OJAS AND PREGNANCY

Ojas: The Essence of Baby’s Development

Ojas is a Sanskrit term that can be translated as “vigor” or “essence of vitality.

“Ojas is the essence of the body responsible for strength, natural resistance and is considered essential for life,” says the Astanga Hridayam, a classic Ayurvedic text. “It is said to be present in the heart. . . . Its presence in the fetus and mother produce strength and contentment, and its absence fatigue and anxiety.” 

According to Sushruta, Ojas is the fine essence of all the Dhatus and the superfine essence of Shukra dhatu (reproductive tissue) which are responsible for biological strength, vitality and immunity in the body which make a person physically active.

It is said that the mother and foetus alternately become happy and energetic when ojas is strong..One way to build healthy ojas is to nourish the body with healthy, prana-rich foods(appropriate to your dosha) and to pay mindful attention to agni, our digestive fire.

So when you feel tired, mentally or physically, that’s when you know you need to replenish and build your ojas. 

When all body parts of fetus formed, Ojas manifested by its symptoms. In other words we can say that this Ojas before pregnancy remains in sperm and ovum. 

From eighth (8th and 9th) month or so, the essence of life and immunity (ojas) starts flowing back and forth between the mother and the baby ( Ojas takes place through blood vessels from mother to fetal heart and from fetal to mother’s heart). Those periods of extreme exhaustion are periods when the ojas is flowing away from you and to the baby. The more stable this flow can happen, the more stable the baby’s ojas will also be. Ojas moves back and forth between mother and baby. The mother may experience a wavering feeling of sorrow and joy due to this movement. 

Ojas is responsible consciousness, purity in thoughts, health, positivity in feelings in every situation, better immunity, longevity, intelligence and memory.

The best way to describe formation of Ojas is to understand how honey is made. Nearly ten to twenty thousand bees collect the nectar or essence of thousands of fruits and flowers and stored them into their hives for the formation of honey. Similarly Ojas is also the nectar or essence and is the end product of various physiological process.

The Three Vital Essences: Ojas, tejas, and prana
Ojas, tejas, and prana, the subtler, energetic forms or counterparts of the three fundamental ayurvedic principles or doshas (vata, pitta and kapha) , maintain the development of immature dathu (tissue) into mature dathu.
Prana divides kalala (zygote), tejas maintains its integrity, and ojas maintains its immunity.

Our vital life energy depends on the presence of ojas, and with the assistance of prana, it controls all biological and psychological aspects of life functioning. Perhaps the most beautiful example of its power is during the eighth month of pregnancy when it is transferred from the mother to the fetus. It’s the passing of the essence of our vitality to a new life, a biological act of love. A baby born before receiving this vital essence from its mother will have difficulty surviving. Ayurveda attributes the danger of this time to the "unsteadiness of the ojas" which gives rise to "...wavering feelings of joy and sorrow" in the mother and similarly in the foetus.

Ojas marks the beginning of the formation of the embryo. It is the nourishing fluid from the embryo." Ojas (offiled in the body of the fetus moves to the body of the mother, and vice versa.

"Loss of ojas is loss of life." Diminished ojas is associated with anger, grief, fear, cheerlessness, etc.

The subtle essence called ojas that is extracted from the proper digestion and efficient metabolism of food nourishes the bodily tissues of blood, plasma and lymph, muscle, fat, bones, bone marrow and semen. Ojas also forms the basic material of the five sense organs, ligaments and lubricating fluids. Improper digestion leads to production of ama or toxins in the body. 

The heart is the seat of the ojas. From the heart, 10 blood vessels referred to as mahaphala carry ojas to the rest of the body. Ojas is affected by not only the food we take in and its healthy digestion, but also by the sensory impressions we take in. Hence it is important to protect the physical and emotional health of the heart.

We must be careful to avoid depleting it or wasting it on energy-sucking activities. 

Depleted ojas may manifest as chromosomal defects in the fetus and can cause congenital abnormalities. During pregnancy, ojas is unstable as it moves between the mother and fetus and this is why it is especially important to develop it. It is believed that healthy Ojas, brings about love and compassion in both mother and fetus. Ojas, as a subtle material substance and essence of the tissues, requires the material support of a right diet. Overuse of the motor organs can deplete ojas, particularly too much talking. 

The aura of a pregnant woman is one of the easiest to see, for it is particularly luminous and full of gold. The gold colour in the aura indicates that the pregnant woman is intensely connected to high spiritual beings who support and foster the embryo. Pregnancy is therefore a privileged time for spiritual growth. Itis a time to do a lot of meditation and enlightening reading, and to work at developing intuition and perception. 

Consume Ojas boosting foods, herbs and Ayurvedic tonics.

When a mother enters pregnancy with a healthy diet and lifestyle, making the necessary changes to enhance ojas - that will help build the best quality body for baby.

But when she has accumulated wastes from incomplete digestion or toxicities in the body, or excessive rajas or tamas in the mind (anger, depression, and so on) these conditions undermine the baby’s development.

This is our best safeguard against mental and physical disease. Our physical, mental and spiritual strength is totally dependent on Ojas. Ojas is the sap of one's life energy which, when sufficient, is equated with immunity and, when deficient, results in weakness, fatigue and ultimately disease...Therefore Ojas is considered as vital nectar of life.

Whenever you are trying to conceive a baby. I strongly recommend beginning to build healthy ojas many months before trying to conceive, and ojas continues to play an important role throughout the pregnancy itself, as well as during the post-partum journey of stepping fully into parenthood.

Ojas nourishes all of the tissues of the body. According to Ayurveda, the health of our reproductive organs and fluids depend entirely on the health of the other tissues, and on our healthy reserve of ojas itself. So whether we are seeking to support fertility or ensure a healthy journey through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, the idea of ojas is absolutely essential.

How are you taking care of yourself while pregnant during these chaotic times?

Learn how to increase OJAS during pregnancy?

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OJAS PREGNANCY MANTRAS

* Opens energy channels at the emotional and spiritual levels.
* Helps in removing psychic and spiritual energy blocks.
* Alleviates the physical and emotional stress of the mother and baby
* Develops strong channels of communication
* Establishes emotional intelligence in the child

There are also several specific mantras in the Vedas for the welfare of the pregnant ladies and the child in the womb. Reciting or listening to them daily is considered highly auspicious & help the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual growth of the child in the womb and afterward also.

Traditional Indian societies have typically regarded pregnancy as a sacred period in a woman’s life. Outstanding ceremonies are observed in the hindu tradition to celebrate the birth of a newborn soul.The mother is honoured and treated with rites, prayers, mantras, medicinal remedies during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care.

Ojai is the Life Energy For the Expectant Mother

Ayurveda says, if a pregnant woman is taken care of as advised, she will give birth to a child who does not have any diseases- a healthy, physically strong, radiant and well-nourished baby who is superior to all the race.

The three stages or preparing for a healthy and conscious pregnancy are:

Cleanse
Nourish/Rejuvenate
Ritual

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