Facts on Safe Sex During Pregnancy
FACTS ON SAFE SEX DURING PREGNANCY WITH SCRIPTURAL QUOTES
Many parents worry that sex during pregnancy is unsafe. You may also have other concerns, such as whether your partner will still find your swollen body attractive. These things, along with changes to sex drive all affect a woman’s feelings about sex during pregnancy.
Image Credit
Most women can have sex right until the last month of their pregnancy if they do not feel uncomfortable. It is safe to have intercourse since the baby is protected by a thick mucous plug that seals the cervix and guards against infection.
http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/feb2008/condom.jpg" /> Image Credit
Stay protected, use condom
Exposure to sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy increases the risk of infections that can affect your pregnancy and your baby’s health. Use a condom if your partner has a sexually transmitted infection, you’re not in a mutually monogamous relationship or you choose to have sex with a new partner during pregnancy.
Image Credit
Your developing baby is protected by the amniotic fluid in your uterus, as well as the mucous plug that blocks the cervix throughout most of your pregnancy. Sexual activity won’t affect your baby.
Oral sex, especially during the later months can be a very feasible alternative to intercourse. It may satisfy both partners without any potential discomfort. However, care should be taken that the male partner does not blow air into the vagina since it may cause blockage of a blood vessel which could be potentially dangerous.
Image Credit
Express love and concern
There’s more to a sexual relationship than intercourse. Share your needs and concerns with your partner in an open and loving way. If sex is difficult, unappealing or off-limits, try cuddling, kissing or massage.
Sex doesn’t cause premature labor
Orgasms can cause uterine contractions, but these contractions are different from the contractions you’ll feel during labor. If you have a normal pregnancy, orgasms (with or without intercourse) do not raise the risk of premature labor or premature birth.
Image Credit
Alternate sexual position
By the third trimester, physical discomfort is usually increased to a large extent. This may prompt couples to adopt alternate sexual positions so that the discomfort is alleviated. The "woman on top" position may be more suitable and enjoyable than the conventional "man on top" one. The rear entry position may also be tried out.
Image Credit
Sex doesn’t cause miscarriage.
Especially during the first trimester, many couples worry that sex during pregnancy can cause miscarriage. But sex isn’t a concern. Early miscarriages are usually related to chromosomal abnormalities or other problems in the developing baby — not to anything you do or don’t do.
Image Credit
Avoid anal sex during pregnancy
Generally, anal sex is not recommended during pregnancy. Anal sex may be uncomfortable if you have pregnancy-related hemorrhoids. More concerning, anal sex may allow infection-causing bacteria to spread from the rectum to the vagina.
Image Credit
Wait for sometime
Whether you give birth vaginally or by C-section, your body will need time to heal. Many health care providers recommend waiting four to six weeks before resuming intercourse. This allows time for your cervix to close and any tears or a repaired episiotomy to heal.
Please don’t wish this to happen!
Scriptural Quotes:
Bhagavad-Gita, As It Is - McMillan 1972 Edition: Bg: 3. Karma-yoga Bg: 3.34 PARTIAL PURPORT:
“Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are naturally reluctant to engage in material sense gratifications. But those who are not in such consciousness should follow the rules and regulations of the revealed scriptures. Unrestricted sense enjoyment is the cause of material encasement, but one who follows the rules and regulations of the revealed scriptures does not become entangled by the sense objects. For example, sex enjoyment is a necessity for the conditioned soul, and sex enjoyment is allowed under the license of marriage ties. For example, according to scriptural injunctions, one is forbidden to engage in sex relationships with any women other than one’s wife. All other women are to be considered as one’s mother. But, in spite of such injunctions, a man is still inclined to have sex relationships with other women.”
Bhagavad-Gita, As It Is – McMillan 1972 Edition: Bg. 7: Knowledge of the Absolute Truth: Bg. 7.11: PURPORT
“The strong man’s strength should be applied to protect the weak, not for personal aggression. Similarly, sex life, according to religious principles (dharma), should be for the propagation of children, not otherwise. The responsibility of parents is then to make their offspring Kṛṣṇa conscious.”
