ABOUT AYURDOULAS, SACRED WINDOW AYURVEDA FOR MOTHERS AND CHILDREN, AND YSHA OAKES
TOPICS:
History
Training
How We Work
Vision & Goals
Sacred Window Ayurveda
Disclaimers
History
Since 1984 this service in various forms has been presented in the West. For thousands of years women and their physicians have applied similar practices based upon Ayurvedic principles. In the time tested wisdom of these traditions we can see similar practices in many cultures around the world. These are the cultural traditions, when still in place, statistically don't have problems after birth.
In the early 1980s, the two physicians (MD's) directing an Ayurvedic clinic in Fairfield, Iowa where Ayurvedic medicine was experiencing a major revival both had expectant wives. When an infant masseuse asked them to refer mothers and babies to her, these doctors asked the vaidyas (Ayurvedic physicians ) with whom they were studying and were told, oh yes, do we have something for mothers and babies!
The vaidyas prefaced the discussion saying this is much more significant than care factors during pregnancy or birthing!!! The infant masseuse and a registered Nurse/Childbirth Educator were chosen to team up with two Ayurvedic physician/MDs from India with the blessings of a yogi known to many from the Beatles’ era who quietly continues to inspire the revitalization and integrity of Ayurvedic medicine among many other projects, named Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
The team’s purpose and accomplishment was to put together the best of the Ayurvedic wisdom and skills into a program mothers and postpartum doulas would be able to use, for better care of newly delivered mothers & babies in the West. This birthed the Maharishi Ayurveda Mother & Baby Program.
It's successes within mostly TM communities began to spread the word. Mothers’ wonderful experiences spread quickly through the grapevine and Ysha was one of those fortunate to receive both the care after birth of her son Corey, in 1987, and then training in the work in 1991.
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Training
Two large groups of AyurDoulas were trained in the next couple of years, and then one smaller one, and we practiced under the guidance of physicians and nurses. Since then these few women have been practicing on their own in mother’s homes, and the focus within Maharishi Ayurveda turned to other programs. No other training has come from there, although a graduate/medical program in Women's Health Care and Ayurveda is under development.
Ysha's work in recent years has built upon this great blessing to families from the yogic monk, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and it gives us joy to express our appreciations. We must make a clear statement that Maharishi Ayurveda and all its relations are not liable or responsible for our work or the way in which we have been fortunate to complement it with contining education over the years. We do not claim to be practicing Maharishi Vedic Medicine or Maharishi Ayurveda.
In 1995 Saraswati Buhrman at the Rocky Mountain Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda welcomed Ysha to co-develop a more in depth professional's training program embracing a strong foundation in Ayurvedic principles, Ayurvedic herbology, Ayurvedic cooking and Ayurvedic Women’s Health care. The 150 hour program has been taught in alternate years since then to small groups of students at a time.
Ysha has received advanced study and guidance from of Saraswati Buhrman, PHd/Clinical Ayurvedic Practioner, vaidya Sarita Shrestha, OBGyn/BAMS, Dr. Vasant Lad and others. These advanced studies offer gifts of more effective service to mothers and babies in the public who have not had advantage of exposure to Ayurveda.
She found some of these clients needed various extra supports and received unsought guidance in the effective uses of therapeutic quality essential oils. Many hours of studies with national aroma therapy trainers, Vicki Opfer, Gary Young, ND, and others and has provided tools gratefully appreciated by many mothers.
DBA SWA MA CHI, Ysha has regrouped the training into a two-level 120 hour Postpartum AyurDoula training certification program with plans for a 210 hour total Perinatal AyurDoula certification option. Several AyurDoula trainers-in-training sometimes assist in the training intensives.
Ayurvedic physicians (MD equivalent training) trained in India and Nepal learn these things and much more as part of their pediatric/OB/Gyn education. It is our good fortune that an increasing number of these vaidyas are practicing and available in the US for special needs and AyurDoula backup. Some, still residing and practicing in India, are active participants on the Perinatal Ayurveda Forum .
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How We Work
We often work in a teamwork format with a client in order to give the best continuity of care as well as protect our own family life. Sample packages and Registration are available on request, and you will see many options in the Care page for both care from a distance or in your home care. You can go to the Find an AyurDoula page and can see if anyone lives near you and your contact options. Ask if she may be available to come stay for some days live-in care, or find a more experienced AyurDoula available for telephone counseling or Ayurvedic physician referrals.
Sometimes you may have the opportunity for basic doula rate or even a little free care with a student by phone consultation or in your home as part of her internship or community service hours. Students and interns are listed on the Find an AyurDoula page.
Ysha has self-published a larger book "Mothering the Mothers" for years which included many recipes (currently out of print for revision), as well as many articles, has given radio interviews, and has taught classes and intensives in 6 US states and Canada. In 2003 she published the 75 page handbook format 42 Days for 42 Years - The Keys to Rejuvenation After Childbirth. This revision and its companion cookbook are her current project for the year!
AyurDoula associates work as independent contractors, not employees. Please realize that SWA MA CHI cannot assume legal responsibility for individual contractor’s or student work. We spend too much free time making this very effective work more available to the public and are not interested in wasting anyone’s time in legal battles. Of course we all will be doing our best with communications and responsible actions. An informed consent/disclaimer is included with registration.
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Sacred Window - Ayurveda for Mothers and Children
We have moved our home office to explore teaching and writing in Sedona, Arizona - you may have known us in Florida, Colorado, Idaho, North Carolina, Iowa or California as www.MomCare.com (owned by someone else now, oops), New Mother Ways, Mountain Doulas and MA CHI. Having had enough fun playing these several names over the last 14 years; Ysha has finally done the official DBA (doing business as) formalities and, you may be happy to know, plans on keeping this name. I work in a team with other AyurDoulas in the area and nationally.
Many thanks are due from us all to Marcia Glick's wise husband Isha das (author of the The Rabbi and I (a free E-book) and web designers Doug Daller, Iowa master code designer, and Jeff Dunan, for all of their donated hours in making this website possible!
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Our vision and goals include:
* Loving, experienced, effective skilled Care for mothers, babies and their families.
* Publication of local and national articles and books for parents and for AyurDoula support.
* Community Classes on Ayurvedic, Perinatal and Essential Oils topics.
* Professional Training and Trainer Trainings
* Community Service and Research Projects
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