Top Five Reasons to Enroll in the Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training

May 15, 2013

Posted by Sharon

Top Five Reasons to Enroll in the Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training

Reason Number Five

You are a yoga teacher. More than 80% of American yoga practitioners are women. If you are a yoga teacher in America, then this program gives you the cultural, social and political information you need to better understand the lived experience of your female students. You will learn teaching skills and techniques that you can use in ANY class with men and women to improve the quality of experience for your students. And, as an added bonus, you won’t have to freak out the next time one of your students confides in you before class that she just found out she’s pregnant and wonders if it is still OK to take your class. Have the confidence you need to work with women.

Reason Number Four

You are a healing professional that works with women and, well, maybe you are a wee bit burned out. This online program gives you a unique perspective and will challenge everything that you know and understand about women and reproduction. You will find inspiration in this profound approach to the anatomy of energy and this, in turn, will inspire creative approaches to your work as a massage therapist, nurse, doctor, acupuncturist, counselor, therapist, doula……….

Reason Number Three

You have always wanted to add these professional skills but you just don’t have the time to do a residential program or perhaps you don’t have the financial resources to take off from work, travel to some resort or training center and stay in a hotel and eat out. Or, perhaps you are a parent of young children or caring for a sick adult or maybe you just can’t travel due to your own personal circumstances. Well, thanks to the power of the internet, you can now access this incredible curriculum and work at your own pace and whenever it suits you. Sit in your pajamas while eating Fritos out of the bag at 2:00 am if you wish (not recommended though!) and work through your writing assignments. No one will know. Nurse your baby at 4:00 am and get your work done at the same time.

Reason Number Two

This course is a way to professionalize your interest in working with pregnant women. Not only will you gain a certificate in teaching prenatal yoga, but you also get 30 CEU credits to use for your advancement or maintenance in your registration with Yoga Alliance. There just aren’t that many flexible programs like this out there that offer this specific continuing education benefit for yoga teachers. You can also, with a few added requirements, obtain credits required to register with Yoga Alliance as a RPYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher) in this prenatal yoga specialty. If you have been teaching prenatal yoga for years, but didn’t graduate from a prenatal yoga teacher training program registered with Yoga Alliance, this is the most efficient and economical way to be able to register in this specialty.

Reason Number One

Working with women during pregnancy is one of the most rewarding things you will do for your entire life. You don’t just support a pregnant woman—you support her entire family. To empower a woman with strength, joy and a sense of calm during pregnancy is to help her use these skills throughout motherhood. When one of your students or clients tells you that she is pregnant or just had a baby, you will have all the information and skills you need to fully support her and honor this time in her life on a physical, spiritual and energetic level. This is a tremendous calling and your investment in these skills and training is a small sacrifice in the face of what you can offer to all the world.

Program Details:Unique and comprehensive curriculum includes the Culture and Politics of Reproduction, Culture of Fertility, Yoga During Pregnancy, Teaching Matrika Prenatal techniques and practices, Professional Skills and requires significant reading and writing and engagement with the cohort through discussion board participation, office hour conference calls and web-based lectures. Cohorts begin four times a year, but it is possible to be added to a current cohort depending on your circumstances. The cost of the program is $450 up to one month before the cohort begins and $550 after that. Tuition does not include required textbooks. Sign-up for my professional development newsletter and be the first to hear about training programs, registration information and for free resources for yoga instructors and birth workers.

Posted by Sharon Fennimore, a Pittsburgh-based yoga therapist, women’s health specialist and doula. I am honored to do this work and would love to be a part of your birth and healing process. If you have questions about the program, please send me an e-mail: sharon@yogamatrika.com or call me (412) 855-5692.

Program Details, FAQ and Enrollment Links

Day 3: Week One of 8-Weeks with Rodney Yee

April 17, 2012

Posted by Sharon

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In today’s practice I have discovered what two pregnancies have done to me. Well, at least I think that is what is to blame. Apparently, I no longer have any inner leg strength. If you’ve never practiced tree pose, then you don’t know what I’m talking about. But, if you’ve ever put the sole of your foot onto the inner thigh, you will recall (unless the last time you did tree pose was a LONG, LONG, long time ago…..) that you not only press with your foot into your thigh, but the inner thigh presses back into your foot. This not only helps with balance, but it helps to maintain the strength and integrity of the standing leg. Well, aparently, I no longer have any inner thigh strength at all.