Sacred Pilgrimages in India-Final Entry
SACRED PILGRIMAGES IN INDIA (PART TWO OF TWO)
Continued from Sacred Pilgrimages in India (Part One of Two)
In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a shrine of importance to a person’s beliefs and faith. Members of many major religions participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.
Walkeshwar Temple and Banganga Tank, Mumbai
A Shiva temple built next to a sacred freshwater spring created by Lord Rama’s arrow. The tank’s waters are believed to have healing powers.
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According to legend, the Hindu god Lord Rama paused at this spot on his way from Ayodhya to Sri Lanka in pursuit of the demon Ravana who had kidnapped his wife, Sita. He constructed a lingam (phallus representing Shiva) made of sand, after having tired of waiting for his brother, Lakshman to bring a lingam for puja (worship). The name is derived from the Sanskrit name for an idol made of sand - Valuka Iswar.
When Lord Rama was thirsty, as there was no fresh water readily available, he shot an arrow and brought Ganga over here. The water that feeds the tank stems from an underground spring at that spot, despite the proximity to the sea.
The temple and the attached Banganga Tank were built in 1127 AD by Lakshman Prabhu, a minister in the court of Silhara dynasty Kings who ruled Thane, and the islands of Mumbai during 810 to 1240 AD. The temple was destroyed by the Portuguese during their rule of Mumbai in the 16th century.
The temple was rebuilt by Mumbai businessman and philanthropist, Rama Kamath, a Saraswati Brahmin (known in British records as ‘Kamati’) in 1715. The temple has been substantially reconstructed since that time.
Ellora Caves
Tenth-century cave temples near Aurangabad; some Hindu, some Jain, some Buddhist
A UNESCO World Heritage site
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The Ellora Caves are an impressive complex of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain cave temples built between the 6th and 10th centuries AD near the ancient Indian village of Ellora. The caves have a slightly less dramatic setting than those at Ajanta, but more exquisite sculptures. Ellora is a World Heritage Site and the most visited ancient monument in Maharashtra State.
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The caves at Ellora were carved out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills between the 6th and 10th centuries. The carving work began around 550 AD, about the same time the Ajanta Caves (100km northeast) were abandoned.
Image Credit Buddhist cave
The Ellora Caves were built at time when Buddhism was declining in India and Hinduism was beginning to reassert itself. The Brahmanical movement was especially powerful under the patronage of the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta kings, who oversaw most of the work at Ellora - including the magnificent Kailasa Temple built in the 700s.
Image Credit Hindu cave
The last period of building activity took place in the 10th century, when the local rulers switched allegiance from Shaivism (Hinduism devoted to Shiva) to the Digambara sect of Jainism.
The co-existence of structures from three different religions serve as a splendid visual representation of the prevalent religious tolerance of India. For this reason and others, the Ellora Caves were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
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There are 34 caves in all: 12 Buddhist caves (500-750 AD), 17 Hindu caves (600-870 AD) and 5 Jain caves (800-1000 AD). The caves are numbered roughly chronologically, starting with the oldest Buddhist caves at the south end.
Image Credit A closer look of Kailasa Temple.
Gangotri
The source of the sacred Ganges River and the seat of the goddess Ganga
One of the four stops on the Char Dham pilgrimage in the Indian Himalayas.
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Ganges river near Gangotri, the source of the Ganga (Ganges) River and seat of the goddess Ganga, is one of the four sites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage.
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The mouth of Gangotri Glaciers and source of Ganges River
Gangotri can be reached in one day’s travel from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehra Duhn, or in two days from Yamunotri. More popular and important than its sister site to the east, Gangotri is also accessible directly by car and bus, meaning that it sees many more pilgrims. A small village of guesthouses and restaurants serves the pilgrim community.
