Q: I am now the proud mother of a beautiful 6 week old baby! I was practicing Kundalini Yoga for 2 years before getting pregnant - I love your DVDs so much! Thank you for all that you bring into this world. My question today involves the recent C Section I had in order to get my new son into this world safely. It was an emergency situation and I'm so very grateful that my son is safe, healthy, and beautiful. However, I find myself thrown completely "out of whack" from the whole ordeal and haven't quite felt myself since the day I delivered him. I look at my son and beam with pride that he's mine and I have overwhelming feelings of love for him. It's myself that I don't feel too good about. I feel as though my body failed me again ( this is my second C section ). I was trying so hard to have a natural birth this time around - so much to the point that I was obsessed with it. I realize that I let my ego get the best of me since I felt like this was my right as a woman to give birth naturally. I think I have now caused myself to lose so much confidence in who I am as a person and doubt what my capabilities are. Those who are close to me think that I may be suffering from postpartum depression, but I disagree. I'm happy with every other aspect in my life, but I have lost self confidence and doubt myself constantly. So my question boils down to, how exactly do I heal emotionally from my birth experience? Which DVDs do you recommend to help get me centered again and feeling more like myself?

I don't expect yoga to fix everything for me, of course. I would just like a little helping hand in getting myself back on the right track emotionally. Any help and advice will be most welcome. Again, thank you both so much for all that you do to help people.

A: Thanks for writing. Congratulations on your new child! Please be assured that what you are feeling is only a temporary situation and you will start to feel like yourself again soon. Actually, your body didn't let you down, it succeeded admirably, because the birth was a success. We are on earth, and in our bodies, to accomplish certain things and giving birth to your son was definitely one of the things you were meant to do! Not only that, but the fact that you had been doing a Kundalini Yoga practice, leading up to, and during your pregnancy, means that your son is probably an elevated soul who will help to make the world a better place. It's said in the yoga tradition that a woman is greater than God, because not even God can give birth to something potentially greater than Himself!

In order to deal effectively with the emotional issues you're experiencing we suggest either the So Darshan Chakra Kriya Meditation whiich is on Yoga Bliss Hips, Yoga Quick FIxes, and Yoga House Call. We also suggest the Yoga Beauty Body DVD. If you feel that the So Darhsan Chakra Kriya Meditation is bringing up too much too fast, then we recommend the Sa-Ta-Na-Ma Meditation which is also on Yoga Quick Fixes and Yoga House Call. Try to do one or both of those meditations 31 min. per day. Also, read the Abdominal Strengthening post on this archive. When one doesn't feel their Navel Center, it is very hard to feel like oneself. There is a definite disconnect when the Navel Center has been displaced or traumatized. All of the Navel Chakra exercises on our DVD's, especially Navel Power (in addition to So Darshan Chakra Kriya, which works the Navel) will be very helpful. Please keep us posted!

We wish you joy, health, and blessings!

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