In other words, my gracilis is nillis and my sartorius is nowhere to be found—burried under some, uhmm, “fatty deposits”………..

Makes me kind of wish that Rodney Yee were here to help me figure out how to find my inner thigh again. OK, let’s be honest, I don’t kind of wish that Rodney Yee was here, I definitely wish that he was here. But, in his absence, I hear the voices of my own wonderful teachers in my head and I am:

1) activating “root lock” aka. secret chakra action center or mula bandha

2) pressing my big toe into the earth

3) dropping my sitting bones and lifting my thigh bone to engage the thigh into the pelvis

and, of course…….

4) hanging on for dear life (I have this wonderful dresser at a perfect height in my living room.)

I just found this Real Simple article outlining some “easy” exercises I can do to strengthen my inner thighs—maybe when I’m done with 8-weeks of Yoga with Rodney Yee I’ll start these exercises and let you know what happens. Or, maybe I should just make sure I get to Aleta’s Yoga Booty Ballet classes on Saturdays at Yoga Matrika!

Please feel free to join me in my 8-week program with Rodney Yee. You can share your own experience by leaving comments on this blog. It’s OK if you start on a different day or we get out of sync. This is going to be fun!

Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, the fearless leader of Team Matrika. Are you in Pittsburgh, PA? Join us for a great class at Yoga Matrika in Squirrel Hill.

Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training

March 19, 2012

Posted by Sharon

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Yoga Matrika is a Registered School with Yoga Alliance and graduates of our 100-hour Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training Program are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (you must be at least a 200-hour RYT before you can obtain this specialty registration).

Not able or interested in making the 100-hour commitment? Yoga Matrika also offers an online course that carries 30 CEU credits. Anyone, anywhere can take this course as long as you have internet access and a computer. Study when you can and as you can. With each tuition payment, you get one year of access to the online course—so take your time!

100-Hour Matrika Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training

Features:

hybrid course combines a unique online course component with five weekend training intensives
program registered with Yoga Alliance so graduates who complete course and all requirements can register as R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher)
comprehensive course includes dynamic curriculum in yoga for fertility, yoga and exercise for pregnancy, postnatal yoga and mom and baby yoga
embodied anatomy (over 18-hrs.) for fertility, pregnancy and infant development facilitated by Mark Chandlee Taylor
curriculum includes social and cultural anthropological approach to theory, social criticism and the politics of reproduction
flexible course schedule
pay as you go for all course components

Curriculum:

Matrika Yoga for Optimum Fertility: poses and sequencing for yoga classes and private sessions to support fertility
Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise: poses and sequencing for yoga classes for women in all phases of pregnancy
Matrika Mom & Baby Yoga: poses and sequencing for yoga classes for moms to share with infants up to one year of age
Skills for teaching deep relaxation, meditation and visualization for pregnancy
Working with Students through Disappointment and Grief
Anatomy of Fertility, Pregnancy, Postpartum
Energetic Anatomy of Pregnancy: The Matrika
Embodied anatomy of Infant Development
Culture and Fertility, Pregnancy and Motherhood
Ethics and Responsibilities
Practicum

Who will benefit from this Course:

Yoga instructors who wish to make working with women from fertility through pregnancy and beyond a specialty
Yoga instructors who already work with women and infants who wish to professionalize their commitment to this specialty
Doulas, massage therapists, alternative health care providers, labor and delivery nurses and other birth professionals who want to know how to incorporate yoga into their care of women and infants
Experienced yoga practitioners who want to commit to learning more about yoga for fertility, pregnancy and postnatal moms while also learning about the cultural construction of health for women and children in the United States. (Please note that ONLY instructors who have their RYT status can register with Yoga Alliance with the R-PYT status. Without the 200-hour RYT registration, you can’t add this specialty.)

How to Sign Up:

Register for each component individually.

First, purchase the ONLINE COURSE ($500). You will purchase the online course from our online store and receive a password and registration instructions within one week. The online course is only available to a limited number of participants at any given time. Please register as soon as you are able to make a commitment. If the course is full, please send an e-mail to Sharon indicating your interest and you will be placed on the mailing list: sharon@yogamatrika.com. The online course is available for purchase now and can be accessed starting May 1, 2012. Your purchase gives you access to the online course for ONE YEAR from the date of purchase or May 1, 2012, whichever is the latter.

