Creating a Conscious Humanity: The Yogic Way “It is rarest of rare to be born a compassionate and disciplined human” said the great Tamil Saint Avvai. The spiritual quality of such a human incarnation is further enhanced when we are given the chance to create a future offspring in a truly conscious manner. No conception is an accident in the Universal scheme of things and hence we as parents are bound by our responsibility to be as conscious as possible of all the positive factors influencing the creation, birthand nurturing of a new living being. When we truly ‘care’, we become ‘careful’ and when this is done with love, we enable the Divinity of each Athma to manifest through us in the best possible manner. Yoga is the art and science of conscious, mindful and common sense living. It has enormous potential to help expectant parents prepare themselves physically, mentally, emotionally for this grand experience that should be a very spiritual one too. Yoga as a way of life focuses on right living and right thinking while utilizing various tools for the overall psycho-physiological health of the parent and child. The various pratices such as the Jathis, Kriyas and Asanas help promote healthy functioning of all body systems while Pranayama induces psycho-somatic harmony with a Pranicenergisation of every cell of the body. Various Mudras and Bandhas such as Aswini Mudra, Yoni Mudra and MoolaBandhabalance ApanaVayu and tone up the pelvic musculature while inducing a sense of inner wellbeing. Various concentrative and contemplative practices (Dharana and Dhyana) enable an inner peace with the development of a deep sense of self-understanding. Yogic relaxation practices facilitate a balanced and relaxed anabolic inner environment that promotes the healthy growth and development of the baby with the facilitation of healing at all levels of being. Yogic diet with a stress on natural life-giving (Satvic) foodsand adequate hydration helps the mother nurture the child growing within herself and fortify herself for the challenging events to come. A balanced lacto-vegetarian diet rich in calcium, iron and other essential vitamins and minerals is advocated with training in the preparation of soups, salads and sprouts. Foods of the Sattwic nature elevate the mother’s consciousness thus helping to create an uplifting psycho-mental-spiritual inner environment developing the inherent potential of the child in a wonderful manner. The role of the father in the whole process must never be underestimated and his involvement in both the practical Yoga sessions as well as in the adoption of a Yogic diet with positive attitudes is vital for the success of the programme. Yoga can help the family top bond together and such a bond is a boon to the entire social unit that is based on healthy inter-personal relationships.

1. Creating a Conscious
Humanity: The Yogic Way
Yogacharya
Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
MBBS, ADY, PGDFH, PGDY, MD (AM), FIAY, C-IAYT, DSc (Yoga)
Director:
Centre for Yoga Education, Therapy and Research (CYTER),
Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry. www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter
Keynote for National Conference on Creating Conscious Humanity, Pondicherry-2019

3. What is this?

4. What is this?
a) Alien ships attacking
Mother Earth

5. What is this?
a) Alien ships attacking
Mother Earth
b) Tadpoles in a Pond

6. What is this?
a) Alien ships attacking
Mother Earth
b) Tadpoles in a Pond
c) Bacteria attacking a
human cell

7. What is this?
a) Alien ships attacking
Mother Earth
b) Tadpoles in a Pond
c) Bacteria attacking a
human cell
d) Human sperms
swimming towards
an ovum.

8. What is this?
a) Alien ships attacking
Mother Earth
b) Tadpoles in a Pond
c) Bacteria attacking a
human cell
d) Human sperms
swimming towards
an ovum.

9. • Sperm and egg of modern science
• Purusha and Prakriti of ancient science
• Shiva & Shakti of cultural understanding

11. 1
in a
million
“Out of thousands of beings, one may seek me; and of the
thousands who seek me, one may ultimately reach me”.
manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah
(Bhagavad Gita 7:3)

12. • Human genetics (genes & chromosomes)
• Spiritual genetics (samskaras & vasanas)

15. Karma
(cause)
Karma
(effect)

16. Karma
(cause)
Karma
(effect)
DHARMA
(conscious living)

17. यतो मनः ततः प्राणः
Where the mind goes,
there the energy flows!

