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(3\.

Yoga and Contraception

S. Ramaswami
l n t he las t t hr e e i s s u e s ,
ce rta in ant enat al Y t rg i c e x e rcises and pranayama have
been described along with a
few necessary restrictions
(n i yam a) Y oga is u n i v e rs a l ,
ca n b e pr ac t is ed b o th b Y
wo men and m en. T h e d e s i ra b i l i ty or eligibilit y o f w o m e n
d o i n g y oga has bee n d i s c u s se d b y anc ient s .
Sta r t ing f r om t he q u e s ti o n
" Y o s h i t a a m y o g a V i dya a m
A d h i k a a r o A s t h i va a n a va a ."

a n d go' ng t hr o u g h th e
va ri ous ar gum ent s , i t i s c o n cl u d ed t hat
' , P o o r v a i v a A d h i k a ar a sya th ,
Y o s h i t a a m y o g a . K a r m in a ih a .' .

Thus women are fit for

vaidic, yogic and other
Karmasmentioned in the
Sastraas.
AFTER CHILD.BIRTH
The regular practice of
yogaafterchildbirthmay be
startedafter 27 daYs. HowFebruary'81

ever the mother may start be made about Utkataasana,

and Karnspeedoing long, smooth rechaka Sankataasana
These
asanasgive
and puraka (exhalationand daasana.
good
massageto the pelvic
inhalation)evenafter1OdaYs. a
This may be practised for organsand help improvevasabout 10 to 15 minutes.The cularity and hence cleanse
kumbhakasor holding rnay the garbhasaya.
be kept very short to about
2 to 5 seconds, After 27
days, graduallythe asanas
When shouldgirls take to
may be practised. UPto
yoga,
if they wish ? One
may
one
days
40
about
practiseasanasfor l5minutes may start from the 5th year
both in the morning and itself. However,they should
evening. lt may be increased practise yama and niyama
to aborlt half an hour until alongwith asanasandusually
a{ter 3 months. Thereaftera they are not to be initiated
until the 14th
t hour practice should be into pranayama
yar
onset of
or
about
the
be
This
may
continued.
puberty.
The
howasanas
of
weaning
maintainedupto
with
the
be
done
could
ever
the
when
normallY
the child,
as
breathing
menregulated
again.
menstruationstarts
After the thitd month, some tioned by Patanjali,Kurantam
medicationusedto be given and otherYogis.Since,in the
for what is termed"garbhasa- oldendays,girls were married
ya suddi" or purificationand beforethey became Rajasvaregenerationof the uterus. laas, they could practise
. after marriage.
It may consist in Performing Pranayama
year they could
18th
From
and
Homa
Panchagavya
ParPratyahara
and
up
take
Among
the
asanas
takingit.
a
or
on
Subhasraya
Dharana
the
uterus,
that normalize
pleasant
and
this
Murti,
a
should
mention
specific

33

may be continuedduringthe tion for contraception

is given
childbearingyears,until the in a capsule.
45th yearor about reaching
the stage of menopause. "Pa a sa a sa n a m Yogani dra
Ga r b h a p in d a nchaB hadrakam.
Thenthose that are inclined
M a tr sye n d r a Aasanami tyete
to become Brahmavadinsor
Sa r va g a r b h aNi rodhakaha."
thosespirituallyinclinedmay
"Ba h ih ku m b h a ka yukthi rhi
Pr a a n a ya m a ischa S amyuthawork on the other two angas
yaan8.
of Dhyana and Samadhi,
Dh r id a ih i T r ib a ndanai rcha
proper
guru.
undera
Or else
Bh a ve yu h u yadi N i thyasaha."
they may continue with
their daily puja culminating P a a s a a s a n a m(N oose postin Dharana. All the other u re ), Yo g a n i d ra (Y ogi c recl i angasmay be observed and n i n g p o s tu re ), Garbhapi nda
practisedregularly.
(fo e tu s p o s tu re ), B hadraasa-

