Taming “The Change” With Yoga – Bobby Clennell

BY BOBBY CLENNELL

The word “menopause” continues to provoke anxiety and confusion. Many women are even reluctant to say the

word. Some simply shrug off this universal phase in a woman’s life. They say it’s a normal part of the life cycle, and women should sail right through it. Downplaying the impact of this change in our bodies only serves to leave us stranded in lonely ignorance, when in fact, the changes brought about by menopause can be positive. Women can experience new energy and focus when their childbearing years are over—really!

Constructive coping with menopause includes acknowledging the physical changes and psychological challenges that occur at midlife. The solutions lie in acceptance, not in denial or attempts to “turn back the clock.” Menopause is a beginning, not an ending. It’s a process, not a discrete event. It’s the beginning of a new expression of the feminine force. To better understand menopause as a whole, let’s define the three phases:

Perimenopause. The Japanese call this phase “the bad shoulder years.” They may not have a vocabulary for it—they don’t have a word for hot flashes either—but they know what’s going on, and they do have hot flashes. Perimenopause is an approximately eight- to 10-year period that leads to the nearshutdown of ovarian function and hormonal changes that result in various emotional and physical symptoms.

Menopause is the junction between two worlds. It is the complete cessation of menstruation for at least one year.

There is a one- to three-year “settling down” period after the last period. This is categorized as a part of menopause.

Postmenopause is an approximately 20-year phase in a woman’s life from around 52–75 years of age. A woman can come out of menopause truly transformed. She can be at her most profound and creative. One hundred years ago, most women would not have lived beyond the age of 52. Women are, for the first time in history, experiencing and enjoying this additional phase, which goes beyond the scope of this article.

What Is “Changing” Exactly? Perimenopause is a gradual process—the ovaries do not stop working suddenly. From around 35 to 40 years old, a woman’s hormone production gradually declines. By the mid-40s, a woman may begin to experience clear symptoms of estrogen deficiency such as irregular periods—shorter or longer, lighter or heavier—or changed premenstrual symptoms such as menstrual cramps. Hot flashes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, mood swings, fatigue, or difficulty concentrating may also occur. Other symptoms include self-doubt (especially if you had self doubt when you were younger), changes of metabolism, and exacerbation of all conditions (old health problems or longburied health issues that may surface at this time).

Women who may not recognize that these symptoms are all related try to deal with them individually.

High levels of estrogen during a woman’s childbearing years protect against heart disease. Estrogen helps raise the blood levels of the “good” cholesterol, HDL, which counters arterial clogging, maintains the elasticity of blood vessels, and diminishes the tendency of the blood to form clots. Estrogen also helps maintain bone density.

As ovarian function slowly declines, muscle mass may begin to slowly wane, accompanied by a rise in body fat and a gradual thickening around the waist and abdomen.

Too much estrogen can cause sore and tender breasts, headaches, bloating, irritability, weight gain, ankles swelling. Too little estrogen causes hot flashes, poor concentration, insomnia, vaginal dryness, genital atrophy, and bladder irritation.

Remember that other body locations such as the adrenal glands also produce estrogen.

What to do? Hormone levels can fluctuate drastically during the year prior to menopause. Befriend your symptoms and negative emotions. Head into menopause as healthy as possible; this is a time to be in tune with your body. Trim pounds gradually. Weigh yourself daily. But don’t try to get too thin or fret about fat around the waist for now. Some studies show women have an easier time going through menopause when they have a little more fat on them. Those with decreased body fat, decreased hormones, stressful family history, and a nutrient-poor diet get slammed in menopause.

Some withdraw in preparation for metamorphosis. Others see the clock ticking and up activity levels.

Take time to practice. Nurture yourself. Laugh, and if you need to, cry. Spend time with other women who are going through the same thing. Journal. Each day, do one nurturing thing—legs up the wall, nap, walk the dog, take an oil bath. Be creative.

Menopause is a time for Ahimsa, nonviolence. Don’t be afraid to speak the truth. Get rid of the people or things in your life that steal your energy.

