Yoga for your Mind and Body (and menopause)
/To say I didn’t feel like myself during menopause is an understatement. I’m not sure I can explain what was going on, but it was like a total mind-body disconnect. As though only a thin thread was holding those two parts together.
There is a reason menopause is sometimes referred to as “The Change”!
Not everyone has a dramatic transition through menopause. Some women hardly notice it at all. But for some, menopause is a period of physical and emotional challenge and stress.
In the last series of blogs, we been explored stress and stress management using different relaxation therapies. This blog focuses on yoga postures.
The next several blogs will be an exploration of some of the ways relaxation therapies can help women transition through “the change of life” and come out the other side feeling happy, healthy and whole.
As a segue, I want to explore one last relaxation technique I use in my sessions for deep restorative relaxation. Yoga postures.
Doing a daily practice of a few postures, conscious breathing and meditation (including Yoga Nidra) was the thread that held me together during those menopausal years.
We’ve all been practicing yoga for a while now. It has certainly become a trend, but at the risk of being repetitive, I want to revisit the placement of asana within the broader practice of yoga for a moment.
Yoga postures, or asanas are just one small part of the practice of yoga. Classic yoga includes 8 “limbs” all designed to help those who practice, reach a higher state of being. A state beyond the tricks of the mind!
The 8 limbs are:
Yama (Social Ethics/Restraints)
Niyama (Personal Observances)
Asana (Posture)
Pranayama (Breath Control)
Pratyahara (Withdrawal of the Senses)
Dhāraṇā (Concentration)
Dhyāna (Meditation)
Samādhi (Absorption)
In the West, we tend to focus on the postures. More recently there has been more emphasis on breathing (pranayama) and meditation (dhyāna), which is a good thing since all 8 limbs have benefits for our wellbeing. (As an aside, Yoga Nidra, incorporates elements of all 8 limbs.)
There are three services I offer that incorporate yoga postures; Restorative Yoga Massage, Mind-Body Reset and of course Yoga Nidra (you are in the posture called savasana or corpse pose while doing Yoga Nidra).
I use yoga postures for different purposes, depending on what you need when you come in for a session. A restorative forward fold may help you get the kinks out of your lower back and calm your nervous system.
A supported butterfly pose on a bolster, may help you gently open through the inner thighs, quadriceps (upper leg), chest and shoulders while helping you feel more open and hopeful.
A gentle twist may help relieve digestive discomfort and help you release emotional tension you hold in your gut.
Each yoga posture has a multitude of benefits. Some are relaxing, some are activating while others are cleansing. A few of the benefits of yoga asana are listed below.
Induces the parasympathetic nervous system resulting in a feeling of calm.
Releases muscle tension helping you feel less pain.
Increases oxygen flow to all body systems.
Improves body awareness to help you notice what your body is telling you.
Improves lymphatic circulation enhancing your body’s ability to detoxify.
These are just a few of the ways yoga postures can help you feel better and the reason I use them in some of the services I offer.
If you’d like to explore the therapeutic affects of yoga postures, book for Mind-Body Reset, Restorative Yoga Massage or Yoga Nidra.
If you’re curious about how relaxation therapy can help you navigate menopause, stay tuned for my upcoming series of blogs coming this spring. If you are coming in for a session and want to focus on menopause challenges let me know! We can do that during any service I offer.
Resources
Below are links to 3 yoga practices I created. You can give them a try to explore some of the different postures.
Vata yoga is grounding and calming
Pitta yoga helps you release anger and intensity
Kapha yoga helps you clear and energize