exhal ati on, pressi ng the feet,

sl ow l y tw i st to the ri ght si de.
Stay for a few breaths. Then
exhal e agai n sl ow l y,
and
deeply,
lower the trunk,
bendi ng the knees, as i n
U tkataasana,except that the
trunk i s at ri ght angl es to the
l egs. In thi s posi ti on, exhal e
compl etel y, draw rectum and
lower abdomen and place the
armpi t on the outer si de of
the ri ght thi gh, j ust bel ow
the knee. Then on l he next
exhal ati on stretch the l eft
n a , Ma ts y e n d ra-w hen these arm and turn i t around the
a re ma s te re d a nd practi sed, ri ght thi gh. Then bend the
c o n c e p ti o n w i l l b e pl evented. elbow to take the forearm
In a seminarorganizedby
backward so that the left
a voluntaryorganizationon
F u l th e rP ra a n a ayama
shoul d hand i s near the l eft hi p.
family planning, someone b e p ra c ti s e d w ith emphasi s
remarkedin jest that since o n B a h y ,k u m b haka, al ong
Take a breath and mai ntai n
yoga is mentioned
thesedays w i th th e th ree B andhas, balance. On tfre next exhalaas a cureall, why not yoga n a m e l y J a l a n d ara, Mool a ti on turn the ri ght arm from
for family planning? lt may a n d U d d i y a n aregul arl y.
the shoul der i n the opposi te
be mentionedthat yogis have
di recti on behi nd the back and
studiedthis subject in some
It c o u l d b e s e en that these meet the hand. And keep the
depthand haverecommended p o w e rfu l a s a n a sw hi ch w ork f i ngers i nterl ocked. S tay for
yogaasanasthat would act o n th e p e l v i c o rg ans, provi d- a few breeths.
as contraceptivefor women. i n g th e ri g h t, c o ntrol l ed presHowever, these are very s u re a n d tw i s ti n g or squeezThen breathe in and exhale
difficultpostureswhich need i n g o f th e u te rus. ai ded by compl etel y, draw i ng the l cw
to be practisedfrom earlyage. th e B a n d h a si n B ahyakumbha- abdomen agai n and tw i sti ng
Unlessyoga is taught at a k a s h o u l d p re v e n t, i f properl y a l i ttl e more, hol di ng the l eft
youngage, its benefitsinclu- d o n e , e m b e d d i ng of the w ri st w i th the ri ght hand.
dlng the one underconsidera- fe rti l i z e d o v u m on the uteri ne Turn and l ook over the ri ght
Iimited appli- w a l l s .
tlBffS0il?ilav-e.a
shoulder. Stay for a few
.sffi
CJtldll.
vooa
breaths rai si ngthe pel vi c di a"6iPgrb'or
phragm on each exhal sti on.
Pdh$f;d\ASANA
The i nhal ati on w i l l be short
.
't5.l8ll.J.
asl&i'Plfi'fftoW6Hve
ililr.to Sbmasthithi.but the exhal ati on w i l l be
vrfBBrl$f0e,
#A'6ni$'Efliri \.qfiiAffr lfiti"a
r-^ l ong and smooth. On every
.Q$eOicxidl
Xb"'fe?ii3l qlha[qti.qn_.tighten the grip
idd?ai8I b&rfl"A-l'8

ffnlsrp
lusa?x$fraffr
Sebrros
hsl{?&En
snrURr6E
ffrctdf-q
fil
'hgnt"r
S9g8vil8{
errlt bfl6

tt

scrl .l t_'IrJ .",i t8fi

-1o,.
ifrf6"t68r<?fllqB
tt9T 0'nlb03i'11'
t'?rq19{'t'
on
P.{,gqEy'roe
i ;i l i l
r f ss ti 6f

"Q8,',sre$qr|
w a ro .
I n e n on tne . next the".
b l r:o rl l
n o rl u !an :rti ;l J.:rl .r Eqlvicd
"nqio"r,Fi!40
.2 t.i,' lo tu tJ

nl c'l

The |nQign,Eeurre[ry'l

twist in thoseorgans. (Refcr

sketch1). After a few breaths
return to Samasthithi on
inhalation.
Repeaton the othersideas
well.
Some of the asanas that
prepareone to do Pasasana
arc utkataasana, Ardhamabyandrasaana,Parsvathangi
in TadaasanaPaarsvottasana
Marichasana, etc.
Long,
smooth exhalation
also
would help in attainingthe
posture.

