Keeping the Cervix Apart of the Conversation
In honor of Earth to Ether's most recent workshop, we wish to share important tips on how yoga impacts the body during menstruation and ways to work with different postures to enhance our relationship with the cervix. For those of us not actively participating in yoga, this article serves as a better way to understand helpful stretches and postures for supporting any symptoms of discomfort. There are some poses to include and some to consider twice before approaching.
HISTORIC BARRIERS AND GAPS FOR WOMEN IN YOGA
Even though the practice of yoga comes from both male and female spiritual teachers and has guided a diversity of bodies alike in the practice, yoga is not entirely free from overlooking how women's bodies may experience postures differently depending on their cycles. Similar to research on heart attacks, only recently have we discovered that symptoms of heart attacks show up differently in women, with the prominent example of most not feeling arm or chest pains. As we will discuss later in the article, certain postures are recommended to be avoided for women during menstruation. With women making-up the larger demographic of yogic practitioners in the U.S., a lot of yogis may not have heard about adjusting the practice in consideration with hormonal shifts and cervix changes.
This is a circumstance of not only historical and cultural divisions within yoga but also the lack of individual prescription from the yoga teacher and separation of the guru-student relationship. The teacher is typically meant to curate the yoga practice to fit the specific circumstances of the practitioner, similar to a doctor and their patient. In order to reach more people, which is essential for accessibility, the practice inadvertently can become "a one-size-fits-all", as opposed to adjusting to the unique circumstances of the student. A well-informed yogi master would discern when to offer a general practice for all students and which techniques required more care and individual prescription. At the same time, there is still embarrassment or even stigma about sharing openly to a teacher if one is menstruating especially to a male teacher. This may be neither good nor bad but simply the reality of many women dealing with internalized misogyny around their bodies and their bleeds.
Secondly, the stories, anecdotes, and advice of female ascendant masters tends to be slim or less prominent than the male yogi masters. Some teachers give explanations as to why certain postures are to be avoided. Often, these explanations come from male practitioners and are not fully known or understood due to the lack of research and experimentation. Based on the insight of the Tantric Yoga lineage, women were said to have gone underground with yoga for thousands of years, practicing in caves. This was due to the rising conservative enforcement of the caste system that pushed women out of participating and teaching yoga.
From personal experience, I have found the advice to avoid certain postures during bleeding resonates. This leads to the question of whether yoga today is doing its best in serving the changeable experience of the female body and how more serious investigation into the topic is needed. There are a considerable number of postures and practices referred to in ancient yogic texts that are meant to be practiced everyday with generally high intensity but may not suit the menstruating body. Therefore, we must generate a larger body of knowledge on the subject through exploring knowledge of the body.
THE HEALING POWER OF YOGA
Yoga's capacity for obtaining greater bodily wisdom and sensorial awareness deepens the intuition considerably. From the book The Body Keeps the Score, a book by renowned trauma psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, he discusses at length the importance of beginning our healing journey with attention to thoughts' affects on physical sensation and where it shows up in the body. Furthermore, he advices how yoga is a powerful practice for developing this awareness. When we arrive in certain postures, they can expand our relationship to the infinite possibilities of sensation. Therefore, yoga is a powerful tool for learning the language of the body. It's through the heightened sensitivity which supports pathways for healing.
At the same time, practicing certain postures can also signal discomfort in the body and allowing ourselves to be receptive when the body asks us to back away. It is commonly said not to activate the pelvic floor while bleeding. Spiritual practitioners see the period as an opportunity to expel waste from the body which includes not only physical mass but a releasing of stuck energy. By doing any inversions (where the body is upside down) or tightening muscles at the base body (vagina, pelvic floor, and anus), the shedding process is counteracted with intensity of upward moving energy that can counteract the natural flow.
Additionally, doing these practices while bleeding or even during pre-bleed can cause more painful cramping, amplification of emotional triggering including anger or agitation, reduced bleeding, vertigo and lightheadedness, increased stress, and even the skipping or ending of a period all together. All of these symptoms are things I have personally experienced and may differ person-to-person.
PRESDCIRBED POSTURES AND PRACTICES RIGHT BEFORE AND DURING MENSTRUATION
When bleeding, the body takes over and asks us to release doing. This is a time of complete surrender in conjunction with restraint, which can go hand-in-hand here. While these limitations (whether physical or emotional) may cause a range obstacles to day-to-day action, the bleeding body can give an opportunity to retreat and reflect. A new sense of freedom in our private space can awaken an ancient, instinctual wisdom. If anything becomes too forceful or intense, it is more likely to activate the limbic brain and awaken greater emotional reactivity. Lack of receptivity and care from others can cause stress to the nervous system both for pre-bleed and menstruation. Therefore, the body's sensitivity requires tremendous amount of care.
Here are important tips to consider for alleviating symptoms. Staying low to the ground and getting lots rest will best support this part of the cycle. In terms of breathing practices, don't do any physically taxing and quick breathing that requires high intensity. Instead work on slow, seamless breath which emphasizes long exhales. Develop a healthy awareness to your pelvic floor. It's best to reserve pelvic floor and vaginal tightening during ovulation. Of all the practices, gentle flows and restorative yoga will provide the greatest reprieve from symptoms. Below are the recommended postures along with general stock photos - recommend familiarizing yourself either online or in class before imitating from the photos below:
Butterfly: This can be done sitting up or lying down. It's recommended to place blankets or pillows under the knees. As seen in the below image, you can also do this with props under the body, though be mindful of intensity. Cramping, hip tightness, and sacral achiness receive support from butterfly pose.
Crocodile: Sink into Mama Earth by lying on your belly with arms stacked and legs straight behind you. Decompress the low back and nervous system. Watch out for any soreness in the breasts here. May need to add a folded blanket under the head to alleviate compression in the breasts.
Child's Pose: Knees can be together or apart here. Arms reach overhead or by the side. Good support for the cervix and low belly. Be mindful of knees here. You might add a blanket under the knees or even under the ankles.
Twists: Either seated twists or lying-down twists. Great passive stretch for opening-up the psoas and back muscles. If you're seated, you will be twisting the upper body. If you're lying down, you will be twisting your lower body with your upper back and shoulders rooted on the earth. It might even be nice to turn the head in the opposite direction for lying down twists. Additionally, you can place a pillow or blanket either under the knees or between the knees in order to take stress off of the low back.
Mulasana (Root) or Goddess: Mulasana is a deep squat with knees up-to the ribs, as depicted below. Goddess is not as deep of a squat as Mulasana and doesn't sink into the base. For Goddess, you can place your hands on the thighs to deepen the strech in the hips. These postures are much more active compared to the rest but great for digging into the hip joints and grounding down; however, be mindful to leave the pelvic floor relaxed. You can work on tightening the pelvic floor in this posture during other more active stages in the cycle.
Apanasana: Literally called as the downward moving of energy pose. You lie on your back and pull your knees into your chest. That's it! Great for squeezing anything down and out.
Savasana: Of course, the one posture that is great for every stage! At the same time, this posture is the epitome of relaxation and is aptly translated as corpse pose. Bleeding is another form of shedding away just like Savasana. Option to enhance with pillows, blankets, and eye pillows!
By practicing these stretches during menstruation, you can learn to identify what they will support in the body as well as ways to adjust for maximum support. In turn, the body offers its insights for how we need to show up more for ourselves in sensitive times. Work to learn the language of your body and awaken your innate menstrual wisdom!
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