5 Poses for Menopause with Paula Hines

Yin Yoga is a calming, meditative practice that has its roots in the Chinese philosophy of Taoism. In this predominantly ground-based practice, we typically allow ourselves to be in each posture for about three to five minutes. While physically it's about penetrating deeper into the body's connective tissue, energetically the meridians (energy pathways) through which our Qi (life force or energy) flows are stimulated in the poses we practice. In Chinese medicine, our organs are linked to our emotions and the intricate network that the meridians form in our body.

The importance of kidney Qi during menopause

In Chinese culture, menopause is considered a positive transition to a place of renewal, new possibilities and wisdom – our second spring (postmenopause). In Chinese medicine, menopausal symptoms are viewed as an imbalance in our inner yin and yang and menopause is primarily viewed as kidney yin deficiency. The kidneys play a crucial role in the aging process by controlling the balance of our yin/yang and the cooling of our body. (Certain common symptoms such as hair thinning, osteoporosis, hot flashes, and anger, for example, are associated with excessive heat.) Additionally, excessive stress affects the kidneys. Some symptoms associated with weakened kidney qi include brain fog, tinnitus, difficulty concentrating, and urge incontinence. (The kidneys are the bladder's yin partner and regulate the brain and bone marrow, the latter of which is linked to loss of bone density - i.e. increased risk of osteoporosis - as we age. The ears are the kidney's sensory organ and fear is the associated emotion, which can appear as fear, another common symptom.) Relatedly, Liver Qi stagnation is also present here and the decline in spleen function is implied. Just some of the additional menopausal symptoms that can manifest as a result include vaginal dryness, insomnia, constipation and dry skin, hair and nails.

Why Yin Yoga during menopause?

When we consider all of this, it becomes clearer why it is especially important to take care of our kidney energy during our menopause. Yin yoga is inherently a cooling practice that we can use to offset some of the excess heat mentioned above. Yin yoga can also help us move from a stressed (sympathetic) state to a calm (parasympathetic) state - this is very helpful as stress negatively affects the kidneys and it is known that stress can worsen menopause symptoms. With this in mind, the poses in the following Yin sequence primarily target the Kidney meridian lines as well as the Liver and Spleen.

Lying butterfly

Recommended props: A feat of strength, two cork stones. (Optional: (link removed))

How to:Create a slope by supporting your pad on two stones as shown. (If you prefer to invite more of a backbend, support your pad with a rock, or skip the blocks altogether and use just the pad.) Sit at the bottom of your pad and gently lie back so your upper body is supported. Take out the soles

Your feet together and let your knees fall to either side to form your butterfly shape. If you use an eye pillow here, you can place it over your eyes or alternatively place it along your forehead and eyebrow line. Allow yourself to be here for 1 to 5 minutes.

dragon-fly

Recommended props:A feat of strength. (Optional: a flat block or folded blanket to sit on.)

How to:Sit on your mat and extend your legs as far as feels comfortable for your hips. (If it's more comfortable to raise your hips here, sit on a flat block or folded blanket.) Place a bolster in front of you for support and allow your torso to go into a forward bend from your hips. Allow your spine to round and your neck to relax. Depending on your flexibility, you may want to rest your upper body on your pad or use it to support your forearms as shown. Allow yourself to be here between 1 and 5 minutes.

Sleeping swan

Recommended props:A booster, a cork brick and a (link removed)

How to:Place a pad about halfway up your mat. Sit on your pad with the soles of both feet on your mat in front of you. Gently lower your left knee toward the mat and extend your right leg back into your swan position. To move into Sleeping Swan, lower your torso and place your forehead on a brick. (If you'd rather add padding for your forehead here, place an eye pillow on the stone.) Allow your forearms to rest comfortably on a small cushion in front of you on your mat. Allow yourself to remain here for between 1 and 5 minutes before repeating on the other side for the same duration.

Inversion with Bolster Support

Recommended props:A feat of strength. (Optional: a belt if legs are elevated)

How to:Place a pad a little more than halfway up your mat. Sit flat on your mat with both soles of your feet, leaving more space on the mat behind you. (If you are using a belt to support your legs here, create a belt loop that is hip-width apart and slip your feet through the loop. Place the belt loop at either mid-calf or mid-thigh.) Place your palms behind you on your mat so your arms can support you as you lift your hips, slightly forward Slide and rest your sacrum (back of your pelvis) on the pad. Gently lower your shoulders and upper back onto your mat so that you are in a supported bridge position. Maybe you want to stay here or you can put your legs in the air. Arms can rest at your side or palms rest on lower abdomen. Alternatively, you can stretch your arms behind you on your mat or place your arms on the floor in a cactus shape. Depending on whether your legs are elevated or not, allow yourself to stay here for 1 to 5 minutes.

Savasana

Recommended props:A feat of strength, two blankets, a small rectangular pillow, an eye pillow, a (link removed)

Finish with a final relaxation. The use of props (as shown) is optional, but they help create the conditions for your body to relax more deeply. As we move through menopause, it becomes even more important to get sufficient, quality rest to support our transition to the second spring (post-menopause), and rest helps support Kidney Qi. Without adequate rest, we can also be more susceptible to common menopausal symptoms such as lethargy and fatigue. If you have time, treat yourself to up to 20 minutes of rest here.

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