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Ritual duties are supervised by the Semwal family of pujaris. The aarti ceremony at the Gangotri is especially impressive, as is the temple, a stately affair that sits on the banks of the rushing Ganga (Ganges River).
Kedarnath
Holy city where a form of the Lord Shiva is venerated as one of the 12 jyotirling (linga of light) One of the four sites of the Char Dham pilgrimage
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Kedarnath Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the four major sites in the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of the Northern Himalayas, and one of the 12 shrines known as Jyotirlingas (lingams of light). Here Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the "Lord of Kedar Khand," the historical name of the region.
The Kedarnath temple is an impressive stone edifice of unknown date. It is believed to have been built by Adi Sankaracharya. The older temple existed from the times of Mahabharata, when the Pandavas are supposed to have pleased Shiva by doing penance in Kedarnath, according to the Puranas.
Yamunotri
The source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the goddess Yamuna
One of the four sites in the Char Dham pilgrimage.
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Yamunotri, the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the goddess Yamuna, is one of the four sites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage.
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The Yamunotri Trek
Yamunotri is a full day’s journey from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehra Duhn. The temple is only accessible by a 6 km walk from the town of Hanuman Chatti
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The current temple is of recent origin, as past iterations have been destroyed by the weather and elements. Lodging at the temple itself is limited to a few small ashrams and guesthouses.
Ritual duties at Yamunotri such as the making and distribution of prasad (ritual food offerings) and the supervision of pujas (ritual veneration) are performed by the Uniyal family of pujaris (priests).
Raw rice is cooked and made into prasad using the hot springs at Yamotri.
Sacred Pilgrimages of India-Entry 1
SACRED PILGRIMAGES OF INDIA (PART ONE OF TWO)
In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a shrine of importance to a person’s beliefs and faith. Members of many major religions participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.
Vrindavan Temples and religious institutions based on the connections with Krishna’s childhood is the most important Vaishnava place of pilgrimage.
Vrindavan , in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, is on the site of the original forest of Vrindavana. It is about 15km away from Mathura city, near the Agra-Delhi highway.
Vrindavan has many ancient and modern temples and religious institutions based on the connections with Krishna’s childhood. It is the most important Vaishnava place of pilgrimage.
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The Allahabad A holy city and pilgrimage site at the confluence of three sacred rivers. Here is one of the four sites of the Kumbh Mela.
According to Hindu mythology, the creator god Lord Brahma chose a piece of land at which the three sacred rivers - the Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati - would flow into a quiet confluence. That land, now known as Allahabad ("City of God"), is one of the most sacred pilgrimage destinations of India.
Sacred site festivals in India, called melas, are a vital part of the pilgrimage tradition of Hinduism. Celebrating a mythological event in the life of a deity or an auspicious astrological period, the melas attract enormous numbers of pilgrims from all over the country. The greatest of these, the Kumbha Mela, is a riverside festival held four times every twelve years, rotating between Allahabad at the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati; Nasik on the Godavari; Ujjain on the Sipra; and Hardwar on the Ganges. Bathing in these rivers during the Kumbha Mela is considered an endeavor of great merit, cleansing both body and spirit. The Allahabad and Hardwar festivals are routinely attended by five million or more pilgrims (13 million visited Allahabad in 1977,18 million in 1989, and nearly 24 million in 2001) thus the Kumbha Mela is the largest religious gathering in the world. It may also be the oldest.
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Badrinath The most important of the four Char Dham pilgrimage destinations, featured a brightly painted temple.
Badrinath is one of the four sites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage. It is sacred as the seat of the god Vishnu in his aspect of Badrinarayan.
It is generally a two-day’s journey from either Kedarnath or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. The temple and its substantial surrounding village are accessible by road.
By far the most important of the four Char Dham sites, Badrinath receives many more visitors than the other three sites.
As the route to Badrinath is for much of the way also the route to Hemkund Sahib, an important Sikh pilgrimage site, the road to Badrinath is especially crowded.