Practice the poses that make you comfortable and quiet. Don’t practice to fight the natural process. When you have no symptoms, absolutely do a regular practice.

PMS During Perimenopause There may be more depression or headaches that are showing up for the first time, or worse than previously. A week before a woman’s period, she sweats. It might be something she has to go through, but she can watch for the triggers: anxiety and rapid heartbeat.

The standing poses may bring on fatigue in the abdomen and thighs at this time. Do the four lateral standing poses (Utthita Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana II, Utthita Parsvakonasana and Ardha Chandrasana) against the wall (with block support)—you can’t make your muscles work if you are not strong enough. For abdominal pressure caused by water retention, face the horse (postmenopause, for osteoporosis, the back is to the horse). If you have both issues, decide which is the greater—work according to your constitution and need.

PMS symptoms improve with yoga. Moods stabilize. Thinking becomes sharper.

Throughout the Month: The Poses to Practice

STANDING POSES

Standing poses ground and stabilize, especially when emotions are in turmoil.

Adho Mukha Svanasana on ropes, heels to wall. To ease emotional upset, support the head. Take legs wider to soften the abdomen. Premenstrually, women get coughs and colds. It’s the same at the first stage of menopause. Glandular changes bring vulnerabilities and suddenly lungs are affected. This pose not only opens the chest, it helps maintain emotional stability. Uttanasana with head supported. This pose helps avoid irritations and hot flashes. The back of neck, head, and ears should not get compressed. Legs apart, head on chair, arms folded, hips to wall. You can also practice this pose with hands to wall. Tight hamstrings? Turn your toes in. Prasarita Padottanasana. Steadies emotional turmoil. Grounds and stabilizes. Reduces high blood pressure, hot flashes, and low feelings. Aids digestion, tones abdominal organs and maintains vaginal moisture, as well as helps maintain estrogen levels provided by adrenal glands. Take the head inward so the backs of the ears and neck remain soft. This pose can also take us through the standing poses; rest between poses with the head supported. It’s more cooling than jumping between poses. Go through the pose to change sides. Virabhadrasana II. Avoid this pose during menopause if lower abdomen is inflamed or heavy. Don’t stay long if this pose produces symptoms of heat. If hot, try placing the hands on hips. Uttitha Trikonasana. Face a trestle. Sciatic pain is very common as the groins become hard at this stage. The ligaments don’t hold and suddenly, pain comes in the lower back. Inner groin contraction also exacerbates hot flashes. Open the pelvic region toward the trestle. Uttitha Parsvakonasana. Facing the trestle gives “moral support” from the front. The spine is at the back, so you can move it into the body. To reduce hot flashes and relax the throat, practice with head supported. The head and brain remain quiet and muscles are not irritated. Use a block inside the bent leg foot. Parsvottanasana. To avoid getting hot, practice with the head supported, arms down. Ardha Chandrasna is a quintessential woman’s pose. Practice it at the wall. Gives freedom in the pelvis and spine; spreads horizontally and therefore cools.

INVERSIONS

Inversions quiet the mind. Sirsasana along with Sarvangasana resettle the glandular system and re-establish hormonal balance. Together they make the head quiet so you don’t get too hot (in Sirsasana, use a channel); synchronize the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and ovarian glands; and relieve sore, tender breasts.

Adho Mukha Vrksasana. During perimenopause, put legs in Baddha Konasana. Palms can be turned out. Rope Sirsasana (after standings). In perimenopause, become a “beginner” again. Sarvangasana. There are many ways to work in this pose. When the abdomen is away from the spine, it cannot be nourished. Plus 50 years of gravity pull the tissues down. Focus on relaxing the throat. For those whose tailbone begins to project and pubic plate hardens, turn heels in, toes out.

Sarvangasasna on a chair (along with other poses).

This asana may used to check prolonged or heavy bleeding but work with a senior teacher. Come out of Sarvangasana through “upside down” Paschimottanasana. To bring the legs down and to spread the sacrum, extend your buttock bones toward your heels. You might get sore muscles but not sore organs.

