Moving Meditation During Pregnancy Calms Your Mind and Body
Walking is an excellent form of exercise at all stages of your pregnancy, and you may also find that walking gives you time to clear your head and calm your mind. You can take the benefits even further with a breath walk - a form of walking meditation.
When you’re getting started, find a quiet place with some room to move. With your feet shoulder-width apart, take several deep breaths. Relax your jaw, neck and shoulders, then begin breathing in a four-part rhythm:
Breathe in for four counts.
Hold your breath for four counts.
Exhale for eight counts.
Hold your breath for four counts.
Do this a few times to get used to the pattern, then begin coordinating steps with your breathing. At first, take a step with each inhale and exhale, pausing while you hold your breath. If you want to speed things up a tad, you can take four steps with each inhale and four steps with each exhale.
These breath walks are excellent preparation for childbirth and beyond, because you’re learning to “mindfully multitask.” Most women are able to walk comfortably during early stages of labor; consider doing a breath walk to calm your mind.
Learn more about breath walks in Breath Walk for Pregnancy, and learn about eight choices you can make for a healthy pregnancy on our blog.
Source: Pathways to Family Wellness magazine, Issue #26.