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may/june 2017yogajournal.com.auFrom the onset of puberty to
menopause, women are governed by
their hormones. It is this very thing that
makes us different from men. We have
our own cyclical hormonal rhythm
that mirrors the cyclical nature of
the universe. Our cyclical rhythm is
controlled by the interplay of five
hormones secreted by three organs
known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-
ovarian axis. The interaction between
the hypothalamus gland, the pituitary
gland, and two almond-shaped ovaries
attached to the uterus, together form a
coordinated loop of hormonal messages
on which the health and stability of our
menstrual cycle depends. When this
positive loop system is in balance, so
too is our menstrual cycle, and our
emotional and physical wellness.
Chinese medicine and yoga have
long recognised the importance of our
endocrine system as regulators of bodily
function.BALANCING HORMONES
The chakras are like portals for the
prana to flow into the body and nourish
it. Each chakra corresponds to an
endocrine gland and is related to our
mental, emotional and spiritual state.
In TCM theory, the kidney organ
and meridian is responsible for our
hormonal system and sexual function.
For a woman, the strength and balance
of her kidney energy is directly related to
the hormonal balance within her body,
influencing fertility and menstruation.
When our hormones are balanced, our
body is in homeostasis. The more we
practice yoga, the better we become
at observing our own hormonal
fluctuations.
While knowing all the facts about
how your body functions is helpful, it is
also important to support your mind
and body. In traditional yoga theory,
there are specific postures and breathing
techniques that regulate and influence
your endocrine system, increase blood
flow and vitality to your pelvic region,
and improve nutrient supply to your
reproductive organs.
Did you know that some of our
endocrine glands require an increase
and decrease in physical pressure to
produce their hormones? Some of these
glands are locked away in our pelvic
area, a part of your body that might not
receive much love if you are sitting in a
chair all day. These specific yoga poses
not only restore physical and emotionalhealth, they release muscle tension,
reduce stress, and increase the blood
flow and life force — prana or qi —
to your reproductive organs.
Modern research has scientifically
proven that yoga reduces the stress
hormone, cortisol. Yoga works to
alleviate stress by triggering a little
magic called the relaxation response
hormone. This wonder hormone reduces
muscle tension, calms your breathing,
and slows your heart rate, blood
pressure and metabolism. By triggering
the ‘relaxation response’ you return a
stressed-out body to a more relaxed and
balanced state. Bliss.YOGA SEQUENCE
This yoga sequence will strengthen your
connection to the cycles of nature and
divine female energy in maintaining
emotional stability and hormonal
balance.
The second chakra is the seat of
creation. It has a separate bija sound or
seed sound of Va m. To activate your
second chakra repeat “Vam” five times.
PARSVA SWASTIKASANA: A gentle
rotation of the spine helps to alleviate
lower-back pain and abdominal bloating.
CAT/COW: This pose articulates and
lubricates the spine. It links mind and
body to breath.
HIP CIRCLES IN CAT/COW: This pose
articulates and lubricates the spine.
It connects to sensuality and non-linear
movement. It softens connective tissues
which helps increase prana to the
entire system. Non-linear movement is
feminine in nature. Learning to flow
fluidly with non-linear movement and
breath is an invitation to the divine
feminine.
CHILD’S POSE: This enables the body to
seek balance and release tension. It relaxes
and calms the mind and body while
lengthening the entire spine. Initiating the
relaxation response in this pose releases
lower-back tension, menstrual cramps,
PMS and helps to normalise blood flow
throughout the entire body. To activate
your pineal gland (third eye), gently turn
your forehead left to right.
DOWNDOG: Inversions help to
increase circulation to the pituitary,
hypothalamus and pineal glands and
stretch the internal organs while
calming the nervous system.
UTTANASANA (STANDING
FORWARD BEND): Forward bends
allow your mind and body to literally ‘let
go’. Uttanasana is a wonderful pose toget out of your head and awaken your
neuro-endocrine axis (HPO). This asana
makes us drop our head below the level
of our heart, causing blood to flow to our
brain rather than our feet. When this
happens, it gives our body and cells a
rejuvenating boost of oxygen, which
calms our mind and, as a result, relieves
stress and anxiety.
UPAVISTA KONASANA (Seated Wide-
Angle Pose Forward Bend): This is a
wonderful asana for activating our
second chakra and sacral area. It
activates the liver meridian allowing
prana and blood to circulate properly
around the pelvic girdle. It stimulates
and nourishes our ovaries, regulates
menstruation and calms our central
nervous system.
JANU SIRSASANA: Seated forward
bends give us permission to be with
ourselves. They calm our mind and
allow the body to enter a state of rest.
This asana helps maintain hormonal
balance, tones our uterus and ovaries
and activates all three yin meridians:
liver, kidney and spleen.
SUPTA BADDHA KONASANA: This is
a gentle, restorative posture that opens
the energy of our pelvic girdle, stretches
out our inner groin and thighs, opens
our heart and calms the mind. The
pelvic girdle is a part of the body where
we store and hold emotions. There is a
lot of connective tissue that forms a web
of forgotten memories and repressed
emotion. When we release tension in
this area with breath, we allow fresh
blood to circulate into the pelvic region
and reproductive organs.
It’s also the seat of svadhisthana
chakra, the second energy chakra. It
includes the hips, sacrum, genitals,
lower back, womb and bladder. This
chakra is associated with the task of
allowing emotional and sensual
movement into our life. When we learn
to open the energy of this chakra and
essentially go with the flow, we can
experience sensuality, sexuality,
emotions, orgasms, intimacy and desire.
As you breathe into Supta Baddha
Konasana, you breathe into honesty,
space, opening, persistence and
commitment.
SUPTA VIRASANA: RECLINED
HEROES: This is a pose which alters
the flow of blood and releases tension in
the pelvic and abdominal region. It helps
relieve and soothe menstrual cramps
and inflammation of the reproductive
organs.