menstrual cycles and beyond
The journey to writing my book ‘Teaching yoga for the menstrual cycle - an āyurvedic approach’ was a naturally evolving path.
I have always been interested in female health and well-being. Our place in a patriarchal world where the male is the ‘standard’. I have been curious about our cyclic nature, the changes and cycles we move through and our sensuality.
I look at yoga and āyurveda through the ‘female gaze’ too. I learned about the changes of pregnancy and postnatal journeys, about the pelvis and our menstrual cycles. Teaching pregnancy and postnatal yoga and later teaching other teachers to do so too was and a huge part of my path as a yoga teacher for many years. And part of my foundation in female health.
The Sacred Pelvis
And so my first online immersion manifested as The Sacred Pelvis. Because through my own experience and as a yoga teacher and yoga teacher trainer I realised that most of us completely ignore and disassociate with this sacred part of the body.
I share about connecting to the pelvis and the muscles of the pelvis, the pelvic diaphragm or pelvic floor. How to simply become aware, how to relax and how to engage.
This is for all women and female pelvises. Bringing energy and awareness to our Sacred Pelvis.
Feminine Seasons & Cycles
The pelvis is the space and energy holder of our inner moon cycles. Our menstrual health.
Again we lack education and awareness of our menstrual cycles. Often seen as an inconvenience and a pain. We might only have learned about periods - but not much. And nothing about the powers and qualities of the follicular, ovulatory and luteal phases. How important all parts of these changing seasons are for our health. For our emotional and mental wellbeing. Even our spiritual awareness.
A few years back I created the Feminine Seasons & Cycles online immersion. To educate about the menstrual cycle - the whole cycle. To share about how incredible and powerful yoga and ayurveda can be in supporting our cyclic nature.
I have videos and text on body and menstrual literacy. And yoga videos for the different phases of the cycle as well as common complaints.
This brought me to the next offering…
Yoga for the Menstrual cycle - an āyurvedic approach
Because there is always more to learn, new research, old texts emerging… Discussions and learning from students and clients. My own changing cycles.
I studied and researched. Immersed myself in everything cyclical. And the book ‘Teaching yoga for the menstrual cycle - an āyurvedic approach’ was born on the winter solstice 2022.
Jasmine Hemsley recommending ‘Teaching yoga for the menstrual cycle - an āyurvedic approach’
You have learned yoga poses, alignment and the benefits of yoga. You might have studied some yoga philosophy. Perhaps even the sister science of yoga which is āyurveda. But did you ever learn about the menstrual cycle? Did you hear about a few do’s and don’ts but never why?
Did you ever consider all the phases of the menstrual cycle when practicing or teaching yoga?
Most of us haven’t because we were never told or educated.
But now you are.
You have the information in this book:
It explains the different phases of the cycle through the Western perspective and the āyurvedic.
And through the language of āyurveda we can easily translate it into how we approach yoga.
I discuss how we can look at yoga in the different phases of our menstrual cycle.
We learn about common complaints and how yoga can support us through challenging cycles.
We understand the whys from the cultural perspective in āyurveda and in yoga.
We explore how important relaxation is.
Learn the importance of exercise in āyurveda.
With a reminder of the seasons as we cycle through into perimenopause too.
And so much more…
Beyond the menstrual cycle
Just like our menstrual cycle of menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation and luteal phase are natural flows are hormones and energy so is the transition toward post-menopause.
The years leading up to this stage is perimenopause. This is when we may experience symptoms that our hormones are changing. That we are changing. And growing and evolving into the wise woman stage. When we no longer need menstruation and ovulation… Menopause is the day when we haven’t had a period of one whole year. Beyond that is post-menopause.
Āyurveda acknowledges this time as a natural transition. And we can support how the energy, hormones and dosas change. We have ways to embrace the shifts and support any imbalances manifesting as hot flushes, mood swings or low libido.
I’ll soon share more practices on this stage of life online so make sure you get my emails to know when you can join me for perimenopausal yoga and āyurvedic support too. Be part of the perimenopause influence and share your experience and symptoms here.