a\

YOGA NIDRA
Thisasanaaffords tremendous pressurebeing applied
aroundthe pelvis. lt may be
done lying down. Asanas
that normally help in doing
'this are Paschimottanasana,
Upavishtakonasana,
Kurmaasana, Karmapeedasana
and
long and smoothexahalation.
Ekapada
and Dwipadasirshaasana alsowill be helpful.
Start with Samasthithi,
then Uttanasaanaon exhalation. Then holding the
breathjump back to Chaturangadandasana.
Thenexhale Stay for a fcw breaths.
the legs and ankles forming
hold the breath, jump forthe base like a bed and the
ward to Dandasana. Lie
On the next exhalation, back on it.
backon inhalation.
draw the right leg futther up
Thendeeplyexhaling,draw and slip it behind the right
both-legsoverhead,bending shoufder so that both the
anklesare placedone on the
the knees.
other supporting the back.
Exhalingdraw the left leg In this position the entire
behind th-1 left shoulder. back will be supported by

February'81

Now slowly sttetch the

spine on exhalation,take the
armsaround the thighs and
clasp the right wrist with
the left hand behindthe back.
Stretchthe neck and try to

35

extremities,and lean forward

and hold the back of the head
with the palms,ondeep exhalation.As you exhale again,
tighten the grip, straighten
the spineand draw the thighs
close to the pelvis. Stay for
a few breaths, made up of
short inhalatlons and long
deep exhalations. Refer to
sketch(3). The upright side
view is given in sketch (4).
straighten the spine. Refel
to the sketch (2).
Thereis a peculiar,,tremendous stretcingof the pelvic
musuto fanal suppurts and
also pressure. This, along
with Dwipaada Sirshasana
may be practisedfor sometime
by those whl are habitual
abortorsand may be drscontinued when it may help in
pregnancy.So long as these
asanasare continued to be
practisedregularly,they act
as contrdceptives.
It is a greathelp, according
to ancient wisdom, in preventing lungdiseaseas consumption; flatulance,and other
abdominaldiseasesof spleen,
liver,stomach,etc. lt helps
to
strengthen Swadhi'
shtana, Brahmaguha ChaKrasfor longivity. lt controls
The procedureis the same
apanavayu and hence the
up
to Padmaasana. Then
pelvic organs get strengslowly
exhale, lean forward
thened.
and insertthe hands-relaxing
the shoulders-betweenthe
GARBHAPINDAASANA
thigh and ca;f musctesuntil
This asana resemblesa the elbows ara through,Press
foetus. lt is comparatively the buttocks ahd anchoring
easy to follow.
the coccyx raise tho lower
February'81,

37

Stay in this po.sturefor a

few breaths.Loosenths lock.
Repeatwith legs crossed,but
changing the order of bending the legs for Padmaasana.

sana.Now exhale, place the

right leg on top of the left
thigh, the heel pressing the
side of the navel. Stay for a
breath.draw the left kneeup
towardsthe body so that it is

up to the chest,pressing the

left knee up towards the
body so that it is up to the
chest, pressing the righ
heel againstthe abdomen in
the process. On the next
exhalation,slowly place the
left foot outside the right
knee. besidethe right thigh,
Stay for a few exhalations.
Then on the next d.r"p
exhalation, anchoring the
coccyx, twist the spine and
turn the trunk towards left
side, so that the right armpit
is outside the right knee