Second, register for weekend training intensives. Each weekend costs $325*. Each training intensive will be offered once a year. If you miss any weekend training intensive, you should plan on taking the training you are missing in the next year. While you have up to three-years to finish all the requirements, please be aware that Yoga Matrika is not able to guarantee that any individual training session will be offered in any year in the future.

2012-2013 Weekend Training Intensives Dates:

Optimum Fertility Weekend: September 28-September 30 (Friday evening, Sat. & Sun.)
Prenatal Yoga Weekend: November 3-November 4 (Saturday & Sunday)
Mom & Baby Yoga Weekend: January 18-January 20 (Friday evening, Sat. & Sun.)
The Matrika: Energetic Anatomy of Fertility, Pregnancy and Motherhood: April 13-April 14 (Sat. & Sun.)
Teaching Practicum: June 1-June 2 (Sat. & Sun.)

*Tuition for weekend intensives includes the following meals (vegetarian) and snacks will be available at all sessions: 9/28 & 1/18 dinner and breakfast and lunch on all Saturday and Sunday training dates. If you have special dietary requirements, please let Sharon know at least 2-weeks before each training.

How to Obtain Continuing Education Credits and Proof of Graduation:

There are TWO different and separate processes for obtaining your Continuing Education Credits and for your Proof of Graduation that you will require if you wish to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher). You can apply for and obtain your CEU credits as soon as you finish the entire online course with the exception of the practicum requirements. In order to obtain proof of graduation, you must finish all of the training weekends, teach 30-classes (fertility, prenatal & postnatal all OK as long as you have a minimum of 5 prenatal and 5 mom & baby) and complete the practicum section of the online course. Sharon encourages all participants to obtain their CEU credits as soon as they finish the online course component so that, even if you do not complete the entire course, you get the full value from your investment in the online course.

30 CEU credits: How to Obtain Your CEU credit Certificate

You can earn 30 CEU credits by taking this online course (the Practicum section is not required for CEU credits) and by scheduling a minimum of one individual Skype sessions with Sharon Rudyk. After you have finished the entire online course, please e-mail Sharon to arrange for your SKYPE session(s): sharon@yogamatrika.com. After the session, you should send a letter with the following information:

1. Your name, as you wish for it to appear on your certificate

2. The address you wish the certificate to be mailed to

3. The e-mail address you wish for your certificate PDF to be sent to 4. A brief statement regarding your professional use of the course material

Please include a $20 certificate fee. Checks should be made out to: YOGA MATRIKA. Your certificate will be mailed to you within 14-days of the receipt of your letter and payment. Send your letter and payment to:

Sharon Rudyk Principal, Yoga Matrika 1406 S. Negley Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Please note that ONLY certified instructors can claim that they are teaching Matrika Prenatal or Matrika Mom & Baby classes. If you have taken this course for professional development and CEU credits, it is certainly appropriate for you to indicate that you have completed this course and invested in further training in this specialty area. You will not be able to say that you are certified to teach these specialty classes and you will not be able to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher). If you wish to be able to do these things, then please complete the requirements for certification as outlined below.

Requirements for Certification

Step I: Complete Online Course, including Quizzes and the Practicum Section (the completion of the Practicum includes teaching at least 30-classes of some combination of fertility, prenatal/min. 5 and postnatal/mom & baby yoga/min. 5).

Step II: Attend All Five Training Sessions (Yoga for Fertility, Yoga for Pregnancy, Matrika Mom & Baby, The Matrika: Energetic Anatomy, Practicum)

Step III: Complete requirements for CEU Credits as listed above

Step IV: Send a letter with the following information to Sharon

1-Your name as you wish for it to be typed on your Graduation Certificate

2-The mailing address you wish to have your signed certificate mailed to you and the e-mail address that you wish to have the PDF of your certificate mailed to (you will need this PDF to register with Yoga Alliance as a R-PYT)

3-A brief statement regarding your professional use of the course material

4-How you wish to be listed in the Matrika Prenatal Instructor Guide, including your personal website, links to where you teach, e-mail address and/or telephone number. If you are also a doula, midwife, nurse or have other professional identities that you wish to have indicated in your listing, please also state these in your letter.

Please include a $50 Graduation Certificate fee. Checks should be made out to: YOGA MATRIKA. You will receive your documents within 14-days of receipt of your letter and fee. If you wish to register with Yoga Alliance, that is a separate fee and you will need to do so directly with Yoga Alliance.

