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asana for female mind
body balance
By Kyle Roderick
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Instead of seeing yourself as a woman with PMS, or grappling with period symptoms that must be “remedied,” start reframing your female mind/body experience as an opportunity to enjoy yoga as it suits you, regardless of what’s happening with your hormones. In the words of global yogi Mark Whitwell, author of “Yoga of Heart,” “Anyone who wants to can do yoga, but not just any yoga. It must be the yoga that is right for you. Every person has the ability to move and breathe in a way that results in authentic yoga and helps a person feel better and be well.” Toward that end, here is a sequence for women to experiment with, enlivened by comments from Whitwell, as well as LA-based yoga teacher Lucy Bivins and Berkeley-based yoga teacher Chris Hoskins.
1a. If you’re on your period, start by taking tadasana – mountain pose – with eyes closed, Hoskins recommends. Hold hands in anjali mudra. Visualize breath circulating throughout your body, including reproductive organs. Maintain for one minute if you are a beginner; longer if desired. “You can enjoy deep strength and peace in this pose, while becoming more spatially aware,”says Hoskins.
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Inside Yogi Times
Los Angeles Edition
June 2005 - issue 33 |
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editor's word
cover story
Sustainable Style
health
Aromatherapy - Neroli
Ayurveda
Elemental Wisdom -
Ayurveda at Home
yogi lifestyle
Spiritual Arts -
Star Oakland
Healthy yogi -
Asana for Female
Mind and Body
Yogi Yummies -
Eggplant Zucchini
Parmigiano [PDF]
Yogi's OM -
Sustainably Zen [PDF]
yoga
Series -
The Myth of Yoga Styles
for the mind / for the soul
Exploring the Classics -
Vaastu
Special Guest Interview -
Joseph F. Kennedy
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1b. When you are not menstruating, start your practice with sirsasana 1 – headstand. (Never do a headstand if you have your period, back pain, chronic back problems or migraines.) Safety tips from Hoskins: “If you feel pain in your lower back, this means you must create more lift in the legs. More experienced practitioners will put more weight on the head as opposed to the forearms.”
2. Ardha chandrasana with a block and your back to a wall.
“This pose opens the chest and pelvis and stretches the body in profound ways,” says Hoskins. It often helps regulate bleeding and quells cramps.
Start in extended triangle pose to the left. Now bend the left knee, and place the fingertips of the left hand on a block at the wall, about one foot in front of left leg. Rise up on the toes of left foot. Exhale while straightening the left leg; raise the right leg upwards until it is parallel to floor. Meanwhile, the back of the right leg, hips, shoulders, and head gently touch the wall. Turn the pelvis and chest toward the ceiling. Stretch right arm up in line with shoulders; slide the shoulder blades into the back. Gaze upward at the right hand, and hold for 4-5 deep breaths. Repeat on the right side.
3. Supta baddha konasana, a.k.a. Goddess Pose with a Bolster and Strap.
This restorative pose energizes the body; it may also help alleviate cramps and regulate bleeding while relieving pressure in pelvic area.
Fit a bolster vertically behind you. Sit in front of it with the knees bent; sacrum touching the bolster’s edge. Place a folded blanket on the other end of the bolster to support the neck; adjust the blanket for greatest neck comfort. Position a strap behind the back at the sacrum. Bring it forward over the hips, across the shins, and under the feet. Press the soles together; let the knees and thighs relax to the sides. Fasten the strap securely under the feet. Lie back on the bolster, with the head on the folded blanket. Hold this posture for 10-15 minutes. “There are profound backbend/heart-opening qualities to this pose, because the chest is lifted with the bolster’s support,” says Bivins.
4. Upavistha konasana 1 – Wide-angle seated pose.
This promotes blood circulation throughout the reproductive organs and pelvis. It energizes the whole body.
Get started by sitting up against the wall. Spread the legs wide apart and flex your feet, including the toes.
Adjust the buttocks by drawing one cheek at a time behind you and out to the side. Put your hands on the floor behind the back, drawing the abdomen and ribs up toward the chest. Move the shoulder blades into middle of the back. Sit up tall; press down through the legs for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Upavistha konasana 2 – Wide-angle seated pose 2, with a pile of vertical blankets or a vertical bolster in front of you.
Do the same pose as described directly above, but with blankets or a vertical bolster in front of you for resting on. Inhale and raise the trunk from the base of your pelvis. Exhale and extend arms in front of you as you stretch the torso forward over the blankets or bolster. Fold your arms over the blankets or bolster to support your head. “Stay here for 2-3 minutes,” says Bivins.
6. Janu sirsasana, head-on-knee pose: This helps tone reproductive organs and supporting muscles, minimizes PMS and stress.
Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Bend the right knee to the side at a 45 degree angle to your left leg. The right heel is near the right side of the groin. Push the right knee as far back as is comfortable. Keep the left leg straight. Place a folded blanket or bolster on the extended leg. Turn the abdomen and chest so that the sternum aligns with the center of the left leg. Breathe in slowly, raising the trunk from the base of the pelvis. While exhaling, stretch your arms out in front, while leaning your trunk forward. Fold the arms on a bolster or blanket to support the head on your arms. Hold for 1-2 minutes.
7. Adho mukha virasana. Child’s pose with a bolster.
This posture helps to relax tense stomach muscles and relieve cramps. Hold this pose for at least five minutes, or longer if desired.
Spread your knees and straddle the bolster, bringing the toes together. Stretch forward, draping the arms and trunk on and around the bolster, hugging it into your abdomen. Rest the head on the bolster and close your eyes.
8. Savasana. Corpse pose. Hold for at least five to ten minutes. Support the neck, legs and back as needed.
photography by jasper johal - jasperphoto.commodel anne underwoodclothing by fila fila.com
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