I finally understand why I don't feel uncomfortable when I practice during my periods, in spite of folks telling me not to. Instead, I feel more blah 1-2 days before. THANK YOU so much Jelena and David for covering all aspects in a mindful manner -describing what the tradition says, and emphasizing how we apply traditional learning along side what our body is also telling us.
SHARK WEEK! 😂I loved loved loved this! Jelena rocks with facts and strong opinions and so much kindness and empathy, and David is such fun (and he clearly adores Jelena)! I can do yoga for approximately every other time I have my period. Every other time the flow is just too much, and it takes my mind off of the yoga when I have to watch out for leaking (sorry if too much info...) 🙃
This video was the opposite of what I thought it was going to be, and it makes me so joyful to have found your channel! "Ladies" is a word I'd like to set on fire 😆 Thank you for a validating, empowering, inclusive, and open discussion about menstruating bodies 💖
Since yoga increases awareness in general and asana increase body awareness in particular, I have observed that during the initial 2 days of my period, the apana prana in my body is stronger than usual. The way it manifests is that the excretion process on those days is very efficient and the body naturally assists in emptying the bowels with more energy than usual. To be inline with this body process, I like taking the 2-3 days off at the onset of my period since asana practice in general pulls the energy upwards. This is also probably why the tradition talks about 'ladies holiday'. But again , each person should listen to their body. I figured this out by listening to mine.
Yes, I was missing this point in the video. I have made the somewhat same comment ;) For me, becoming more aware of the kosas and vayus, during meditation, practice and daily life, is a very interesting development! Do you experience this also?
I also experience this with more frequent emptying of bowels during my period, but have always to contined to practice yoga throughout my period - but without inversions
Great talk! Very down to earth and common sense discussion. Good for you for addressing this issue. I agree with the cultural baggage theory; there's never been a lady's holiday from cooking and cleaning, right? Shark Week, I love it. Thank you for having a sense of humour, which can be challenging in these times.
Great video! And I totally agree! I miss one aspect, (only because I dove in this too :) and I just want to share my view, maybe it can help others) because I didn't hear it in the video and that is the energy flow of the process. The menstruation is a time when the person gets rid of old tissue. This elimination is a result of a wound, and the fluids that come with that, have a downward flow literally in the physical body (annamaya kosa) but also in the energy body (pranamaya kosa) with the energy flow (apana vayu). The old material has to be released before the tissue can heal again, and I think it is good to give the days from the first day of the menstruation attention towards this downward energy flow. And with holding bandhas and inversions, the energy goes in the opposite way, against the elimination. Since I have been doing this, at least 3-5 days rest, I have no more pain and discomfort. I don't like taking rest (I also noticed I was actually stronger during my period), but I have noticed such a big difference in pain that I sense my body needs it. Sharks are a little bit too aggressive for my taste ;) Anyone up for Apana vayu week?
im really happy that i found you in ututbe i was following you in instagram but i m not sseing you there anymore .Thanks alot im learning the correct posture from you i m blessed to know you
I exactly feel like Jelena. I have no difficulty practicing on my periods, it actually feels very good. In fact, it is the days leading to my periods I feel that I haven't enough strength.
I love this topic! Thank you for making this video :) The biggest turning point for me in regards practicing yoga while on my period was learning about the seasons of the menstrual cycle. In the first half of my cycle, spring and summer, oestrogen gives me energy and helps me build muscle. It is a time to advance my practice in terms of asana and strength. Ovulation, like a full-moon, is the peaking of this energy and intensity. In autumn, progesterone takes over and slows my body down. Bloating, heaviness, and fatigue all combine for a challenging time physically and emotionally on the mat! This is when focusing on my breath can be more challenging but soo rewarding. Then winter comes - the bleed. Winter is naturally a time of slowness and low energy. There is a need to conserve my physical and emotional resources. For me, winter is about care and softness in my yoga practice. Menstruation also compares to a new-moon, so a rest day or two feels right for me. More than right - it feels like I am taking exquisite care of myself. And then the cycle repeats! I am so grateful for this process as it has helped me connect to the ebb and flow of my practice with more compassion and understanding.