The temple of Badrinath is a striking building whose bright colors evoke the painted Buddhist ghompas of the region—some think the temple was originally controlled by Buddhists.
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Char Dham Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage circuit in the Indian Himalayas that encompasses Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
The Char Dham ("four abodes") is the most important pilgrimage circuit in the Indian Himalayas. Located in the Garwhal section of the state of Uttaranchal (formerly the northwestern section of Uttar Pradesh), the circuit consists of four sites: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
While each site in the circuit has an autonomous history and significance that predates and remains distinct from their status as a circuit, inclusion in the Char Dham has, over time, caused them be viewed together in popular imagination and actual pilgrimage practice.
The origins of the Char Dham are obscure. Originally, Char Dham was a name reserved for India’s most famous pilgrimage circuit, four important temples—Puri, Rameshwaram, Dwarka, and Badrinath—grouped together by the great 8th century reformer and philosopher Shankaracharya (Adi Sankara), into the archetypal All-India pilgrimage circuit to the four cardinal points of the subcontinent.
At some point, Badrinath, the last visited and the most important of the four sites in the original Char Dham, also became the cornerstone site of a Himalayan pilgrimage circuit dubbed the Chota (little) Char Dham. Unlike the original Char Dham, the sites of the Chota Char Dham do not share a single sectarian affiliation. Instead, the three major sectarian movements in modern devotional Hinduism all have representation, with the Vaisnava site Badrinath joined by one Saiva site (Kedarnath) and two Devi sites (Yamunotri and Gangotri).
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Varanasi (Benares)
Vanarasi is a holy city, sacred to Shiva, but also the most sacred place in Hinduism, regardless of denomination. It is believed that bathing in the Ganges or dying in the holy city of Varanasi will end the cycle of rebirth.
The ghats of Varanasi, along the river Ghanges
Varanasi (also known as Benares, Banaras, Kashi and Kasi) is a Hindu holy city on the banks of the Ganges River in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
The name "Varanasi" is derived from the twin tributaries of Ganga Varuna and Asi, on whose shores the city stands. The city has a unique culture, quite different from other places in the region, and is one of the major cultural centers of northern India. Just 12 km from Varanasi is Sarnath, an important Buddhist sacred site.
Varanasi is the site of the holy shrine of Lord Kasi Viswanatha (a form of Lord Shiva) and is one of the revered 12 Jyotirlingas (linga of light). Along with its positional advantage on the banks of the sacred Ganges River, this has given Varanasi a place at the forefront of the Hindu religion. Varanasi is considered the most sacred place for all Hindus, irrespective of denomination.
Bathing in sacred rivers believe to be preventing reincarnation.
Hindus have long believed that bathing in the Ganges or dying in the holy city of Varanasi circumvents reincarnation and hence provides a permanent place in the Swarg (Heaven). This belief has encouraged the establishment of innumerable nearby geriatric homes and also the disposal of half-burnt corpses into the river.
This latter practice continues to cause great damage to the river’s ecology, but the ministry of water resources has finally taken up the restoration of the Ganga by banning cremation on the city’s ghats (ghats are the banks of a holy river, stepped to facilitate bathing).
Elephanta Caves
Seventh-century cave temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, just a short ferry ride from Mumbai, includes a famous sculpture of a three-headed Shiva.
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The Elephanta Caves are a complex of ancient cave temples on Elephanta Island, an hour-long ferry ride from Mumbai. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, Elephanta Island is not only a worthy destination in itself, it also provides a great view of Mumbai’s skyline and an escape from the chaos of the city.
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The Guardian of the Elephanta Cave
The origins of the temple caves, thought to date from about the 7th century, are obscure. It is known, however, that the island was originally called Gharapuri - the Portuguese renamed it Elephanta after they found a large stone elephant near their landing place. The figure collapsed in 1814 and was subsequently moved to the far-off Victoria Gardens and reassembled.
The elephant sculpture from Elephanta is currently installed at the Jijamata Udyaan
Shortly before the Elephanta temples were created, Bombay had experienced the golden age of the late Guptas, under whom the arts flourished. Sanskrit had been finely polished, and Kalidasa and other writers had helped incite a Hindu religious revival under the court’s liberal patronage. Shaivism, the worship of Shiva, inspired the building of these temples.
Many of Elephanta’s priceless statues were damaged or destroyed by the Portuguese, who apparently used the Hindu gods for target practice. There have also been reports of vandalism and carelessness by modern visitors.
Sacred Pilgrimages of India (Part Two of Two)
Safe Sex During Pregnancy with Scriptural Evidence
FACTS ON SAFE SEX DURING PREGNANCY WITH SCRIPTURAL QUOTES
Many parents worry that sex during pregnancy is unsafe. You may also have other concerns, such as whether your partner will still find your swollen body attractive. These things, along with changes to sex drive all affect a woman’s feelings about sex during pregnancy.
Image Credit
Most women can have sex right until the last month of their pregnancy if they do not feel uncomfortable. It is safe to have intercourse since the baby is protected by a thick mucous plug that seals the cervix and guards against infection.
http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/feb2008/condom.jpg" /> Image Credit
Stay protected, use condom
Exposure to sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy increases the risk of infections that can affect your pregnancy and your baby’s health. Use a condom if your partner has a sexually transmitted infection, you’re not in a mutually monogamous relationship or you choose to have sex with a new partner during pregnancy.
Image Credit
Your developing baby is protected by the amniotic fluid in your uterus, as well as the mucous plug that blocks the cervix throughout most of your pregnancy. Sexual activity won’t affect your baby.
Oral sex, especially during the later months can be a very feasible alternative to intercourse. It may satisfy both partners without any potential discomfort. However, care should be taken that the male partner does not blow air into the vagina since it may cause blockage of a blood vessel which could be potentially dangerous.
Image Credit
Express love and concern
There’s more to a sexual relationship than intercourse. Share your needs and concerns with your partner in an open and loving way. If sex is difficult, unappealing or off-limits, try cuddling, kissing or massage.
Sex doesn’t cause premature labor
Orgasms can cause uterine contractions, but these contractions are different from the contractions you’ll feel during labor. If you have a normal pregnancy, orgasms (with or without intercourse) do not raise the risk of premature labor or premature birth.
Image Credit
Alternate sexual position
By the third trimester, physical discomfort is usually increased to a large extent. This may prompt couples to adopt alternate sexual positions so that the discomfort is alleviated. The "woman on top" position may be more suitable and enjoyable than the conventional "man on top" one. The rear entry position may also be tried out.
Image Credit
Sex doesn’t cause miscarriage.
Especially during the first trimester, many couples worry that sex during pregnancy can cause miscarriage. But sex isn’t a concern. Early miscarriages are usually related to chromosomal abnormalities or other problems in the developing baby — not to anything you do or don’t do.
Image Credit
Avoid anal sex during pregnancy
Generally, anal sex is not recommended during pregnancy. Anal sex may be uncomfortable if you have pregnancy-related hemorrhoids. More concerning, anal sex may allow infection-causing bacteria to spread from the rectum to the vagina.
Image Credit
Wait for sometime
Whether you give birth vaginally or by C-section, your body will need time to heal. Many health care providers recommend waiting four to six weeks before resuming intercourse. This allows time for your cervix to close and any tears or a repaired episiotomy to heal.
Please don’t wish this to happen!
Scriptural Quotes:
Bhagavad-Gita, As It Is - McMillan 1972 Edition: Bg: 3. Karma-yoga Bg: 3.34 PARTIAL PURPORT:
“Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are naturally reluctant to engage in material sense gratifications. But those who are not in such consciousness should follow the rules and regulations of the revealed scriptures. Unrestricted sense enjoyment is the cause of material encasement, but one who follows the rules and regulations of the revealed scriptures does not become entangled by the sense objects. For example, sex enjoyment is a necessity for the conditioned soul, and sex enjoyment is allowed under the license of marriage ties. For example, according to scriptural injunctions, one is forbidden to engage in sex relationships with any women other than one’s wife. All other women are to be considered as one’s mother. But, in spite of such injunctions, a man is still inclined to have sex relationships with other women.”
Bhagavad-Gita, As It Is – McMillan 1972 Edition: Bg. 7: Knowledge of the Absolute Truth: Bg. 7.11: PURPORT
“The strong man’s strength should be applied to protect the weak, not for personal aggression. Similarly, sex life, according to religious principles (dharma), should be for the propagation of children, not otherwise. The responsibility of parents is then to make their offspring Kṛṣṇa conscious.”
Rx: Health Foods
RX: NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND SOME IMPORTANT TIPS FOR HEALTHY LIVING
For centuries, bitter melon has been used therapeutically in China, India, Africa and the southeastern part of the US. It is useful in medicine as an anti-tumor, antiviral and anti-diabetic source.
Test tube and animal studies of various preparations of bitter melon have shown its anti-viral activity against polio, herpes, simplex I and HIV infections. As for its anti-tumor effects, test tube studies indicates that bitter melon searches for and kills leukemia cancer versus normal/healthy white blood cells. Animal studies that bitter melon actually block the growth of cancerous tumors in the prostrate and inhibit tumor formation in other animal models.
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* Biotin is important for tissue growth, as well as for fat and protein metabolism. It is also known to prevent hair loss because of its ability to help enrich the composition of the glandular oil secretion on the scalp. Biotin is found in brewer’s yeast, soy beans, brown rice, green peas, lentils peanuts, fruits and nuts.
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Brewer’s Yeast
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Although natural biotin deficiency is rare in humans, its deficiency can result from eating large amounts of egg whites and using broad spectrum of antibiotics. You know you’re deficient in biotin when you have the following symptoms: muscular pain, numbness and sleeplessness, dry skin, rashes and depression, nausea, loss of appetite, high blood cholesterol and impairment of body’s fat metabolism.
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* The muscular lining of our stomach protects us from developing acidic activity from the gastric juices needed to digest our food. Ulcer dorms when an opening in the mucosal lining develops. This stomach and intestinal lining, it has been proven to increase the life span of intestinal cells and improve blood supply to the intestinal lining.
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A report in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology reveals that black tea possesses anti-ulcer activity in animals. Vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates are present in black tea, but its polyphenol content is responsible for the anti-ulcer activity.
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* From the brain to the energy system, your body reflects your thoughts, memories, emotions and beliefs. Self-awareness is vital to our health. Awareness comes naturally when you are relaxed and calm.
Here are 10 tips to stay calm and relax:
1. Walk more slowly. Whenever you catch yourself rushing around, slow down. Relax your jaw, drop your shoulder. Breathe. If you have to move quickly, try to do it in some relax way.
2. Talk more slowly. Think about what you are going to say before you say it. Allow you to pause and take a breath between sentences and thoughts.
3. When the phone rings, take a deep breathe before answering.
4. Take a short break at the same time everyday to meditate, breathe, or just notice how your body is feeling.
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5. Throughout the day, close your eyes for a few moments and visualize yourself in a sober place.
6. Use transitions, like a travel to and from your work place, to notice how your body is feeling. Try to let out your excess tension before it accumulates.
7. Notice your mind set and body posture when you’re driving. Can you be more relaxed when driving?
8. Go outside at least once a day and pay attention to the weather and how the body reacts to it. Look at the sky, feel the temperature and notice the sensation of air on your skin.
9. Add something beautiful in your life everyday. Put a vase of flower, a candle or a special drawing in your office, kitchen or space where you spend the most time. Take a picture of one of your favorite places, such as a gorgeous garden or an ocean landscape, and hang or place it where you can look at it.
10. Spent at least a little time alone everyday.