emotions, which have the potency blocks to all-round wellness. Dealing with
of triggering a negative vibrational frequency. emotions can be truly challenging. But by
embracing empowering practices such as
Pastimes, if not chosen consciously, can become breath-awareness and the like, the mother
sources of toxic inputs and the ingestion of toxic must equip herself to sail through these
material through the media or any other source challenges.
can actually harm wellness and health. Making
an offer of one’s work to the Divine can usher To sum up the magnificent task of providing
in a culture that helps maintain the spirit of comprehensive care to a child right from the
a sunny attitude. prenatal stage, it must be a labour in love
and action, fortified by awareness and a
Nurturance through structure consciousness rooted in knowledge and light.
True self-nurturance leads the practitioner to
value the importance of a gentle structure. ANAHATA, a pregnancy-parenting programme

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