Mail your letter and fee to:
Sharon Rudyk Principal, Yoga Matrika 1406 S. Negley Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Once you have graduated, you have the right to indicate that you are certified to teach yoga for fertility, prenatal yoga and postnatal yoga. You are encouraged to indicate that you are teaching the following courses and to distinguish what you are offering from other styles, but it is not required that you use the Matrika name if it presents an obstacle for you or your employer or if it is not appropriate for any reason:

Matrika Fertility™
Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise™
Matrika Mom & Baby Yoga™

When you receive your graduation certificate, you will also receive full class descriptions for the above classes that you will be certified to teach. These can be used to promote your classes.

Registering with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT

Your graduation from this course and fulfilling all of the listed requirements also makes you eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as a R-PYT. Your registration with Yoga Alliance is not managed by Yoga Matrika and it is not required. It is a personal and professional decision that you must make if you wish to align yourself with this professional organization or not. Please be aware that Yoga Alliance requires that all R-PYT are already registered RYT at the 200 level or greater. If you are not an RYT or eligible to register as an RYT, you will not be able to register as an R-PYT even if you finish this course. These are the regulations of Yoga Alliance and Yoga Matrika has no control over these requirements. If registering as an R-PYT is important to you and you are not currently eligible to register as an RYT, please consider Yoga Matrika’s 200-Hour Teacher Training Program. We have scheduled this program so that you can do both at the same time.

This course is registered with Yoga Alliance and graduates who meet all of the requirements (including already having graduated from a 200-hour program with RYT status and meeting all of the graduation requirements of this program) can register with Yoga Alliance as R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teachers). This course includes fertility yoga, culture and reproduction, over 18-hours of embodied anatomy training with Mark Taylor, prenatal yoga, postnatal yoga and Mom and Baby yoga. You will be fully qualified to teach Matrika Yoga for Optimum Fertility, Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise and Matrika Mom and Baby classes upon graduation. This course has a significant online course component and five required training weekends. This program exceeds Yoga Alliance requirements and is intended to offer the highest quality of professional training available.

Training Weekend Details

We welcome pregnant women and women with children in our program and hope that you will discuss your needs with us before registering. We are happy to provide more frequent breaks, allow you to keep a nursling with you at all times and coordinate on-site or off-site childcare for children. You have up to one year to complete the online course (from whenever you start) and up to three-years to finish the training sessions.

Are you coming from out of town? Yoga Matrika highly recommends the Marriott Spring Hill Suites in Bakery Square. This hotel is convenient to Trader Joe’s supermarket, a Coffee Tree Roasters coffee shop and is approximately 2.5 miles from the yoga studio. There are also myriad restaurants within walking distance and an awesome natural fibers yarn and knitting shop (if you are into that kind of thing…..). If you are coming with family members, Pittsburgh is an awesome place for all ages for a weekend with world class museums, performances, restaurants and more. Sharon can provide referrals for childcare. If you are coming to the Burgh solo and wish to find a roommate or maybe even a home stay, please let Sharon know and she can connect you with others who are traveling alone.

Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training program is registered with Yoga Alliance™ and all graduates are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teachers).

Professional Development: 30 CEU credits
An Online Course for RYT Yoga Instructors in Yoga for Women for Optimum Fertility, Pregnancy and Beyond

Online Course Tuition: $500
45-Minute Skype Session with Sharon Rudyk: $40
CEU Credit Certificate Fee (one time fee): $20

Total cost: $560

This online course discusses anatomy, culture and yoga techniques, modifications and sequencing ideas for fertility, pregnancy and mom and baby classes. This is a wonderful way for 200-hr. RYT instructors to explore an interest in working with women through all phases of reproduction and earn credits towards maintaining registration with Yoga Alliance. Experienced teachers may find that this online course provides all that they need to be better able to serve their existing clients who are pregnant or become new parents. If you decide during or after the online course that you wish to pursue certification, you have up to three-years to complete all of the weekend intensive trainings after starting the online course. Upon completion of the online course and all graduation requirements, you will receive a certificate of completion and 30 Continuing Education credits valid for your professional registration with Yoga Alliance. The costs of this course is $500 and there are additional costs for SKYPE sessions ($40 per 45-minutes) and/or private sessions ($60 an hour) and professional mentoring and a one time certificate fee ($20) to cover administrative processing.

