Restorative Queen Reclined Supported Cobbler Pose (Rani Supta Baddha Konasana)
For cooling scorching flushes/ flashes.
Advantages:
This pose might relieve belly muscle cramps attributable to menstruation and will really feel cooling and calming for decent flushes. It additionally encourages a way of bodily and emotional opening, an perspective of enjoyable and letting go, which is vital in perimenopause. Please bear in mind, although, that this can be a supported leisure pose and not a yin stretch. The purpose of a restorative pose is to not obtain a deep muscle stretch; the purpose is to assist your physique ready of ease (sattva).
Irritation in menopause can have an effect on your joints and connective tissues (together with frozen shoulder, hips, lumber backbone, sacroiliac joint and knees). Deal with your self like a queen utilizing as many props (cushions, pillows, bolsters, and many others.) as you might have accessible. Pay particular consideration to supporting your head and neck with a folded blanket. This ‘head nest’ stops it from rolling to the facet so you may totally calm down.
Earlier than you agree into this pose, set a timer for 15-20 minutes in order that your thoughts isn’t worrying in regards to the time. (It takes a minimal of 10 minutes to completely calm down your nervous system.)
Props:
1–2 bolsters or 2 agency pillows; 1–2 yoga bricks, 2–4 yoga blocks or cushions; 2–4 blankets. Non-compulsory: eye bag or masks, blanket to fold over physique.
- Place the bolster(s) or 2 agency pillows lengthways in your mat (or mattress). 2. Elevate the highest finish with a yoga block, bricks or cushion beneath and alter to a snug peak.
- Fold one blanket right into a rectangle form and lay it alongside the bolster,both facet of your mat to assist your knees, hips and forearms. Relying on the thickness of your bolster and the curve in your decrease again (lumber backbone) it’s possible you’ll want so as to add one other rolled up blanket or towel on the finish of the bolster. Fold a blanket on the prime of your bolster to assist your neck and head.
Coming in:
- Sit your tailbone on the decrease a part of the blanket, after which lay your backbone alongside the bolster.
- Open your knees with the soles of your toes touching one another. Squish the props beneath your thighs to assist your hips.
- Relaxation your forearms on the props, together with your fingers increased than your elbows so there isn’t a discomfort in your shoulders, particularly when you’ve got frozen shoulder and irritation.
- Fold the blanket underneath your neck and head in order that your brow is increased than your chin.
- Possibility to position a watch bag or masks over your eyes or brow to melt the sunshine and permit your eyes to relaxation.
Tip: In case your thoughts is energetic and you discover it tough to settle, hearken to one among my yoga nidra recordings. If you’re having scorching flushes within the pose, repeat my ‘scorching flush wave’ affirmation in your thoughts as you practise ocean breath.
Affirmation:
The is only a scorching flush,
It is not going to final,
I let it circulate by me,
It should move.
Modification for menstrual bleeding:
If this large knee pose feels susceptible, you may both scale back the ‘hip opening’ by including extra props to assist underneath your legs, or swap for a restorative side-lying pose (savasana).
Modification for trauma and vulnerability: Place a rectangular-folded blanket alongside the centre of your physique and pelvis and canopy your toes. The blanket weight can really feel calming and comforting.
Popping out:
1. Use your fingers to help your legs up and permit your knees to the touch, separating the toes large. It is a mild counterpose for the hips.
2. After a couple of breaths, sway your knees facet to facet gently in windshield wiper twist pose (supta parivrtta sucirandhrasana), and roll over on to 1 facet of your physique to slowly come as much as a seated place.
Goddess Excessive Squat Pose (Utkata Konasana)
This pose is a part of a yang-yin yoga sequence designed to launch emotional rigidity and cortisols attributable to elevated stress. The purpose is to channel this vitality as an alternative of permitting it to blow up, which can hurt others) or implode which may very well be dangerous to you. By harnessing our goddess vitality at this stage of life, we learn to step into our energy and use it in a extra directed and calm manner. Menopause is an awakening and alternative to step into our management position in life.
- Stand with the toes large, toes turned out, heels turned in.
- Bend your knees so your kneecaps monitor above your 2nd toe. Verify your arches are lifted and never collapsing.
- Inhale, straighten your legs and lift your arms.
- Exhale, bend your knees right into a squat once more and bend your elbows.
Possibility: Add lion’s breath (simhasana pranayama) to launch anger or emotional rigidity.