21. அரியது கேட்ேின் வரிவடி கவக ோய்
அரிதரிது மோனிடர் ஆதல் அரிது
மோனிடர் ஆயினும் கூன்குருடு செவிடு
கேடு நீங்ேிப் ேிறத்தல் அரிது
கேடு நீங்ேிப் ேிறந்த ேோல யும்
ஞோனமும் ேல்வியும் நயத்தல் அரிது
ஞோனமும் ேல்வியும் நயந்த ேோல யும்
தோனமும் தவமும் தோன்செயல் அரிது
தோனமும் தவமும் தோன்செய்வ ரோயின்
வோனவர் நோடு வழிதிறந் திடுகம.
“It is rare to be born human, and rarest of rare
to be a compassionate and disciplined human”
- Saint Avvai

22. • Spiritual quality of such a human incarnation is
further enhanced when we are given the chance
to create a future offspring in a truly conscious
manner.
• No conception is an accident in the Universal
scheme of things
• Hence we as parents are bound by our
responsibility to be as conscious as possible of all
positive factors influencing the creation, birth
and nurturing of a “new” living being.

23. When we truly ‘Care’,
we become ‘Careful’
and when this is
done with Love,
we enable the
Divinity of
each Atma
to manifest
through us
in the
BEST
Possible Manner !

24. • Yoga is the art and science of conscious & mindful,
“common sense” living.
• Enormous potential to help expectant parents
prepare themselves physically, mentally,
emotionally for this grand experience that should
be a very spiritual one too.
• Yoga as a way of life focuses on right living and right
thinking while utilizing various tools for the overall
psycho-physiological health of the parent and child.

25. • The various practices such as the jathis, kriyas and
asanas help promote healthy functioning of all
organ and body systems.
• Pranayama induces psycho-somatic harmony with
pranic energisation of every cell.
• Mudras and bandhas (aswini mudra, yoni mudra
and moola bandha) harmonize apana vayu (the
pelvic energy flow) and tone up the pelvic
musculature while inducing a sense of inner
wellbeing.
• Upastha karmedirya, the sense of reproduction is
enhanced consciously by working on heart center
(anahata chakra).

26. • Numerous concentrative and contemplative
practices (dharana and dhyana) enable an inner
peace with the development of a deep sense of
self-understanding.
• Chakra and mandala dharana and dhyana enable
free flow of energies.
• Nabhi mandala dharana (focus on creative
principle manifesting at the navel centre) enables
healthy formation of kaya roopa.
• Yogic relaxation practices facilitate a balanced and
relaxed anabolic inner environment that promotes
healthy growth & development of offspring with
wellness at all levels of being.

27. • Yogic diet with a stress on natural life-giving (sattvic)
foods and adequate hydration helps the mother
nurture the child growing within herself and fortify
herself for the challenging events to come.
• A balanced lacto-vegetarian diet rich in calcium, iron
and other essential vitamins and minerals is
advocated with training in the preparation of soups,
salads and sprouts.
• Foods of the sattvic nature elevate the mother’s
consciousness thus helping to create an uplifting
psycho-mental-spiritual inner environment
developing the inherent potential of the child in a
wonderful manner.

28. • The role of the father in the whole process must
never be underestimated and his involvement in
both the practical Yoga sessions as well as in the
adoption of a Yogic diet with positive attitudes is
vital for the success of the program.
• Harmonious energy flows (especially of the apana
vayu) are vital for healthy conception.
• Yoga can help the family to bond together and
such a bond is a boon to the entire social unit that
is based on healthy inter-personal relationships.

29. • The Srimad Bhagavad Gita tells us “Prapya punya-
krtam lokan usitva sasvatih samah sucinam
srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate”,
meaning thereby that by virtuous deeds, the one
who has fallen from the state of Yoga is born into the
home of pure, noble and illustrious souls. (6:41).
• May we be the vehicle for such noble souls to take
birth through us, and create a healthy and
harmonious future that is worthy of our highest
aspiration for humanity.
• Hari om tat sat.

30. www.icyer.com

31. SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH
(Deemed University Accredited with “A” Grade by NAAC)
Ranked 72 in NIRF 2018
Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education
and Research (CYTER)
Salutogenesis, our focus!

32. Bridging the experiential wisdom of Yoga with
empirical modern medical science.
Yoga is usually found in Physical Edu
& Sports deptts of universities
We at CYTER, have it in a medical
institution since 2010
– quality of life enhancing benefits
for ~ 62,000 participants
– educating future Yoga therapists
(PGDYT, M.Phil, PhD),
– creating awareness amongst
medical, dental and nursing
students & professionals
– scientifically researching Yoga,
– 108 publications & 8 CMEs.
– IDY celebrations since 2015

33. PREGNANCY :
A Special Time Indeed !
• Pregnancy is a special period of a
woman’s life
• Human pregnancy lasts 40 weeks or
280 days from the LMP- with 3
trimesters
• Opportunity for the mother-child bonding that
caries on into the whole lifetime
• It is time of unique physical, mental & emotional
experiences, each day of the whole period.
• It is the creation time of a firm foundation that
will last for the whole of the child’s life

34. My beloved Mother-Guru
Ammaji, Yogacharini
Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani
has so beautifully said,
“I must confess that bearing,
delivering and raising my son
has been the single most
significant spiritual experience
of my life, my first real
initiation into the blissful
state of Yoga – a oneness and
communion with the Universe
on a nearly mystical level”.

