This article is not intended to diagnose, prescribe or offer medical advice. If you have menstrual challenges we strongly recommended you speak to your healthcare provider.
There are some conflicting ideas in the yoga world regarding the effects of asana on menstruation and this article will not give you definitive answers but will explore the prevailing perspectives and help you navigate how to teach asana, safely.
Some suggest that because yoga was originally practiced (for thousands of years!) only by males, the advice to avoid particular asana during menses stems from a lack of understanding regarding the anatomy and physiology of a cis female. It may be that religion or culture also plays a role in the perspective. One of our teachers wondered if patriarchal society might have influenced this area of practice. We can’t be sure where the idea came from, as we don’t have reliable sources for the origin of these suggestions. But let’s look at some contemporary perspectives on the matter.
Some have suggested that practicing full inversions during menstruation may increase the risk of developing endometriosis. Retrograde menstruation (the backward flow of blood/tissue during menstruation, into the pelvic cavity rather than out the vagina) is not very well understood but is thought to be one of the main causes of endometriosis. Could vigorous activity and inversions of the pelvis contribute to this behaviour of menstrual tissue and the pathology of endometriosis or other reproductive disorders? We don’t know. Here are a few links if you want to learn more about this:
“Mary Pullig Schatz, M.D explains that yoga inversions may cause vascular congestion, a phenomenon that occurs when ‘the uterine veins, which are thin, can stretch and partially collapse, while uterine arteries continue to pump more menstrual blood into the uterus.’ In other words, inversions can potentially make your flow heavier.”
For more on this theory and others, see this article: Peaceful Dumpling>>
A Yoga Journal article on the topic, says:
“In Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health, B.K.S. Iyengar recommends practicing inversions to alleviate menstrual problems such as heavy flow and irregular periods.”
This is in direct contradiction to what was said by the doctor quoted above. What do we believe?? When a tradition is thousands of years old, as yoga is, there are bound to be some conflicting ideas within its practices.
In the Ayurvedic and Yogic perspectives, there exists the concept of Vayus. These are “winds” that guide the movements of energy and matter in the body. Apana is the downward moving flow that governs the release of wastes from our eliminative organs, including the uterus. From this perspective, an inversion of longer than a few seconds may disturb the healthy downward flow of Apana and, therefore, the associated energy and tissue.
In a similar vein, Ayurveda suggests that energy is required for all bodily functions. More energy is required when a lot of tissue is being moved out of the body, such as during menstruation. For this reason, vigorous practices are contraindicated during menstruation. Ayurveda would suggest that certain activities and movements may reduce the body’s ability to effectively move this tissue out of the body. Ayurveda says that menstruation is a time for rest and self-care. Restorative, Yin, and gentle Hatha practices would be considered most appropriate for achieving that aim, from this perspective.
Even some pranayama is not recommended during menstruation such as Kapalabhati, due to the amount of heat, energy, and contractions in the abdomen. This pranayama raises energy upwards and compresses the abdomen. If you’re teaching Kapalabhati in your class, perhaps suggest a gentle version, or an alternate breathing practice, for those who are menstruating or feeling low in energy that day.
When speaking about her personal practice during menses, Your Yoga Flow Faculty Member and Teacher Andrea says:
“I plan my whole life, even how I practice yoga asana around my cycle phases (follicular, ovulation, luteal, menstrual). For me, while menstruating the last thing I need is a rigorous practice or inversions. However, I believe that it’s a personal thing. If you feel good, and inversions feel good during this cycle phase then awesome. If it doesn’t feel good I would avoid it. This is definitely a topic that is debated in the yoga world.”
While we don't really know what the effects of certain asana are on the menstrual process, we have a responsibility to let our students know that certain postures may not be appropriate for those who are menstruating. For the record, most of the asana that are contraindicated during menses are also contraindicated during pregnancy.
We suggest you empower your students to do their own research and make their own choices by letting them know about potential contraindications and giving them options. This way, whether they want to avoid an inversion due to menses or due to fatigue, or for any other reason, they will still feel included in the class as you have offered an accessible alternative.
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.