Nirlamba Sarvangasana. This asana reduces hot flashes. The pituitary becomes quiet, which causes the pelvis to open more. This pose keeps high blood pressure, migraine, headaches, and hot flashes at bay. If the uterus is hard, the throat is hard. Keep inner walls of the throat receding and the abdomen soft. When Nirlamba Sarvangasana is mastered and can be held for up to five minutes without strain, you may continue by coming into Swastikasana, belting your legs to relax them, as well as Baddha Konasana, if mobile enough, and Upavista Konasana with the legs resting at the wall. These variations lift the sacral muscles, the ovaries become light, the abdomen softens, and circulation improves.

Karnapidasana in Nirlamba Sarvangasana (ear

pressure pose). When practiced in combination with other poses, this last variation compresses the abdomen, which helps improve the circulation of blood, lymph and prana around the abdominal area, and brings the uterus and ovaries to a healthy state. Viparita Karani. This asana is half backbend, half forward bend. The sitting bones drop off over the far edge of the bolster (forward bend). When the spine is long, take more height. To come out, slide back. Now the abdomen becomes light and the armpit chest opens.

FORWARD EXTENSIONS

These poses may not be the best way to reduce hot flashes (Supta Baddha Konasana is better). If you are stressed, they pacify the adrenals. If you have anxiety, however, they are not effective.

• Adho Mukha Virasana. This asana is soothing. • Paschimottanasana with head supported. With the legs together, this pose produces too much heat (although it does lift and tone the pelvic floor). Rest the head on a chair seat (arms folded) or bolster and keep the legs apart. • Janu Sirsasana. Do this pose in the same way to create calmness. All the forward bends may be practiced during perimenopause, except for Marichyasana I as it’s too constricting.

SITTING POSES

In these poses, extend the space between the groins, hip bones, and lower ribs. Open the sternum bone. Find a balance between lifting and relaxing. Have the courage to work through your fears. Inhale and exhale to the wisdom of your heart.

RECLINING POSES

These poses are restful and nourishing. Workouts cause hormone levels to plunge and muscles to shrink, creating peevishness, fatigue, and insomnia. Hot flashes can begin at the backs of the knees and creep into the chest and face and bring shakiness and irritability. Take it easy! Always give your body time to put back what it’s put out. Keep the abdomen and uterus soft to avoid hot flashes and night sweats.

Supta Baddha Konasana

widens the pelvis and groins, creating space in this region. Regular practice (with Supta Padangustasana I) removes backache. This pose also reduces hot flashes and checks irregular menstruation, vaginal dryness, vaginal or urinary infection, and incontinence. Sudden perspiration and panting for breath puts women in an awkward position, so practice this pose regularly. Bloating and heaviness of the abdomen is also lessoned. This asana, practiced along with inversions, also checks diarrhea and reduces night sweats. When sweats come, don’t hold yourself tight but decentralize the body. Also have a regular practice of Ardha Halasana.

Along with Supta Baddha Konasana, these poses oil the hips and reduce pain and rigidity of movement:

Supta Padangustasana I. Do this first for slipped disc or backache. Pull leg over the head repetitively. Reduces swelling in the feet and legs. But be aware though, if this pose exacerbates hot flashes and general discomfort, it may be best left until after menopause. Supta Padangustasana II. Menopausal women will not be able to do these poses with straight legs. This is not permanent—you can bend the knee. Support the leg if necessary. Propping it against the wall or up on something is a more passive way of working. “Decentralizing” horizontal movements that take you from the center to the periphery use less muscular effort and are cooling.

Diagonal Supta Padangustasana II, with one leg bent in

Supta Baddha Konasana. To help maintain balance, place a folded blanket under the straight leg hip. Because the legs are wide, this also reduces hot flashes. Supported Savasana. This pose puts the body and mind in a restful state. Lie down over a bolster. Move the inner shoulder blades in, and allow the outer shoulder blades to release. Relax the root of the thumb. Watch how the abdomen recedes when you exhale and is undisturbed when you inhale.

