Prenatal Yoga Pittsburgh
Printable Schedule of Spring Matrika Prenatal Classes
Matrika Prenatal Classes are Held in a Variety of Locations in Pittsburgh
Instructor for all Matrika Prenatal Classes: Sharon Fennimore Rudyk
Please click link for a printable PDF of spring schedule of classes
Tuesday Evenings: 6:00 to 7:15 pm
- February 22: classes are held at Yoga Matrika at 6520 Wilkins Avenue in Squirrel Hill. Click here for location information and directions. You can use a current class package or pay to drop-in. It costs $15 for adults and there is a discounted drop-in rate of $10 for full time students. Pay for classes online OR pay in exact cash or with a check at the studio. Checks should be made out to YOGA MATRIKA.
- March 1, , 8, 15, 22, 29: 5-Class series to be held in Squirrel Hill at 1918 Murray Avenue. Pay for classes online with a credit card ($50 for series or $15 drop-in) OR pay in exact cash or with a check on location ($15 per class drop-in). Register for the series HERE. Checks should be made out to YOGA MATRIKA.
Saturday Mornings: 10:30 to 11:45 am
- February 19, 26: classes are held at Yoga Matrika at 6520 Wilkins Avenue in Squirrel Hill. Click here for location information and directions. You can use a current class package or pay to drop-in. It costs $15 for adults and there is a discounted drop-in rate of $10 for full time students. Pay for classes online with a credit card OR pay in exact cash or with a check at the studio. Checks should be made out to YOGA MATRIKA.
Saturday Mornings at Magee-Womens Hospital in Oakland: 9:30 to 10:30 am
- Classes start on Saturday, March 5th and are held at Magee Hospital in Oakland in six-week series. No drop-in students permitted and pre-registration through Magee Hospital is required. You can also call the Education Department at Magee for more information and to register: 412-802-8299. Each six-week series is $60. Yoga Matrika class packages are NOT accepted as payment for these classes. The cost of parking is additional.
Sunday Early Evenings, 4:00 to 5:30 pm, at 1918 Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill
Matrika Mamma Classes: March 13, April 17 and May 22nd
Register HERE for these unique combination prenatal/postnatal classes that are designed for women in all phases of pregnancy—-including the “4th trimester.” Moms who have delivered in the past 4-5 months are welcome to come with their babies (or without!) to enjoy this unique class. This class is designed to provide continuity for moms from prenatal to the postnatal period. It’s great for pregnant moms to see moms after they deliver and to meet the babies and great for postnatal moms to continue to have the support of the mothering community at Matrika. The yoga practice will focus on physical and mindful practices that are important for both prenatal and postnatal moms: 1) releasing head, neck, shoulder and back tension; 2) strengthening the pelvic floor; 3) stretching the entire body to release stress ; 4) breathing techniques for relaxation; 5) meditation to slow down the mind and relieve worry and anxiety. This is a breastfeeding supportive space and we encourage all moms, no matter how you choose to feed your baby, to feed baby on demand. If you are bringing a baby with you, please bring a soft blanket for them to lie on and make sure that you have lots of extra diapers and whatever you need for your own comfort. An hour of this class is for yoga practice and 30-minutes is for discussion and sharing. We will start with discussion to give moms with babies lots of flexibility in getting to class and getting settled before the practice. So, if you are running late, come anyway!
Benefits of Yoga and Meditation During Pregnancy
Physical
- Gentle movements improve posture so that you carry baby correctly and prevent backache
- Improved circulation mean less varicose veins, hemorrhoids and fluid retention
- Relieve fatigue
- Alleviate minor discomforts such as heartburn, pain in hip joints and ribs, muscle cramps and headaches
- Strengthen the body and learn poses that you can use during labor for comfort
- Learn pelvic floor exercises and other techniques for strengthening your body for birth
- Stay toned and fit during pregnancy. Fit moms recover faster from birthing.
Emotional
- Balance mood and learn to center body and mind
- Connect deeply with your baby before they are born
Social
- Meet other expectant mothers
- Be a part of a supportive community
- Have fun!
