Corinne Andrews on the Birthing Mama® Prenatal Training

September 6, 2017
Matthew Andrews

The 90-hour Birthing Mama® Prenatal Yoga and Wellness Training is about to begin for its second year on September 23rd. Corinne Andrews, YCA co-director, instructor, and lead teacher for the 200-hour Embodyoga® Teacher Training, created the Birthing Mama® training. In our interview below, learn about the origins of the training, what it was like for Corinne to lead it for the first time last year, what you can expect from this year’s training. Then click here for more details and to register!

Yoga Center Amherst: Who are you?

Corinne Andrews: I am a soul longing for union with God, in my deepest self. I am a being that is inspired and shown what to do, how to do by the breath of the Divine Mother. And who I am in this body, in this life, is all the qualities and traits of being a mother and a yoga teacher and a friend and a lover of the Divine.

YCA: Where did the Birthing Mama prenatal teacher training come from?

CA: I already had the online program going for a few years, and I tend to get a lot of guidance when I’m walking in the woods. So I was in the woods, and I basically heard: the next thing you need to do with Birthing Mama is make it into a teacher training. And I realized that all the work I had done up to that point was actually for a training. I thought it was for an online program, to educate and inspire all these people, but then it was like, “Oh right, I have to do a teacher training.” And I listened to it, because I tend to listen to the guidance I get in the woods.

YCA: What was the first year of running the prenatal training like?

CA: It was beautiful. When we had the opening circle, I shared from my heart where this came from, and that it was new, and several of the women had the common experience – they said, “I manifested this training, I was looking for something that is this.” For it being the first year, it was the right group of people, everyone’s hearts were really into it, and they all liked what specific things Birthing Mama had to offer, they were drawn to it. It was a learning experience; we’re doing things a little differently this year. It’s beautiful to have a lot of guest teachers because you bring in all the wisdom, but it can be energetically scattering. This year we’re keeping it to myself and Kristen Avonti, and Jai Fuller will be assisting. So in this way we keep the energy honed in and in a more steady place.

YCA: Is there anything you want people to know coming into the training?

CA: I just ask people to come in with an open heart. This isn’t just a technique training. It is; people will learn what to teach, what not to teach, what’s safe, what’s helpful. But it’s also a spiritual journey of empowerment, self love, how to go out into your community to support your community. If it wasn’t for people being pregnant, giving birth, we wouldn’t be here, humanity wouldn’t keep going. So it’s not something to give to the doctors and give to the hospitals. It’s to reclaim the power ourselves, from self care around the menstrual cycle, to being conscious of conception – why we conceive, why wouldn’t we conceive. So bring an open heart, an open mind, a willingness to step up and step into your community, because as you get bigger and wiser and brighter, you get to help everybody else to!