BACKBENDS

Backbends (and Sirsasana) help conquer fear. They are important poses because they energize the adrenals, but practice them with support so you don’t bring on hot flashes.

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana over a chair. Supporting the head is grounding, but at the same time, this setup is uplifting. Support the feet if necessary. For tall people, place blankets on the chair.

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana over crossed bolsters,

arms folders above head. If the abdomen is at the apex, this variation relieves constipation, digestive disorders, bloating, etc. To lift melancholy, depression, or if recoiling inside, have the apex be at the chest. Lift the breastbone! For anxiety, support the back of the head (this now becomes Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) and spread the breastbone laterally.

Supta Baddha Konasana in Setu Bandha over crossed

bolsters. This pose calms the mind, stabilizes the emotions, and keeps the thoracic spine mobile and strong.

Restorative Poses When your body is going through changes, you need rest. Make restorative poses the core of your practice. They are the essential for crossing the menopausal bridge.

Take the time to practice at least one restorative pose per day. Use plenty of props so you can enjoy and hold them.

Try practicing at the beginning and end of the day for at least 20 minutes—with the second practice focusing on restorative poses. Go to classes, too!

To avoid consuming vital energy, start with a supine asana. To avoid the back of the neck becoming heavy and hard, it should be free, so lift the head slightly by supporting with a folded blanket. The throat should feel soft and the back of the neck comfortable and extended. When the head tilts back, irritation and annoyance set in.

Salamba Purvottasana (off platform or on two chairs). All women should do this, even teenagers. Women should rest before class. We are all over extended.

Here are four short, cooling, restorative practices:

ONE

• Baddha Konasana (you can also practice this on its own).

This can be done so many ways—holding ankles, over a bolster, etc. • Upavista Konasana at the wall. Don’t try to get better today. Watch that the mouth cavity feels spacious inside. • Supta Baddha Konasana at the wall. You can also practice this in an “L” shape with your legs up the wall.

TWO

• Setu Bandha Sarvangasana. On four bolsters, thighs and ankles belted—but not too tight, please. • Baddha Konasana in Setu Bandha Sarvangasana over crossed bolsters. This pose gives some of the effects of backbends combined with the cooling effects of

Sarvangasana. Baddha Konasana also releases heat.

THREE

• Supta Swastikasana (or if appropriate, Padmasana)

over a spine-wise bolster

• Swastikasana (or Padmasana) in SetuBandhasana over

crossed bolsters

• Viparita Karani

FOUR

• Ardha Supta Konasana with toes on two chair seats.

Have two helpers lift the student up—one at the root of each thigh. • Setu Bandha Sarvangasana over four bolsters • Viparita Karani

PRANAYAMA

Ujjayii and Viloma in Savasana. These pranayama help you cool down (particularly with long exhalations), restore energy, reduce bloating and swelling, and avoid night sweats. The student returns to normalcy and a feeling of exhilaration sets in.

A Final Short Practice Viparita Dandasdana and Setu Bandha Sarvangasana with the proper spinal support expand the chest region. These two poses in combination bring steadiness in the mind and settle emotional disturbances. A fear complex, feelings of loneliness and depression, and lack of confidence bring much distress. Together, these poses bring about a change in attitude. The uplifted heart makes one cheerful and checks mood swings. Physiologically, they check the rise and fall of blood pressure, activate the glands, and remove sluggishness in the organic body. Circulation improves, the nervous system is energized, and insomnia is dealt with. They also curb the sometimes alarmingly increased sexual urge without making one lose the potential energy.

With grateful thanks to Patricia Walden from whose workshop some of these notes were taken and Geeta Iyengar, without whom this article could not have been written.

Bobby Clennell (Intermediate Senior II) is the author and illustrator of The Woman’s Yoga Book, Watch Me Do Yoga, and Yoga for Breast Care.