35. • Pregnancy and childbirth is a period of great
change for the expectant mother as well as the
entire family.
• It provides an opportunity to take another look at
their life, and bring about necessary changes, and
• Finally become a better human being as the
result of this entire process that engineers a
great sense of unconditional love, joy and self-
confidence in the individual.
• It is a Divine blessing to be a Mother!

36. Emotional and Physical Preparation
• Indian tradition educates us about maternal-child
bonding that begins with conception & warns us
against underestimating the power of this bond.
• Rishi Ashtavakara, Prahalada and Abimanyu are
just a few examples of so many incidents where
the child in the womb was able to fully
comprehend for itself the external environment
and be born with amazing abilities.
• Our thoughts, words and actions influence the
future life of the baby right from Day 1.

37. • Modern medicine has now realized importance
of maternal mental & emotional status in helping
process of pregnancy and childbirth.
• Grantly Dick-Read was one of the first medical
doctors to suggest in the 1950’s that emotional
and physical preparation for birth encouraged
more natural births.
• This ancient concept of Indian tradition
revolutionized antenatal management in the
West.
• Fear causes pain which in turn causes more fear
which then causes more pain!

38. TRADITIONAL VIEWS ON PREGNANCY
• Garbhopanishad is a treatise on embryology that
explains the systematic growth of the embryo in
the womb in the 2nd chapter
• 3rd chapter of Sushruta Samhita explains
– factors that determine the gender of the fetus
– prohibited conducts during gestation
– development of the fetus in detail
– how the embryo feels pain in the same part of
its body as the one in which the mother feels

39. Thirumoolar in Thirumandiram (480) says,
“Paigindra vayuk kuraiyir kuralaagum
Paigindra vayu villaikkin mudamaagum
Paigindra vayu naduppadir koonaagum
Paigindra vayuma tharkkillaip paarkkile”
Birth Imperfections Explained as
When after intercourse,
the man is short of breath, infant is born a dwarf;
when breath blows feeble, defective limbs occur;
when breath halts mid-act, a hunch-back is born;
All these apply not, to the woman’s rhythm.
Swara Yoga or Vasi Yoga

40. Maadha udharam malamigil mandanaam
Maadha udharam jalamigil moongaiyaam
Maadha udharam irandokkil kannillai
Maadha udharatthil vanda kuzhavikke
(Thirumandiram 481)
How Deaf, Dumb, and Blind are Born:
When at the time of union, the mother’s bowels
are heavy, a dullard will be born;
if urine exceeds, a dumb child will be born;
if both exceed, a blind child will be born;
thus is it for the infant born according to the
mother’s condition.

41. Yogic Tools for Maternal-Child Health
• Asanas and loosening practices for healthy
functioning of all systems
• Pranayama for psycho-somatic harmony and
Pranic energisation of every cell of body
• Mudras and Bandhas- tone up pelvic musculature
and induce a sense of inner wellbeing
• Concentration and meditation for inner peace and
to develop a deep sense of self-understanding
• Deep Yogic relaxation to promote growth of the
baby and facilitate healing at all levels of being.
• Nada Yoga enables a deeper level of connectivity.

42. Parivritta Trikona Asana

43. Bharadwaja Asana

44. Baddhakona Asana

45. Supta Baddhakona Asana

46. Utkat Asana

47. Vyagraha
Pranayama
and
Chiri Kriya

48. Eka Pada Uttanpada Asana

49. Nishpanda Asana

50. Meru Asana

51. Looseners &
strengtheners for
pelvic health

52. Pranayama
• Vibhaga Pranayama
• Pranava Pranayama
• Bhramari Pranayama
• Kukriya Pranayama

53. Aswini Mudra & Mula Bandha
• Improves pre and post natal
pelvic muscular tone
• Evokes dormant spiritual forces
from within
• Alleviates urinary & anal
incontinence
• Helps reduce depression
Nada Yoga and Mantra
• Chanting helps release tensions
• Soothes and calms the mind
• Raises the consciousness
• Has an extremely positive effect on the inner senses
of the mother and the developing child creating a
healthy bond though the vibrations.

