om body
with whatever comes up – anxiety, feeling
overwhelmed or on edge, forgetfulness,
mood swings, irritability, tiredness, sleep
disturbance and so on. Clearly menopause
is not the only time when these approaches
are of value, but at this time of transition,
the body and mind is such a potent
changing field of experience for exploring
practice and for it to make a real difference;
it can feel like we’re moving up the levels of
a computer game when skills are tested in
increasingly dynamic environments.
How does yoga support
us energetically?
If we can start to listen subtly to our body,
its natural energy can be felt to support
us physically, emotionally and mentally.
Practicing with an awareness of movement
from the centre of the body tunes us in to a
deeper and intuitive inner core. Felt perhaps
as a heartbeat, pulse, a brightening or
subtle vibration, it remains out of view if we
practice with too much tension. How might
we begin to find this?
When we become tuned into body
sensations, for example being jittery or
tearful, we can take charge of ourselves
before we find ourselves overwhelmed or in
the middle of an angry or irritable outburst.
It’s a really useful skill and helps us to ride the
waves rather than assume there is nothing we
can do when our experience feels turbulent.
Moving through menopause with
awareness allows us to be alive to the
process, to practice self-care and to explore
what acceptance is really about. Evolving
with our yoga and taking responsibility to
listen and support our body and mind at
this time transforms our perspectives about
where we find ourselves and gives us a rich
training ground for the next phase of our
life-cycle.
PRACTICE TIP #1: Being kind
and hot flushes
Hot flushes are a particularly common
symptom and coming to terms with their
impact can feel tricky. Try smiling when the
next one comes along and see where you
are building tension in your body and mind.
We build tension when we resist and
don’t like what is going on, perhaps inwardly
verbalised along the lines of ....“I want the
flush to end”, “I don’t want the menopause”,
“how much longer can I stand it”, “how many
more before it ever ceases” etc. When we
soften and smile we are left with heat and
the impact doesn’t magnify into emotional
and physical distress.
Try feeling the beginning of the sensation,
where it starts, how it creeps over the body,
the crescendo of boiling and the gradual
subsidence; be with the wave of heat,
breathe and smile with it rather than push it
away angrily – it’s there anyway.
Learning to listen softly to the body in
this way and breathe with its fluctuations,
we can engage with the sensation of heat
with curiosity, a sense of humour and even
playfulness.
You can use your hot flushes as a natural
prompt for mindful pauses.PRACTICE TIP #2: Slow the pace
of a short daily practice
n Start lying down massaging the lower
back with your knees hugged to chest
n Rollover to one side or rock up to sitting
and ease the lower back into balance,
circling slowly from the centre
n Breathe through alternate nostrils
n Move into some warm ups, the ones that
follow or others you like
n As you inhale draw your centre forwards
and expand your arms and heart, as you
exhale draw your centre back and your
arms inwards
n Roll forwards onto all fours for Cat Cow
allowing the spine to open in its own
time drawing the centre of your body
inwards and outwards exploring the
feeling of natural support
n Progress into a few Sun Salutations,
walking out each leg synchronising your
movement with your breath and moving
from the centre so the body naturally
opens without strain
n Come to sitting and ease into a forward
bend with knees wide and high, allowing
the centre of your body to expand
forwards as you breathe in, (feeling the
width and length increasing up the front
of your spine) and then as you breathe
out drawing the centre into the spine
letting your shoulder tips soften
n Try a sitting twist to each side,
corkscrewing from the centre up and out
to the side so the heart and shoulders
follow without strain
n Bring the legs wide for a wide leg sitting
forward bend, lifting and lengthening as
you breathe in and drawing the centre
into the spine as you breathe out letting
your shoulder tips soften
n Come to lying down with your knees
high, feel the contact with the floor
through the feet, find your centre and
breathing in push through the feet
and send the centre to the ceiling,
allowing your body to naturally expand
into a backbendn Relax with your legs up against the wall
for as long as you need, feeling the
weight of your body on the floor and
listening to the rhythm of your breathPRACTICE TIP #3: Developing
our own support
Sit comfortably, close your eyes and listen
to your breathing. Softly smile and as you
breathe out bring your awareness to the
lower abdomen. Perhaps place your hands
there and feel their warmth. Gradually
narrow your focus inside your body and
imagine a soft gathering through the
perineum inwards and upwards towards the
cervix. Rest your awareness here as best
you can staying with the breath and softly
rotate inwards your inner thighs (a micro-
movement that helps release tension in
the hips and lower back). Smile, softening
the corners of your mouth and lifting the
corners of your eyes and feel a sense of
grounding though the sit bones and the feet
on the floor. When you are ready take a
deliberate breath in and out and open
your eyes.PRACTICE TIP #4: Using
our own support at times of
turbulence
Gather inwards and upwards through the
subtle centre of your body, keep smiling,
connect with the sensations of your breath
at its lowest expression in your body and
feel your feet, open, widen and soften.
Recognise what is going on and do
something that you find comforting – a cup
of tea, a walk outside, a warm shower. If
possible ask for support. Know that moods
may stay for some time but also pass.Sarah Haden (yogaunlimited.co.uk)