Ojas: The Essence of Baby’s Development
Month to Month Nutrition Program to Increase Ojas : Call 9773170560/9825463394
It is said that abundant ojas in the mother creates love and compassion that she passes on to her baby.
Ancient Ayurvedic texts by Vagbhat describe–in detail–embryonic nourishment at conception and for gestation by the 5 elements. They describe the seat of the soul as a sixth tissue (the nervous system), which is the next to last tissue in the sequence of tissue nutrition in the body. The quality of mind and connectedness to this life are dependent upon the quality of the nervous tissue. Vagbhat explains that ojas – the finest product of maternal and paternal digestion and contained in the reproductive seed material — is the essence of the embryo and fetus, and the first component for baby’s tissue formation, and Ayurveda explain that stem cells are nourished by ojas.
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 can tend to vibrate at odds with gestational priorities, and undermine the baby’s development.
According to Ayurveda, Ojas is a essence present in every dhatu (tissue). The purest substance in the universe and omnipresent in the human being, Ojas is responsible consciousness, purity in thoughts, health, positivity in feelings in every situation, better immunity, longevity, intelligence and memory.
Ojas gets formed first in the body of living beings.5 This indicates that. Ojas is established during the time of the fertilization of sperm and ovum. It means Ojas is already exists in sperm and ovum in the Saar form. 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.
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.
Sattvic foods will build ojas and nutrition plays important part to build Ojas. Also many of the health challenges of pregnancy can be prevented by paying attention to nutrition.
Nutrition
Food needs to be fresh and wholesome. Fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and dairy products are the mainstay of the diet. Best to eat organic; avoid packaged foods. Food should be delicious and usually cooked because it is easier to digest. Vegetable intake is extremely important. Dark, leafy greens should be eaten at least daily. A broad range of vitamins and nutrients will be provided by these vegetables.
Eat all 6 tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent), but emphasize sweet, sour, and salty. Examples include dairy, sweeteners, oils, fruits, vegetables, beans, spices, and nuts.
How food is eaten is just as in important as what food is eaten. The mother should feel light, happy and satisfied after her meal. She should not feel unconliortable, have gas or pain, or feel dull.
Sattvic foods will build ojas. These include many of the ones previously listed but most inmportantly include milk and ghee. Milk should be taken warmed with ayurvedic herbs. Ghee is a nourishing, unctuous food. It promotes digestion and is digested quickly. Tamasic foods often produce ama instead of ojas.
It is important to keep the fetus nourished throughout pregnancy to build the ojas. Also low birth weight may be linked to disease later in life. The theory is that if nutrients are insufficient then they will be diverted from organ development to more important areas like brain development. During the time an organ is developing it needs to receive ilie correct nutrition or it may never develop properly.
Abhyanga is important to perform to increase Ojas. Stress and fatigue that may push vata dosha out of balance are relieved through abhyanga. Energy will be kept flowing throughout the body and all systems will be stimulated.
The aura of a pregnant woman is one of the easiest to see, for it is particularly luminous and full of gold particularly when Ojas increases. Pregnancy is therefore a privileged time for spiritual growth & Ojas. Itis a time to do a lot of meditation and enlightening reading, and to work at developing intuition and perception.
During the 8th month,there is cross movement of the ojas through the channels carrying nourishment from the mother to the foetus, because of the immaturity of the foetus. The ojas moves between mother and baby. It is important to rest during this time and eat ojas building foods. The mother shouldn’t waste energy and should let the energy go inward. She should spend time in nature as well as chant and meditate. Things to avoid include overwork, worry, anger, hunger, excessive sex, sorrow and devitalized food. In the 8th month of pregnancy, Sthira Guna of Ojas is not established completely. Therefore Ojas is unstable in 8th month because exchange of Ojas takes place through blood vessels from mother to fetal heart and from fetal to mother’s heart. When Ojas is transmitted from Garbha (fetus) to mother, she looks happy and born fetus at this time will be prone to develop infectious disorders. Due to which delivery in this month is to be considered dangerous. Ojas gets nourishment after digestion of food. In short we can say that maintenance of Ojas is dependent on Ojas nourishing food/nutrition and its proper digestion. Good nourishing quality of food with deficient digestive energy causes vitiation in the Ojas. Ojas is the pure and subtle substance that’s extracted from food that has been completely digested. Ojas is considered as the most refined result of digestion metabolism, absorption and assimilation as our physical, mental and spiritual strength is totally dependent on Ojas. Therefore Ojas is considered as vital nectar of life.
The description of foetal growth in the 8th month given in Charak, Vagbhatta, Kashyapa and Bhava- Prakash. According to them due to immaturity of foetus, the ‘ojas’ remains unstable. It moves from mother to foetus and from foetus to the mother through rasa carrying channels. Due to the transfer of ‘ojas’mother and foetus become happy and dull alternatively. If delivery takes place the life becomes doubtful and they do not consider this month for delivery......According to Sushruta due to instability of ‘ojas’ child born in this month dies due to absence of ‘ojas’ and influence of‘nairrta’ portion.....According to Ayurveda body is fully developed but due to lack of ojas (Immunity), if delivery takes place, it is not sure that baby remain alive or not.........During the 8th month the overall growth of baby is rapid. Tremendous brain growth occurs at this time.
The nature of Ojas will differ from person to person depending on constitution, Agni, Satva and so on. Ojas is the essence of dhatus, which gives strength to the body, improves immunity power and takes care of well being of the body. It is present all through the body like ghee exists in the milk or honey exists in the flower.
Babies are also able to remember things from their neonatal experience as well as learn while in the womb.
“A pregnant woman is to be treated very cautiously as if one is walking with a pot full of oil, in hand without letting a drop to fall.”
Try our Herbal Ghee to Increase OJAS during pregnancy, specially at the 8th month of Pregncy.
Schedule Your Consultation to get month to month nutrition programs and Ayurvedic regimens/rituals.
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Ayurveda provides significant assistance to women during pregnancy. Mothers-to-be undergo many changes to their physical and emotional being during their NINE months of pregnancy as they create and support a new life. Ayurveda provides nutritional advice as well as practices such as meditation, the daily routine, yoga asanas, and considerations for happiness.
Ayurvedic practices and principles applied to the pregnant mother and her unborn baby which provide a sincere potential for an enriched pregnancy and birthing experience, contributing to greater mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health of the mother, baby and father.
