Menstruation Sequence
Yoga puts you in touch with your body and your emotions. It is a powerful tool to help women accept their monthly cycle and see it as a time to nourish all aspects of themselves.
Every girl and woman experiences menstruation differently. Some young girls are embarrassed by it, others hate it, and some see it as a part of growing up. As girls mature into women many come to accept the changes that happen each month but are still aware that it does cause varying levels of discomfort. The changes that take place each month begin in a womans brain and signal the hormonal system to start producing important hormones for reproduction. There are many factors at work that serve to keep the brain and hormonal system in balance. When it is thrown out of balance, perhaps because of emotional distress or physical illness periods can become heavy, irregular, unusually short, long etc.
Menstruation can last 2-7-10 days.. Generally as women age they become more regular, until they meet perimenopause.
It is a time of the month where woman should conserve their energy. She should try to not take on too much extra work and in fact rest more and try and recuperate. These supine poses and forward bends are wonderful for settling the mind and soothing the nervous system. Together with supported backbends they open the chest area and stretch out the gut area and relieve backache, tension in the pelvic area of the body. They also help chase the” blues away”.
Recommendations
Avoid standing poses in the first few days of bleeding when energy is low. Avoid balancing standing poses as balance is often affected during menstruation. After the first few days when your energy returns you can use walls and chairs as supports when you come to do standing poses. Avoid strong backbends, strong twists. Learn to relax, use a timer and try to stay in supine poses and forward poses for the length of time that is recommended.
DO NOT PRACTISE INVERSIONS.
Use props like chairs, blocks, bolsters to help rest. In the first few days of your period use more support to avoid compressing your abdomen.
Bound Angle Pose ( Supta Baddha Konasana)
Relieves menstrual tension, abdominal cramps, bloating. Helps with fatigue, improves circulation into the chest and helps with breast soreness. Quietens mind, settles breath and relieves anxiety. Hold 10 Mins
Supine Fish Pose (Supta Matysasana)
Menstruation helps bloating, soreness in breasts. Very good to bring flexibility in hip joints and pelvis .Tones abdominal muscles and pelvic organs. Can help with fibroids. Hold 3 mins each leg or Supine Cross Leg Pose Supta Swastikasana)
Simple cross leg pose
Helps opens the hip joints; reduce pelvic pain. Helps with fluid retention in the legs. Calms the mind, & quietens your nerves.
Opens the chest area so it uplifts your spirits. Hold 3 mins each leg.
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Supine Hero pose( Supta Virasana)
Aids flexibility in hip joints and pelvis. Releases tension in abdomen and pelvic area. Helps with cramping and urinary and digestive dis orders. Tones abdominal muscles and pelvic area. The lengthening of psoas muscles overtime with help to relax your abdominal muscles relax.Helps reduce fluid retention in the legs.
Relieves soreness in the breasts.Quietens mind and soothes your nerves. Hold 5 mins
Forward Hero Pose Menstruation Hold 3 mins
Brings deep relaxation. This version can be done later in the menstrual cycle. Lengthens and broadens the back.
Quietens the mind calms the nerves. Hold 3 mins
Forward Hero Pose- (Forward Virasana) with trunk supported
This version can be done early in menstrual cycle if feeling exhausted. Brings deep relaxation. Lengthens and broadens the back.
Quietens the mind calms the nerves. Hold 3 min
Bent knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana)
Menstruation. Quietens mind, tones abdominal area, helps hormonal balance. Relieves back ache, helps reduce irritability.
Hold 2 mins each side
Half lotus Pose (Ardha Baddha….)
Helps circulation in pelvic area and tones abdominal organs. Calms mind.
Hold 2 min each leg
One leg Hero Pose (Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana)
Tones Liver, calms mind.
Hold 2 mins each leg.
Sage pose Forward bend (Marichyasana 1)
Tones intestines, calms mind.
Hold 2-3 min each side
Seated Forward Bend/ Menstruation. Paschimottanasana
Quietens mind helps with mood swings and irritability. Nourishes pelvic organs, helps with digestion, constipation and elimination.
