The very nature of a woman is strength and compassion and the essence of her being

Mesmerizing persona, piercing eyes, a crystal clear mind, the wisdom of the ages and a beautiful demeanour - such is the personality of Anandmurti Gurumaa. Defying definition, pragmatic, realistic, of liberal views, she is open-minded like the sky and intense like space. Gurumaa had a wonderful childhood - when other children were learning nursery rhymes, she was listening to the philosophy of Vedanta. While other children dreamt of dolls and cars, she was learning the art of awakening from dreams. A bubbly spirited teenager, she was not seen with girls of her age but with yogis and gurus. Meditating and lovingly serving spiritual masters

India is a country which is fortunate to have witnessed her daughters rise to be great mystics. A person strives to learn the intricacies of religion, practices it diligently and then after many years may reach the zenith of spirituality. But there are some individuals who are born with all the prerequisites, a great mind and a high level of consciousness.

When asked by Sheikh Hasan-al-Basri how she discovered the secret, she responded: “You know of the how, but I know of the how-less.”

Some leave their home, some the hermitage but the restless mind knows no rest so watch your breath, day and night and stay where you are.

Pregnancy- One Becomes Two

Pregnancy is a natural state in a woman’s life. It does however bring a great physiological change throughout the body - this should be understood and respected. Yoga is an ideal form of exercise during pregnancy as it helps one to relax, to keep fit and to enjoy the pregnancy. In particular, it can help strengthen the pelvic area, normalize the thyroid function, keep the blood pressure in check and help one stay calm and relaxed - all of which is good for the baby too. Yoga helps improve breathing, fluid and hormone balance and prevents varicose veins. You will find that the physical yogic postures or asanas; the breathing techniques or pranayamas; the meditation techniques or dhyana; are all ideal mind-body preparation tools for childbirth. Yogic postures exercise the spinal column lessening lower back pain and strengthening the floor of the pelvis. The cavity in the pelvic region is expanded, creating space for the growing uterus. This ensures that there is proper blood circulation and adequate room for the baby to move comfortably.

one of the most fascinating modern day catholic mystic and stigmatic - was born on April 8th 1898 in Northern Bavaria, Germany

The day I was born,
I was considered a storm,
which came into my family’s life,
and the one to blame
was my father’s wife,
yes she was my mother,
who acted as my cover,
b’coz i was not a boy,
so, they treated me as a toy,
“we don’t want her”
they said to the nurse,
as for them I was a curse,

If a woman is mentally strong she can withstand a whole load of pressure. But if she does not have stability of mind and sharp intelligence, then there is a possibility of a break down. No wonder more women than men suffer migraines. The circulatory system is also affected and she gets fluctuating blood pressure.
A husband who understands this and helps with the domestic chores, gives a patient hearing to her woes is a rare species. Our society has groomed men to be authoritative, dictatorial and demanding. This deprives women of a healthy and supportive companionship. Sometimes her girlfriends fill up this space. Hence women need to talk for hours to their friends over endless cups of coffee or tea and escalating telephone bills.

Menstruation is a natural monthly cycle in women. The discharge consists of blood and cells which sheds from the lining of the uterus. The bleeding can last from two to seven days and signifies that no conception has taken place. The main hormones involved in controlling menstruation are estrogen and progesterone. The cycle begins when a dormant egg cell within an ovary begins to ripen. The cells around this maturing egg cell then release estrogen which prompts the lining of the endometrium to thicken as preparation for the receipt of fertilized egg. When the egg matures, ovulation begins. In ovulation, the matured egg will burst from the ovary and go down to the fallopian tube to the uterus. The cells that are left behind after ovulation will then begin the production of progesterone. This hormone, the progesterone, is responsible for the further growth of the endometrium.