Pay Online Course Tuition HERE:
Please note that you can pay for the course at any time, but you will get an access code for registration on May 1st, 2012 or if you pay after May 1st, you will receive an access code within one week of payment. It is recommended that you send Sharon an e-mail: sharon@yogamatrika.com and/or call (412) 855-5692 after you make payment to confirm it has been received.

30 CEU credits: How to Obtain Your CEU credit Certificate

You can earn 30 CEU credits by taking this online course (the Practicum section is not required for CEU credits) and by scheduling a minimum of one individual Skype sessions with Sharon Rudyk. After you have finished the entire online course, please e-mail Sharon to arrange for your SKYPE session(s): sharon@yogamatrika.com. After the session, you should send a letter with the following information:

1. Your name, as you wish for it to appear on your certificate

2. The address you wish the certificate to be mailed to

3. The e-mail address you wish for your certificate PDF to be sent to 4. A brief statement regarding your professional use of the course material

Please include a $20 certificate fee. Checks should be made out to: YOGA MATRIKA. Your certificate will be mailed to you within 14-days of the receipt of your letter and payment. Send your letter and payment to:

Sharon Rudyk Principal, Yoga Matrika 1406 S. Negley Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Please note that ONLY certified instructors can claim that they are teaching Matrika Prenatal or Matrika Mom & Baby classes. If you have taken this course for professional development and CEU credits, it is certainly appropriate for you to indicate that you have completed this course and invested in further training in this specialty area. You will not be able to say that you are certified to teach these specialty classes and you will not be able to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher).

Prenatal Yoga Pittsburgh

February 14, 2011

Posted by Sharon

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MATRIKA PRENATAL YOGA & EXERCISE

Group Class:
Sundays from 12:15 to 1:15 pm at Mookshi Wellness Center
$5 for your first class

Private Classes:
Available at your convenience. Schedule by calling Sharon (412) 855-5692. FREE phone consultation for all expectant women. Call to schedule yours today!

Matrika Prenatal is a practice available to women in all weeks of pregnancy and does not require any prior experience with yoga or meditation. This unique combination of yoga, meditation, exercise and childbirth preparation supports expectant women through a healthy pregnancy, labor and birth preparation and beyond. Gentle stretches and movements ease tension, improve circulation and help relieve common minor pregnancy complaints from insomnia to low back pain. Strengthening exercises and squatting help prepare the pelvic floor for labor and help mom maintain excellent cardiovascular health and endurance. We visualize birth, practice breathing and sounding techniques and discuss birth options including pain management through movement, breathing and sounding. Of course, we also have a lot of fun and it’s always lovely to connect with other pregnant women in your community!

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.

Holiday Yoga: A Prenatal Practice

December 19, 2010

Posted by Sharon

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Yoga Matrika is going to be offering a limited number of prenatal yoga classes during the holidays. In case you don’t live in Pittsburgh and have found this practice online, Yoga Matrika offers prenatal yoga classes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The good news about this practice is that you can do it anywhere!

We all know that even a few stretches and relaxation exercises can make a huge difference in how we feel during pregnancy. During the holidays, our diets and schedules change and this makes it even more important that we maintain our practice. Here is a very short practice that is appropriate for pregnant women that you can do at home, if you are traveling or wherever you roam. For all you Pittsburgh-based Matrika Mammas, I look forward to seeing you again in person for class in the new year!

Center & Breathe

First step, find a comfortable seat. You do not have to be sitting on the floor and if you are at all swollen or feel any aches, it may be best for you to sit in a chair. If you are seated in a chair, you want to just sit on the front edge of the chair (not leaning back and resting on the seat back) and make sure that your feet are firmly placed on the ground. If this is uncomfortable due to the height of the chair, you can place support under your feet (yoga blocks, phone books, etc.). Just make sure that you have balanced support under each side of the body. From here, take one palm and rest it over your heart center and another hand over your belly. Very gently start to take deep breaths. Feel the front of your body rise with the in-breath and as you exhale, release the full breath and any tension you might be holding in your body. You can do this for as long as you like, but even taking 5-10 deep breaths will help you feel much more centered and relaxed.

Relax Back and Hips

Come down onto your hands and knees and practice cat/cow. Keep your neck relaxed and focus on the gentle forward and back sway of the pelvis. You can do as few of these or as many of these as you like. If you feel tight through the hips or have low back tension, you may also want to take your hips in circles. It can be helpful to imagine that you have a paintbrush dangling from your navel and that you are making perfect circles on the floor beneath you. Move as slowly or as quickly as feels right to you.