Modification:
Sit on the sting of a chair for extra hip and knee assist.
Thoughts Meets the Breath
This seated meditation with breathwork can calm an anxious thoughts and really feel grounding in simply 3-5 minutes. Strive it with a cork brick or a weighted eye bag. I don’t advise you employ a wood brick and anybody with osteoporosis ought to keep away from a heavy weight that will compress the backbone.
- Sit comfortably together with your backbone upright and your stomach relaxed in an effort to breathe simply. Sitting in opposition to a wall or a straight-backed chair can assist your again.
- Steadiness a cork brick on the crown of your head (a wood brick is simply too heavy and will slip; a foam block is simply too gentle). Alternatively, place a low- weight eye bag on the crown of your head. It is a marma level and the mild strain can really feel calming.
- Relaxation your fingers in your legs with palms down, which feels grounding. Shut your eyes should you really feel snug doing so.
- Focus in your breath, respiratory slowly and steadily in order that your inhalation and exhalation are of equal size. The purpose is to gradual your breath down however with out holding your breath. This isn’t a breath retention (khumbaka) train. Keep right here for 3–5 minutes and depend what number of rounds of breath you took on this time.
- To come back out of the pose, slowly increase one hand in direction of your head, transferring in gradual movement – quick motion will disturb your nervous system. Contact the brick or eye bag and elevate it off your head, pausing for a couple of breaths to look at how this feels. Then slowly decrease the brick or eye bag out of your head, holding your eyes closed, and relaxation it on the bottom, making no sound because it touches the ground.
Popping out:
- Relaxation each fingers in your legs and sit quietly for a couple of minutes. Discover if the psychological exercise in your thoughts has slowed down or should you really feel calmer and extra at peace. This pose prepares us for a deeper meditation prac- tice, so it’s possible you’ll select to remain longer.
- Once you come out of this pose, slowly flutter your eyes open, holding your gaze delicate and low so that you just slowly obtain the sunshine and sight of the surface world.
Modifications and Contraindications:
Contraindicated when you’ve got migraine complications or scorching flushes and osteoporosis. As a substitute weighted eye pillow as an alternative of a brick. Sit on a chair for knee consolation. It’s also possible to follow this with out the burden in your head and perhaps only a flannel. The impact wont be as dramatic however the mild contact on the crown chakra/ acupressure and marma level should be efficient.
Restorative Raised Legs on Chair (Modified Viparita Karani)
Advantages: Refreshes fatigue, reduces stress, might ease digestive points. You may keep longer on this pose as a result of it’s much less prone to trigger leg numbing or discomfort.
Props: 1 blanket or pillow.
- Convey your mat to a chair. (It’s also possible to practise this pose in your mattress together with your legs supported by pillows.)
- Absolutely open out a blanket on the mat in order that it’s flat and has no wrinkles. That is for heat and decrease again consolation.
- Decrease your self sideways to the mat in order that your pelvis is near the chair. Choice to relaxation your pelvis on a cushion.
- Relaxation your legs onto a chair (couch or mattress) together with your knees bent. Be sure the backs of your knees are supported by folding a blanket over the sting for consolation.
- Fold one other blanket underneath your head and neck.Place your fingers in your stomach, out to the facet or wrap your fingers with the additional blanket for heat. Possibility to position a weighted eye bag in your brow or eyes, or a shawl should you put on contact lenses.
- Keep within the pose for 15–20 minutes
Popping out:
- Watch out to not rush. Bend your knees.
- Roll to 1 facet and relaxation for a minute earlier than sitting up.
Modification should you really feel agitated or too scorching: The sense withdrawal model of this pose includes the blanket tucked round your head and into your shoulders to chop out exterior sounds and stimulation. Take away the blanket, however keep within the pose with legs raised.
Meno-Warrior Chair Pose Aquats (Modified Utkatasana), with a brick
- Stand together with your toes hip distance aside and place a brick between your mid thighs.
- Bendyourkneesasifsittingbackintoachair.Squeezetheblockto interact your leg muscle groups. This additionally prevents your knees from dropping inwards and takes strain away from the decrease again.
- Attain your arms ahead in your inhalation.
- As you exhale,bend your elbows and draw them again in direction of your ribs,
stand upright and squeeze your glutes. - Repeat 3 rounds of 10 chair squats.
Rookies: Sit on the sting of a chair and get up 10 occasions with out utilizing your arms to elevate you.