Spiritual
- Take the time to be quiet during this pregnancy
- Access your own strength
- Become aware of your fears and learn to work with yourself, your baby and your care providers with confidence
- Know yourself and be better equipped to communicate your needs and desires to your birth partner, care providers and family
- Create a sacred and special time to relax, hope and dream
What to Expect in a Matrika Prenatal Class
We do not expect prenatal yoga students to have any experience with yoga. Our prenatal yoga classes are appropriate for women in all weeks of pregnancy. Although each instructor has their own style and may provide a different emphasis or tone to their class, all classes include some stretching and breathing exercises, some asana (yoga poses) that will tone and strengthen the body and relaxation. There is no wrong way to do yoga and the more often you practice, the more familiar you will become with the poses. As you become more familiar with the poses and exercises, then you can turn your focus inward. Although some poses may be challenging and you will feel the stretches as you create greater flexibility in your body, you should never feel pain in a yoga class. This is true in any yoga class and not just prenatal yoga! If you are ever uncomfortable or have questions, your instructor can help you modify a pose or answer any questions that you might have. Our classes are intimate and non-competitive so you can receive personalized attention from well-trained instructors.
Our classes are not just gentle yoga classes modified for pregnancy. Our prenatal programs are designed specifically for pregnancy and we use yoga to prepare for birth and for being a mother. Labor, birth and mothering a newborn are not easy tasks. The focus, strength and awareness that you learn in prenatal yoga classes will give you the skills you need to meet these tasks with confidence. We support one another and the entire Matrika community is here for you now and after you have your baby.
Politics, Yoga & Pittsburgh
Do you know about Peaceburgh? As defined on its homepage, it is “A site for networking and celebrating wholeness, oneness and peace in Pittsburgh and around the globe. Hosted by Sven Hosford.” If you are interested, check it out here: http://peaceburgh.ning.com/
I mention this site now because it includes information on many peaceful ways to support world leaders participating in the G-20 (and those who aren’t) in committing their power and determination to find solutions to some of the considerable challenges facing so many humans that our humanity seems to be at stake. If you are interesting in joining groups of individuals in Pittsburgh who are committed to peace and globalized compassion—then check it out!
There is a Chinese proverb that roughly translates to: If you are patient in a moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. During the G-20, I recommend that Pittsburgh take this proverb as an inspiration for mindful respsonse to any frustrations, delays or challenges that may occur. As the world comes to us, we are reminded that we are part of a whole. It is our responsibility to give space and respect to those individuals who have dedicated their lives to public service. We may not agree with them, but I think that we can all agree that there’s nothing easy about leadership. I don’t even like to agree to be in charge of a bake sale at my son’s school—–never mind being responsible for two wars, the economy, national healthcare reform, and making sure that my every action is a representation of the millions of people that call me President.
This week, as Pittsburgh hosts the G-20, our yoga in Pittsburgh is patience, compassion and a certain amount of dreaming. I dream of what would happen if these leaders were inspired to be creative about issues related to quality of life for citizens of the world. Pittsburgh has historically been a place where great people have done great things—the Fricks, the Mellons, the Carnegies. It has also been and continues to be a place where thousands upon thousands of creative artists, hard working people, gifted teachers, compassionate doctors and midwives and medical professionals, yogis, landscape artists, restoration specialists, carpenters———take pride in their work, their families and their neighborhoods and make Pittsburgh such a special place to be. The G-20 is not being hosted here by accident!
Let us practice our G-20 yoga Pittsburgh! Believe in the power of Pittsburgh and act to support leaders in making decisions based on strength of the commitments they have already made to dedicate their lives to public service. Inspire leaders through peace and send light to the world from our little city that has given so much innovation, hope and opportunity to the world already.
Posted by Sharon Rudyk
Owner & Director, Yoga Matrika
http://www.yogamatrika.com/
YOGA MATRIKA is open for the entire G-20 Summit. The full schedule for this week can be found here:
This Week’s Schedule: http://dharmatribeonline.com/matrika/index.php?tab=week&offset=1
Purchase your class card here: https://dharmatribeonline.com//matrika/index.php?tab=3