55. RESEARCH FINDINGS
ON YOGA FOR
MATERNAL-CHILD HEALTH
Preliminary evidence
supports Yoga's potential efficacy,
particularly if started
early in the pregnancy

56. • Women practicing Yoga in 2nd trim had significant
reductions in physical pain while women in 3rd trim
had greater reductions in perceived stress & trait
anxiety. (Beddoe AE et al. 2009).
• Women doing Yoga reported significantly fewer
pregnancy discomforts at 38-40 weeks of
gestation. Exhibited higher outcome & self-efficacy
expectancies during active stage of labour and 2nd
stage of labour. (Sun YC et al. 2009)
• Reduced perceived stress and improved adaptive
autonomic response to stress in pregnant women
(Satyapriya M et al. 2009)

57. • Higher maternal comfort during labor & 2h post-
labor, & less labor pain. Shorter duration of 1st
stage + total time of labor (Chuntharapat S. 2008)
• Alternative therapies reduce labour pain and
thereby the need for medication (Field T. 2008)
• Also reduce pregnancy-related back / leg pain,
nausea & depression.
• In pregnancy, integrated approach to Yoga is safe &
improved birth weight. (Narendran S et al. 2005)
• Occurrence of complications such as PIH, IUGR and
pre-term delivery showed lower trends in Yoga
group (Narendran S et al. 2005)

58. • Recent study from our team evaluated
immediate effect of Sukha Pranayama, a slow &
deep breathing technique on maternal and fetal
cardiovascular parameters. (Vasundhara 2018)
• Maternal HR, BP and Fetal heart rate (FHR)
reduced significantly after single session.
• Mothers felt more relaxed and also sensed active
fetal movement while performing pranayama.
• Changes in cardiac autonomic status enhance
placental circulation, leading to healthier fetal
development.
• This developed into a full-fledged evaluation of
maternal and fetal wellbeing through Nada Yoga.

59. • 60 antenatal mothers randomized to: listening to
OM using headphone, performing Pranava
Pranayama and breath awareness control group .
• Significant changes in maternal heart rate & fetal
heart rate (FHR) attributed to normalization of
autonomic cardiovascular rhythms.
• FHR response more significant while listening to
OM and Pranava Pranayama.
• Mothers experienced more fetal activity
especially during chanting of Makara phase
(Mmm...) during Pranava Pranayama.
• More relaxed & comfortable listening to OM.

60. Satwik Diet for higher thoughts
• Easily digestible, balanced vegetarian diet
• Variety of foods can be used to create a healthy
diet for the expectant mother.
• Diet should be low in fat, sugar and salt
• Fresh vegetables, fruits, sprouts
• Vegetable proteins in combinations
• Fiber rich foods -whole grain, vegetables, wheat
bran, legumes etc
• Calcium and iron rich food is important
• Include milk shakes, juices, soups and sprouts

61. Remember to remember!
• Keep yourself hydrated.
• Don’t become sedentary.
• Avoid consumption of alcohol and tobacco
• Avoid negative situations and fear mongers
• Express your love for your baby.
• Talk to your child and give positive vibrations.
• Be Confident, Committed and Creative
• Enjoy this special experience
Remember the Divine is working
through you to create a new life!

62. Postnatal Care for Yourself
• Yoga helps to restore the uterus, abdomen and
pelvic floor to pre-pregnancy levels
• Post natal complications can be avoided
• Relieves body pain and breast discomfort
• Improves milk production.
• Stretch marks after delivery arer educed
• Yoga makes mothers vibrant with youthful
energy of positive optimism.
• Facilitates healthy mother-baby bonding .

63. Concluding thoughts
• Indian culture understands and respects mother as
'First God', even before 'Father' and 'Guru'.
• It may be said that motherhood is the Ultimate
Yoga Sadhana as attainment of motherhood is
height of ego-lessness, the goal of spirituality.
• To be such a ‘Mother’, consciously
aware of the great spiritual nature of
pregnancy and childbirth, our young
girls must start Yoga early & continue it
into adulthood.

64. We need to inculcate healthy positive
attitudes towards child bearing and child
rearing as this will producing healthy and
spiritually potent children capable of
transforming the future of our planet into a
‘Satya Lokha’.

65. Gratitude
is the
highest
attitude.

66. SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH
(Deemed University Accredited with
“A” Grade by NAAC and Ranked 72 in NIRF 2018 )
www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter