Pregnancy with Purpose: Mindful and Spiritual Things to Do

Can pregnancy be more than physical? Explore Sanatangyan teachings that turn it into a divine and mindful experience.

Pregnancy is considered one of the most sacred and beautiful journeys a woman can experience, wherein she forms a divine bonding relationship with her child and the cosmic energy created. In Sanatangyan, it is not only a physical process but a spiritual practice in which a mother's thoughts, emotions, and actions shape the soul of the unborn baby. This is the time for deep awareness and inner peace, in which a woman becomes a vessel of divine energy guided by the wisdom of the shastras, the blessings of gurus, and the grace of the Almighty.

Pregnancy: A Sacred Journey in Sanatangyan Philosophy

In the traditions of Sanatangyan, nothing is as godly a role bestowed upon a woman as motherhood, for it reflects the power and the grace of Shakti herself. Garbhadhan Sanskar-one of the sixteen Samskaras, or sacraments-mentioned in the Vedic scriptures-prescribes that conception must be performed with love, awareness, and spirituality. A child's mind and soul are said to be deeply influenced by the thoughts and emotions and energy that a mother has during her pregnancy.

The Manu Smriti says:

“यथा गर्भिण्या आहारः, तस्मादेव भवेद् पतिः।”

Meaning: As is the food and thought of the pregnant woman, so becomes her child.

This breathtaking wisdom is from shashtra, and it states that pregnancy is held to be a sacred time to purify the body, mind, and soul. The time is to foster divine thoughts, pure emotions, and a sattvic lifestyle.

Mindful Practices for a Spiritually Nurturing Pregnancy

1. Daily Meditation and Chanting

To chant the Santan Gopal Mantra during meditation allows the mind to be soothed and is said to promote the alignment of the higher consciousness. 

“ॐ देवकीसुत गोविन्द वासुदेव जगत्पते। देहि मे तनयं कृष्ण त्वामहं शरणं गतः॥”

Meaning: O Lord Krishna, son of Devaki, grant me a healthy and divine child, I surrender to you.

This is mantra is said to be suggested during pregnancy by sadhus and gurus because it provides divine blessings to the soul of the child to be.

2. Reading Holy Scriptures and Listening to Vedic Chants

It is said that the sacred texts of the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, and the Garbhopanishad are to be read to the soul of a child to be in order to radiate divine vibrations. The Garbhopanishad is one of the oldest Vedic texts about prenatal education and states it beautifully.

“माता प्रसन्ना भवति, गर्भोऽपि प्रसन्नो भवति।”

 Meaning: When the mother is peaceful and happy, the child within also experiences bliss.

Consequently, a mother fills her enviorment with Sacred sound and wisdom, and in doing so, her child is infused with higher consciousness.

3. Sattvic Diet and Lifestyle

There is a sattvic diet composed of fresh fruits, grains, milk, and ghee which helps to purify the mind and body. Ayurvedic Shashtra states that one should not consume tamasic foods which are heavy and dull, as they are disturbing to the mind, balance, and flow of energy. Simple acts like a pleasant walk, gratitude, and calmness foster balance and a feeling of unity to the cycle of life. 

4. Positive Visualization and Prayer

Imagine a healthy, divine child surrounded by golden light; this helps build positive and powerful energy. In Sanatangyan philosophy, each thought is seen as a form of energy, where a mother's wishes, even before pregnancy, influence the creation of her child and the child’s future. Reciting regular prayers to Devi Durga, Lord Krishna, and Lord Hanuman is a source of strength, peace, and protection. Most expecting mothers also recite the Hanuman Chalisa for courage and emotional balance in that sacred time.

The Divine Connection Between Mother and Child

In Sanatan Dharma, motherhood is considered the apex state of divinity. Just as the individual soul or 'jiva' is connected with the Supreme Soul or 'Paramatma', similarly, a child connects with his mother. A mother's love and patience, as well as her careful attention, become the first lessons of dharma and the most vital mindfulness a child learns.

"मातृदेवो भव। पितृदेवो भव।" - (Taittiriya Upanishad)

Translation: “Regard your mother and father as divine beings.”  

When a mother is to embody the divine, the child is imbued virtue and born with higher spiritual wisdom.

In the Sanatangyan view, a mother’s pregnancy period is a unique time of secured divine tapasya, an engagement of the soul, her, and the divine’s creation. Guided by the guru, shashtra, and mindful living, this journey transforms a woman into a living form of Shakti. Cultivating peace, devotion, and purity within, she gives birth not only to life but also to light, moulding a soul that will tread the path of dharma.