Hold 3-5 mins
Seated Wide angle pose( Upavista Konasana)
Aids circulation to lower abdomen, widens, relaxes pelvic floor and helps blood flow. Very effective to help with irritation in genital organs. This version is very effective premenstrual and during menstruation.
Hold 1 min
Seated Wide Angle pose to side (Parsva Upavista Konasana)
Improves circulation into pelvic area. Nourishes reproductive organs. Helps circulation to feet and legs Quietens mind.
Hold 2 mins each side
Seated Wide angle pose. Forward Upavista Konasana
Helps circulation in lower abdomen. Widens pelvis relaxes pelvic area. Helps with urinary disorders.
Hold 2-3 mins
Seated Cobbler Pose ( Baddha Konasana)
Open hips, stretches inner thighs, releases tension in groins.
Therefore helps reduce abdominal tension. Tones kidneys, relaxes genitals, and helps strengthen pelvic floor & bladder and uterus. It helps with urinary inflammation and stabilizes bleeding. Hold 1 mins
Supported Back Bends ( Vipariti Dandasana)
Open chest, shoulders, tones breast tissue Helps with depression. Stimulates hormonal system, adrenals, thyroid, pituitary, pineal. Help with prolapsed uterus. Use two chairs if back hurts or do over two bolsters. Hold 5 min.
Supported Bridge pose.
The pose above and below are also very calming, and soothing.
They also quieten the nervous system. Regulates blood pressure Tones kidneys, adrenals. Nourishes thyroid and parathyroid glands. Helps with headaches, migraines and insomnia.
Hold 5 – 8 mins each.
Can also do Supported Bridge Pose ( Setu baddha with Baddha Konasana)
Helps relieve pelvic congestion & releases tension in pelvis Help with cramps, inflammation. can help reduce heavy bleeding if practised regularly. Very calming will help reduce anxiety.
Hold 5 Mins
Cross legs going forward .
Quietens nerves. Relaxes back muscles, helps constipation, abdominal bloating, high blood pressure.
Hold 2-3 mins each leg
Corpse Pose ( Savasana)
Quietens nerves. Relaxes back muscles, helps constipation, abdominal bloating, high blood pressure. Hold for 5-10 minutes.
Extra Poses
The following standing poses can be added in later in the menstruation cycle. They can be practised if not too fatigued. If you have access to ropes, the top hand can hold a rope which will help open the chest and allow the body to be lifted, opened up creating space the hips, helping to nourish abdominal organs.
I have chosen to show the supported versions as well as they help with fatigue, backache, emotional instability, mood swings and headaches.
Downward facing dog pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) Menstruation Stretches spine/ releases tension in neck and shoulders, restores energy, increases circulation around breasts , helps with constipation, helps with headaches and helps supply to glands (head and throat) Hold 2- 3 mins
Can help relieve back pain and menstrual cramps. Tones internal organs, help improve digestion and elimination and helps reduce menstrual disorders. Facing the wall allows organic body to soften. Quietens mind.
Keeps hip joint open, improves circulation to abdominal organs. Can have foot supported to help lower back pain and menstrual cramps. Can help reduce heavy flow.
Parsvottanasana with blocks. Blocks & concave spine lengthen lower abdominal area. Reduce tension and helps menstrual flow. Helps back pain
Wide Angle Standing Pose ( Prasarita Padottanasana). Relaxes the abdomen, improves circulation into ovaries and uterus. Helps with low backpain, bloating. Soothes nerves, quietens mind. Relieves Fatigue.
Lengthens spine, nourishes thyroid glands. Ensures good circulation to pelvic area, ovaries and helps with menstrual issues/ heavy light periods.
Seated hero pose Seated Virasana. Helps circulation in feet , knees ankles. Relieves tired achy legs. Arms up shifts energy into the chest, and helps with abdominal tension.
Lying down big toe 2 pose
Premenstruation & Menstruation & post menstruation & normal practise..Keeps reproductive organs healthy/ helps reduce abdominal tension. Strengthens pelvic muscles, helps maintain length in inner thighs. Hold 1-2 mins each leg.
