Healing and Yoga for Women
Womb Temple
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Here are some resources to help you as you traverse the menopause initiation. They are practices which support hormonal balance and the flows of energy in the body that can easily get disrupted through menopause.
As you are well aware, you body and being are in the process of a complete shift. Moving from a system centered around creating and supporting a family (regardless of if you have kids or not) and changing to a mode of being that is no longer centered around reproduction but rather independence and in many ways broader leadership roles in your community.
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This BIG shift is going to bring LOTS of things up for examination. How do I feel about this? Is this something I want to bring into the next phase of life with me? Get a journal, get a movement and creative practice and get going!!
ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING - 2-5 MINUTES
This may seem simple but who doesn't love simple!!
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Practicing alternate nostril breathing is a gentle and powerful way to balance the hormones through perimenopause. It is said that this practice is as powerful as hormone replacement but of course 100% natural.
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Start with just a couple of minutes and after a week or so add another minute. Creep your way up towards 5 minutes slowly, stopping if you get lightheaded or have any other reaction. You can call me to chat about anything to do with this practice on 0413 811 359.
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How to do it:
Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. This practice can be done while still in bed, but be warned, when I try to do that I always fall back asleep again!
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Start like the woman in the picture, gently blocking one nostril (lets say your right nostril) with your ring finger. Inhale through the open nostril (left)then gently close that one with your thumb - lift off your ring finger and exhale through the right. Then inhale through that same right nostril, close it off, open the left and exhale through the left. Then inhale through the left, switch fingers and exhale through the right.
Give it a go! You'll pick it up.
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Dont rush it, let it be smooth and slow/normal pace and when you feel done, sit and breathe through both nostrils - this will probably happen naturally.
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Sometimes one nostril or even both are blocked. In that case you can just imagine the air coming in and out in the alternate rhythm described. Which finger you use and which nostril you start on wont make too much difference although starting by inhaling on the left is more cooling energetically so that might help if you're experiencing lots of hot rushes in your transition.
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Here is a video that demonstrates how to do it!
TAPPING AND SWEEPING 5-10 MIN PRACTICE
This simple (and a little quirky) sequence was created by Donna Eden, a kinesiologist who worked with tens of thousands of people helping to balance their energies and co-create health. It is a mixture of two groups of exercises based on the meridian system of the body, one to bring balance and harmony to all the body's systems, and another particularly crafted for perimenopause challenges.
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Try out this sequence for 3-5 days and see if you like its effects. Ive personally been using some of these techniques for over a decade and find them very helpful, especially if i feel wonky!
RESTORATIVE YOGA FROM 5-15 MINUTES OR MORE AT YOUR LEISURE
Have you tried restorative yoga? Its a powerful tool to have in your pocket for keeping in touch with peace and sanity whilst moving through challenging times. Inverting or having the hips higher than the heart is great for balancing the hormones and the blood pressure too. If you'd like more guidance around restorative poses and their use and benefits please book a little yoga session with me or your local teacher. Try incorporating a 5-15 min restorative session whenever you're feeling overwhelmed, fatigued, emotional or just in the evening to help you wind down. This is not just a relaxing practice but a powerful tool to bring regulation and support through your journey.
Invest in a yoga bolster or roll up a rug and practice one or both of these powerful and restful poses:
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Just improvise props with what you have at home! use blankets and cushions and get really cosy. There should be no overt stretching, especially in the butterfly pose, its more about feeling supported rather than feeling the stretch.
The best book on yoga and menopause /perimenopause that I have found is Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause by Suza Francina you can buy it here
DEEP REST YOGA NIDRA 20 MINS OR MORE
The last supportive practice I want to suggest here is Yoga Nidra.
Yoga nidra is a deep rest practice that is deeply healing, deeply restorative and deeply supportive. Its great when you're struggling, perfect for insomnia and fatigue and great for helping you move through challenging things that are coming up. It brings you back into your own deep inner resources and helps you to drink from that nectar. I really recommend you try a yoga nidra practice. Dont do it too close to bed time or you might get too rested to sleep later! But if you have trouble sleeping, do it in bed to get to sleep. You can eventually remember the points to use and you'll drop off to sleep in no time! (hopefully, it works for me and many others).
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You can listen and download my special Deep Rest Practice here:
