Wether you are struggling with menstrual disorders or if you are trying to get pregnant, there are tools that can be used in a yoga practice to support your journey. Women’s health in yoga can often be brushed down to a few poses such as Supta Baddha Konasana (supine bound angle pose). But the techniques that Solène uses are much more comprehensive and are inspired by Chinese Medicine. They can help balance your body and mind throughout your menstrual cycle.
The concept of Yin and Yang that underpins Chinese Medicine is key when you look at Women’s health. Yin and Yang are opposite but interdependent, and everything has Yin and Yang. Yin is cold, and Yang is hot, and with no cold there is not hot and vice et versa; Yin is night and Yang is day; Yin is calm and Yang is energy and so on.
Yin is the nourishing, cooling, moistening and fertile function in our bodies; while Yang is the energy, the active and moving side. Let’s have a look at the four phases of the menstrual cycle (on the basis of a 28 days cycle) :
- Periods : during this phase the lining of the uterus, the endometrium, needs to be shed entirely to prepare and rebuild a smooth endometrium. We need to support Qi (energetic force) and blood to support this phase.
- Follicular phase (from first day of no bleeding/spotting to day 12 or so) : the follicles develop here so it is important to nourish Yin and blood to support the process.
- Ovulation (day 13 – 14) : the dominant follicle releases an egg which travels down the tubes. Promote Yang here to create warmth and blood circulation will be key.
- Luteal phase : the embryo moves down through the tubes for implantation and it’s THE Yang phase wether you are trying to get pregnant or not, create heat and blood circulation to keep the progesterone up here is very beneficial.
If you would like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to give me a shout, I would love to help !
SOLÈNE PANNETIER 