From GarbhaPindaasana,
one may lie back to do Uttaa'
nakumaarasana8s shown
in sketch(5). These asanas
provide a great amount of
pressuleon the Pelvicorgans.
MATSYENDRAASANA
Among the lfoiemost of
Hathayogis
of theNathasampradaya, Matsyendranathais
considered the king among
thernas his name indicates.
The asana namedafter him
of yogasana
is a masterpiece
showing the grace, poise,
and strength of yoga and
it has great therapeutic
values.
Asanasthat help to prepa(e
one for doing this asana are
ardhamatsyendrasana,
Parivritha Parsvakonasana,Pasasana,Marichaasana,
and long
Rechaka and Uddiyanabandha.
Start from Samasthithi
and proceed to do Dandaa38

ThelndianReview

Pushing the chest forward,

'arm
bring the right
around
and hold the left big toe,
On the next exhalation.
bring the left hand from
behind and hold the right
thigh near the groin. Stay
for 6 breaths, On eachexhalation, draw the rectum and
the lower abdomenand twist
a little more looking over
the left shoulder.(Sketch6).
Inhaleretrrrnstep by step
to Dandasanam.Repeaton
the otherside.
It could Le observed that
in Matsyendrasana,unlike
the other two mentioned,
there is also a twisting of
the spineand pelvic organs.
It is to a certain extent
experienced
in Paasasana,ln
Matsyandrasana,
the heel is
placed between the pubic
boneandtheiliacandwiththe
crossingof the leg it is anchored by the side of the
uterus and in this posture
the uterus is wrung as it
were. However, it is a very
difficult posture to acheive
and master.
The other benefits of Mat6yendrasanaa(e mentioned
in Hathayogapradeepika.
. ' M a t s y e n d r a p e e t am

Ja ta r a p r a deepam
P r a c h a n d a r u g m a n d a la
Kh a n d a -

Abhyaasat
haha*" o"'i,it"oilif,l"
nlln,
c handrasthirath,u. ro
DadaathiPumsaam'

Matsyendrasanaactivates above, it could be observedJatarangni and throroughly cannothave universal applieradicates all chronic ail- cationas a pill would havel
ments. lt activateskundalini Thus unless one has been
and gives mental steao,ness. practisingfrom a young age,
thesemay not be of much
About Matsyendra, an practicalvalue. But ii could
anecdoteis mentioned.Once be observed that women
Lord Siva, the Adinatha, couldmaintainnot only good
secludingin an uninhabited health,evenas they take to
island,and thinkingit to be the grihastha dharma, as
deserted,startedtutoring His propoundedby Manu, Lut
spouseGirijaon the secrets make use of yoga practice
of Hathayoga. However, for Stri Dharma. According
remainingnear the shore, a to my Acharya, apart from
asanas,
fish started intently listening the above-mentioned
practice
women
could
Marito those instructions. Thus
c.haaggqa,
Ardhamatsyendrait attainedhigh concentraticn
Badd(Ekagratha) and remained sana,Baddhakbnasana,
hapadma,
Dhanurasana
in
steadyin the waters without
exhalation,
Sirshasana
with
absolutely any movement.
Suddenlyobservingthe fish, UddiyaanaBandha, Aakuril
in Bahyakumbh$
thus in Samadhi, the Lord chanaasana
which
ka
would help fii
realizingthat Yogahas been
limitins
the
family (Mit(
learnt by the fish, out of
santhana)
and
would faciY
gfeat campaosion (Kripaatate
the
mind
to placti#'
( Prokshitavaan)
lu), sprinkled
later
Needless
dhyana
on.
t&l
water on rhef ish. With that
say
thatthese
asanar
($
the fish, known as Matsyen"r"
dra, instantlyattained celes- be practised undera prop}
qi
tial body and was transform- guru.
ed to a Siddhaand he became
Furtherin all those .r"nff
a great teacher of yoga,
also separately *hif;
and
thereafter. The asananamed
practising
pranayama, tqF
after him is Matsyendrasana
emphasis
will be on Bahy{
and resemblesa fish twisting
kumbhaka
and the tnrffi
and beutifullyporsed,
Bandhas, especially Modh
and Uddiyana Bandhas.It
could be observedthat thef,
are the very asanas ar{i}
OTHERASANAS TCO
Bandhasthat are requiredM
be
avoidedduringPreOnancft
The asanas mentior,d

>#'<
February'81