Birthing using the breath with yoga

Yogic philosophy states that by finding, concentrating and maintaining a single point of focus, we can begin the process of realizing meditation. Patanjali in his yoga sutras agrees as does the eight limbs of yoga.

To realize meditation is a slow process normally and can take many years of practice and dedication. The beginner student may often find themselves thinking of the shopping, their boyfriend, anything really to distract themselves from their journey within. Even if they want to reach it, which most people beginning the journey to meditation, do.

I recently had the absolute honour to attend the birth of my delightful girlfriend. She is a practicing yogi and was aware of the power of the breath in the birthing process and life in general. But, I wondered, beforehand, would she go within to release her baby to this world naturally, without drugs. Could she, would she go there?

As the birth developed and continued I witnessed that my friend was indeed using her breath to work her way through each contraction. Starting at the base of the belly, below the baby she would inhale her breath, finding its way to the crown of her head and then slowly exhaling it back to below the baby. Good work. But, she was still with us, still present in her body, feeling and anticipating the contraction before it began. Able to feel and decide if she wanted to do the work. After some time she didn’t want to work any more and her breathing became laboured. She started to fight within herself and her want to continue. We knew that the pushing time was nearing. But she was losing contact with her breath.

We urged her on and as she had practiced much yoga before this birth, we were able to rest her mind back on her breath. All of us in the room joined her as she breathed in and out and she was back with the power of the breath.

Pushing time was now here. At this point I saw my friend reach a place of meditation that I feel is so rare and magical that I was crying watching her. She was able to work her breath and concentrate on it so much that she became the breath, only her and the breath in the room. Her body was the vessel of the baby and her breath was the wind in her sails that would set her baby free.

Each push and contraction sent her further inward, breath, breath and only breath. I no longer saw the personality of my friend before me, I witnessed her innermost essence, so rarely on show, so carefully guarded by most of us. A powerful and illuminating experience for me to see, and is this not what the main aim of yoga is, to attain that place within ourselves that is our true self. I am most grateful to have seen this with my own eyes.

As my girlfriend’s baby crowned and she began to push the baby from her body I saw the most powerful result of meditation I have yet to witness in my 39 years. She was only the breath within her, working on a single point of focus, in and out, reaching a silence and stillness, even though experiencing such a powerful bodily sensation that it silenced the room.

She was beautiful and serene, her baby came forth and her breath carried him to her. Amazing and life changing, it is undoubtedly true, the power of the breath can carry a baby to a full and natural birth and a mother to an empowering realization ofther true being.

Thank you