So insightful and again makes so much sense I always NEED to practice when I have my period and also practicing often helps when I'm late on my cycle it makes my period starts during a yoga flow (word play 😊 ) I thought I was being a rebel but there you go! Thanks ❤
Thank you Jelena - 100 % agree …. thank you both for your openness and being willing to discuss this - really appreciate your videos….my favorite practice videos ❤
love the talks on a mat guys!! it is so great just to open the topic, really every body is different…for me I only benefit from 2-3 days off practice, since I do so I almost enjoy that time…with no pain. in my case I am loosing like 15-20 ml of blood every hour first day, found that its quite a lot. some bodies does that in 6-8 hours. no surprise that every body really feels different…(plus style of diet, sleep hygiene, type of work during the day etc.) the huge benefit from this pause is no pain and bleading mostly first 2 days. my body, my experience:)
I totally recognized myself in what you said Yelena ! I suffer from loose SI joints after an accident years ago and that makes my practice quite difficult. But it’s impossible to do so during the days before my periods. After years of research I finally learned that during those days the hormone called relaxin (made to relax the pelvic area allowing women to give birth) is released before the periods start. And that loosen all our joints. I know that especially during those days, I cannot stretch my hamstrings, it will pull only on my SI joints… btw, if you guys have any advice on how to protect loose SI joints even on “regular days” I’d be so grateful ! Thank you for your videos 🙏🏼
Thank you Jelena, I have to go to a Rehabilitation center and I was really concerned because doing exercises there every day early morning is mandatory. But I get my period right when I get there next week. So I was really unhappy if my Body can actually take that, but now as you said the Body is strong enough, I am happy again. And that is most important in the end, to have a cheerful heart.
Thank you for addressing this issue. The observations you made is the case with any condition anyone might have. Practitioners should do what they feel comfortable with. What is special about a menstrual cycle?
Thank you for addressing this! It's always a confusing time for me, as I feel I lose strength during that time, but my flow tends to be quite extreme in the first few days so I rather abstain from the series. As someone whose period can also be erratic (the last one lasted two weeks) at times, I've opted to still do yoga, but much less intensive for the first four days and I then modify the series for the remainder of my period.
My teacher says not to do inversions. I think it has something to do with the blood flow, not sure ..other than that, I like thinking of a period as a holiday. Some periods I feel strange energy and adrenaline, but also the urge to sleep. And I absolutely adore those day or two of rest.
This is one of the best channels about yoga, very good explanations and rhythm however I see your videos have not enough views. My suggestion is to work on those video titles, for most of us is hard to memorize and understand words in another languages and harder if they are more than 5 letters long and above all we like to know what the workout or postures are for because we are trying to get in shape not necessarily to be experts in yoga at least in the beginning. You guys can talk about the postures names in the video not in the title because that turns off a lot of people. Pay attention how are other yoga teachers are doing and you will see titles like this one: "How to get your belly flat the fastest way!" "Perfect butt in a month" Yep, that's what most people are looking for they can fall in love with yoga in the process but we all want to know what are we getting from the workout to see if that matches our expectations. I really don't thing more than a small percentage of people are interested in the postures name they are interested in the results they can get out of them. Blessings to you guys and I'm sending best wishes to your channel, you deserve to grow exponentially in your channel!
Can you please make another video explaining more about Yoga Butt and how to treat it when it happens !! Because the ashtanga practice becomes really hard especially with folding postures kurmasana !
When I was attending a tantric vinyasa class years ago, the women actually practiced during their periods, but the teacher would advise they don't do inversions because it would reverse Aunt Flo.
Thanks to Jelena for clarifying that it is not only women’s bodies that menstruate. For those of us who are trans and nonbinary, this kind of comment can help us feel seen and included in a world that is largely not made for us ❤
Thanks for this video jenna....this is very helpful.... also I had a question, when I started my ashtanga practice I was scared off saying women tend to miss their periods because of this practice...is this true? Have you heard anyone else say that?
SNAPS JELENA PREACH VIRTUALGURU Sometimes you can love a tradition and simultaneously get annoyed with said tradition for being short sited and misogynistic. It’s like loving that racist uncle, who you’ve known all your life, who you have an intimate familial bond and love but also the uncle says lot of weird questionable shit learned from the Kali Yuga
Great! I love your videos but when are "Yoga Teachers" from the west going to stop attacking traditional values which they cant comprehend and understand with their conditioned mind. I have heard many western yoga teachers showing their resistance on this particular topic and somehow their egos are portrayed in ways that always try to challenge the Traditions. You might think women in my country have been supressed traditionally but i can assure you that in India women have been always considered a mother, a devi a goddess and thats a sign of respect and surrender to the Divine Feminine and thats our real Tradition and thats why we stick to our traditional values. I am honoured to be a part of this tradition and a son of Bharat Mata(Mother India).
Also if u reasearch more closely there are always logical and scientific reasons regarding practices that are traditionaly done here and our Yogis discovered that ages ago. I too once had this mindset and thought that traditional practices are all bullshit but man i was so wrong.Everything makes sense now even the practices that makes no sense at all. Balancing on the head or your hand is not Yog, Contortionist and a circus performers can do it better than anyone.
I've also always hated the term 'ladies' because it implies a moral standard of behaviour (it's femaile the equivalent to gentlemen) and I'm SICK of women being expected to behave in certains ways!! We are strong and individual WOMEN - not all 'ladies'
