What does having your period means for your yoga practice?

I think it really depends. Being on your menstrual cycle for many women means being somewhat low on energy. Honoring your body always sounds like a good idea, but what does that exactly mean? Is it the same as giving in to the bodies cravings, like taking it easy, doing nothing and just feeling the blues, giving in to the chocolate and sugar cravings?

I personally don’t think so. It is very possible that that is what you crave, but we’re not really honoring the body by giving in to eating extra sugar, doing nothing and just feeling bad. Eating extra sugar and chocolate isn’t really going to make us feel better….., so maybe taking it easy isn’t either!?

I find in my yoga practice, sometimes an upbeat practice can be wonderful, exactly what I need to ground myself and to shift the blues, and the sluggishness.

A restorative practice can be just what I need too, Trying out what suits you is the best advice I think.

The yoga community recommends different things on what poses you should and shouldn’t do while menstruating. I personally tell people to hold off on inversions, like shoulderstands, headstands, but that is usually as far as I go. Listen to your body, if a particular pose really drains you, don’t do it. Having your period means going inward, listen and respect, but you’re not sick. Some women like inversions and I think thats ok than, just don’t hold them too long.

However I have noticed that giving energy away to other people when I’m on my cycle wears me out. Giving massages, giving counseling does not work so well. I can be extremely tired after a treatment when I’m on my cycle and I do try and plan being as quiet as possible if I can.

Eckhart Tolle describes how, just before your cycle starts, your painbody becomes extra active. According to Eckhart Tolle your painbody is an energetic body, almost looked upon as a different entity, that consists of all the energetic residues of your pain from childhood. The painbody can either be dormant or active. When it is active it can take you over and it than feeds on pain, which could explain the blues during or just before your period. Of course there is also the explanation of hormonal changes, but you never know maybe the painbody sets that off?

He than explains how that time can be of extra value. When you are aware of what is happening, you can stay present to emotions that intensify, hence the painbody cannot take you over and also cannot survive the light of consciousness. So really its a chance to heal past trauma’s! Lucky us…..

To me personally this makes a lot of sense, it gives meaning to this time of the month, and it has helped me accept how I feel better and not let it take me over.

If you want to know more about Eckhart Tolle and his teachings, you can visit his website on http://www.eckharttolle.com

Esther Ekhart