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Dear Jeannine, In cleaning out 25 years of books in preparation for moving to a new residence here, I rediscovered your PrenatalYoga. How timely, for I am nearlydone a new rendering of Queen Maya's, Howto Make a Baby Buddha. There are two new parallel stories. One in which the author's family is in Nepal when the ms is discovered and his wife's pregnancy parallels Maya's at the head of each chapter, and the other is where Maya is visited by various divine beings at the end of each "moon". I had done a piece on the Yogini last week, and reading your wondrous book, has help me revise it. Not only that I have been trying out all the Yoga poses myself along with the ciricular breathing of golden light, and the God's Grace meditation with the mudra, and it has been very helpful to me at a difficult time. So I love you and bless you for this, and wonder why I have been so slow in learning all your richness. All the Wishes of Wonder, Jeremy Seligson, Korea There is no end to fear -- birth is as safe as life gets. Do you doubt? Then please see the documentary A CLEAR ROAD TO BIRTH by Judy Seaman for a moving insight into the ecstasies of freebirth. (See our OPTIMAL HEALTH CATALOG page for ordering information.)
"When birthing Halley, I did not suffer. The pain I felt was embraced and transformed into ecstasy as she came through me. She was not pushed out in anguish and therefore has no imprint of hurting her mother/self matrix. This is another indication of the "new species" Homo divinitus -- imagine a primal psychology which includes the imprint for both men and women, of co-creating tremendous somatic pleasure during birth. The implications of a template for sexuality based on ecstasy, rather than extreme pain or the drugging thereof to avoid, are extremely evocative. Would we see less sado-masochistic behavior in sexuality if more humans were freeborn? Would rape decrease if men and women felt less like the cause, or at least an involuntary accomplice in suffering at birth? The psychological complex from "hurting mommy" at birth to later sexual diseases is not often considered as connected. However in my experiences as mother, midwife and researcher, collecting stories of conceptions and subsequent sexual experiences, a connection, causal or not, is apparent. Also as birth is a metaphor for all movement into new ground, when it comes time for Halley as a young woman to leave Mom's house, she will more likely to gracefully depart for the primal imprint of joyous celebration already deep within her (our) soul." Jeannine Parvati Baker Joseph, Utah 1 March 2001  PRENATAL YOGA AND NATURAL BIRTH By Jeannine Parvati Baker Officially out of print. Limited copies remain for $50.
The story is simple: an American yogini becomes pregnant and is informed that she must stop doing yoga now. Instead, she creates a yoga practice for mothers. From the author's experience in giving ecstatic birth and in sharing prenatal yoga with mothers around the world, this (wo)manual is created. All childbirth preparation is based on the principles of yoga breath control, relaxation/surrender, and a flexible strength to maintain focus. These are taught through yoga and when applied to the childbearing process, are the best news since psychedelics for the evolution of consciousness. Perhaps the most important contribution to healing the Earth by healing Birth, PRENATAL YOGA is a definitive textbook on "freebirth" how to honor the Holy Trinity of mother, baby AND father. Men will find the main thesis of PRENATAL YOGA to be an excellent map of consciousness for the journey home to their souls as fathers. The book has five of the author's personal birth stories including a breech baby, twins and two waterbirths at home plus an excellent introduction to the ecstatic possibilities of mothering as a spiritual process. However, the main text is devoted to simple instructions in how to do yoga when pregnant and prepare for a conscious birth and beyond.Postures, Breath Practices, and Meditations with many photos and drawings to accompany the clear text. The images of ecstatic birth, like a family album, serve as an inspiration for the possible family conscious co-creators out of love. The ideal baby shower or Blessing Way gift with durable smithsewn binding and designed to be handed down with the best baby clothes. Available from FREESTONE PUBLISHING CO - 2535 S. Desert Rd.,Moab UT 84739 USA This older edition is now officially out of print. Limited copies remain, available for a price of $50. The 25th SILVER ANNIVERSARY EXPANDED EDITION OF PRENATAL YOGA is available for $19 postpaid (see above).
Ordering Info: Mail check to Freestone and add $5 extra for PRIORITY MAIL postage Add $7 PRIORITY MAIL for CONSCIOUS CONCEPTION International orders: Make cheques in US dollars. Add $5 US postage for SURFACE mail per title (in addition to postpaid amount per title) For International AIR MAIL double the price. BOOK REVIEW Journal of Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health Vol. 16, Number 4 | Summer 2002 Prenatal Yoga & Natural Childbirth (2001) 3rd Edition, by Jeannine Parvati Baker. First edition published in 1974, second edition published in 1986. This Silver Anniversary, 3rd edition of Jeannine Parvati Baker’s classic, Prenatal Yoga and Natural Childbirth, brings the gift of a new preface and an added 30 pages to the second edition for long-time fans of this author. The additional pages include the stories of the births of Jeannine's sixth child, Halley Sophia, and her first grandchild, Wynn to first-born daughter, Loi, as well as Jeannine's reflections on becoming a Grand Mother, and an extensive biography of the author. New readers will find inspiration and challenge to consider new possibilities for the bringing of children into this world, by going with the author as she learns through the birthing of each of her babies, her deepest truths about this life-changing experience. The section on Prenatal Yoga is unchanged and retains its power as an aid to those preparing for childbirth and their advisors and helpers. This work is a beautiful testimonial to the living of one’s truth and vision. In this case, the vision of birth as an ecstatic and healing experience for mother, father, and baby; in the author’s words, Freebirth. This is not a return to any tradition prevalent before the advent of medical management of childbirth, this is a vision of future possibilities, wherein the parents of a child take full responsibility, and experience full ecstatic immersion in the process, from conception through birth. While the dedication to this ideal was apparent in the second edition, with the birth story of Quinn, it reaches its maturity in this 3rd edition with a continuation into the next generation. Other recommended practices for bonding within the family seem to pale by comparison to this living expression of Jeannine's vision of Freebirth. Which begs one caution: as the author says, on page 100, "To embrace one’s real birth experience is perfection." During this period of transition from one major form of childbirth, with reliance on doctors and hospitals, to new possibilities, it is important to remember that each individual needs to consider many things in deciding the ideal circumstances in which to give birth. Choice in the matter is very important, as well as an honoring of the choices of others. However, without the vision of what may be possible, we will not have a full range of choices. Jeannine Parvati Baker’s courage and eloquence, through her writing and the living of her deepest beliefs, has given us all a vision others have not even dreamed possible. Jean Houston, in her epilogue to The Possible Human, says,
It is so far-reaching in its implications that one might call it evolution consciously entering into time, the evolutionary potential asserting itself. It needed a certain critical mass, a certain merging of complexity, crisis, and consciousness to awaken. Now it is happening. I cannot think of a better way to describe the possible change that Jeannine Parvarti Baker’s vision, and living of her vision, may awaken for human beings. It is wonderful to be allowed, through her writing, to see the unfolding of "the possible family" into the second generation. May we continue to be blessed by this writer's contributions. Jeane Rhodes, Ph.D. Lakewood, Colorado |
25th SILVER ANNIVERSARY EXPANDED EDITION OF