Energize the Body and Release Tension

Practice Warrior II pose on the right and left sides of the body. Focus on opening your heart, relaxing the shoulders and keep your bent knee (the front knee) coming out directly over the ankle. Use your inner thigh strength to deepen the stretch and keep your knee in a healthy position. The back leg is straight and you are opening through the pelvis. Gently tuck your sitting bones under you to lengthen the low back and release low back strain. Breathe!

Relax the hips & Stretch the Back

Come into Cobbler’s Pose. With the soles of your feet together, take deep breaths into the body. If you are rounded through the low back, place a folded blanket, towel or pillow under your sitting bones. You can sit here and breathe for as long as you like. If you would like to stretch the back body, then allow yourself to round forward as far as you feel comfortable. Keep your shoulders relaxed and breathe.

Deep Relaxation

It is very important to actively relax the body for a few minutes each and every day. This is different from napping or sleeping. Find a comfortable position for your body lying on the floor—-if it feels good, then it is safe. Bring your awareness to your feet and actively and systematically relax your body from your toes to the crown of your head. You may want to purchase a deep relaxation tape or download a Yoga Nidra from iTunes. It can be helpful to choose some beautiful music or chanting that you enjoy and play that while you relax.

Enjoy the holidays and new year Matrika Mammas! Check out our new Pregnancy and Postnatal website. Please do not practice yoga if any of these exercises make you uncomfortable, cause pain or if your care provider has put you on bed rest or encouraged you to limit physical activity. You should never feel pain in your yoga practice, pregnant or not, and these are not exercises you should “push through” or force yourself to do. All of these suggested exercises should feel good and relieve tension and strain in your body.

This practice was designed with love by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, the owner of Yoga Matrika and director of all Matrika Prenatal programs. Currently, our classes, workshops and Childbirth Education programs are mostly held in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Please feel free to contact Sharon directly with any questions (412) 855-5692.

Prenatal Yoga DVDs

July 8, 2010

Posted by Sharon

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Understandably, during pregnancy, the predictable becomes the unpredictable as your world and your place in it is constantly shifting. You may find yourself wide awake at 3am and fast asleep by 4pm. You may feel a strong desire to practice yoga at times when a local studio doesn’t offer a class. Perhaps you have other children and responsibilities that make it difficult to get to a class as often as you like. Whatever your reason for wanting to do yoga at home during pregnancy, here are some ideas for home practice with DVDs:

This practice DVD with Shiva Rea is my first choice for expectant moms who want to practice prenatal yoga at home. Sure, you could complain about the cheesy music and the voice-over, but the ideas are lovely and the practice is appropriate for all levels. I also like to recommend this DVD because I know that Yoga Matrika moms will be familiar with most of the exercises from our classes together and because it is very easy to obtain through the library, Netflix has it and can be purchased just about anywhere that DVDs are sold.

Price: $12.46 (NEW)

Here is a link to purchase on Amazon.com.

This isn’t a prenatal yoga practice DVD, but I think that this is a quality home workout program for expectant moms that want to stay fit and need the inspiration and guidance of a DVD. Staying fit during pregnancy is important and this is enjoyable, appropriately challenging and a great complement to a more restorative home yoga practice. It seems to me that toddlers and preschoolers might have fun doing this workout with mom, so this may be an ideal home exercise video for expectant moms who have other children in the house. You can all exercise together!

Price: $12.99 (NEW)

Here is a link to purchase on Amazon.com.

Gurmukh is so beautiful, radiant and joyful, that I recommend this DVD to all pregnant women. The practice is different from what we normally do at Yoga Matrika, but Gurmukh explains all of the exercises very clearly. The set for the DVD is actually beautiful and there are some wonderful and fun options for dancing and meditation on this DVD that make it unique from other options. Gurmukh’s language is empowering and this is a significant practice that will have a profound impact on your experience of pregnancy and birth. This is not a Vinyasa flow or traditional Hatha practice–it is Kundalini yoga, so moms who practice at Yoga Matrika will probably need to adjust their expectations. But, it is worth the learning curve as you will FEEL the benefits of this practice immediately. I also recommend Gurmukh’s book for pregnancy and have provided a link below.

Price: $17.00 (NEW)

Here is a link to purchase on Amazon.com.

Here is a link to information on Gurmukh’s book.

Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, Owner and Director of Prenatal and Postnatal programs and teacher training at Yoga Matrika in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.