For a routine to practice during menstruation visit the online class page and choose the bite size yoga class called Menstrual sequence.

This article is to is to guide women on the how’s and why’s of adjusting their practice during their monthly cycle. There is a general practice done during menstruation, such as forward extensions and supine postures and avoidance of all the inversions, but everyone‘s needs slightly differ, therefore, everyone should have discrimination and understand their own problems, weakness and particular needs on different days.  Regular practice brings a deeper sensitivity and awareness of these things. 

Sometimes we feel absolutely healthy and sometimes we feel hopeless. This is especially true for women during certain days of their menstrual cycled it’s important we go with that and don’t fight it.  

A key point to understand is that the  menstrual blood has to be discarded, you should not hold the abdomen tight and so must choose those āsana-s which soften rather than harden the abdomen. Also during menstruation that you should avoid all inversions (upside down poses) Because the inversions disturb the downward flow and therefore the toxins being released. If the toxins, the waste matters such as sweat, urine, faeces, gas, menstrual blood and pus are retained, then the body suffers. 

Along with the above inversions you have to avoid arm balances and so on. Also you need to know that your legs should not get tired and that is the reason why you avoid (or minimise) the standing āsanas.

During Menstruation instead you should practise supine āsanas followed by forward extensions with the forehead supported.The sitting postures are definitely helpful too, for when one wants to sit just quietly, using the support of the wall in order to learn to lift the spine.

These āsanas (postures) preserve energy. It is important to under- stand that during the menstrual period, because oestrogen is going up, you feel active and you think that you can do everything. But the same oestrogen that will be reaching its peak in the next four days can be utilised for the right purpose. So you should not drain energy or create an imbalance in the hormones, if you preserve energy during menstruation, you will have better energy and a smoother cycle for the rest of the month. 

Also during menstruation you can not do much prānāyāma. You find that your capacity is less, there is often a feeling of internal fatigue. You should not force your body to do prānāyāma. Enjoy a long Śavāsana. Even if you sleep, it is nice, and there is nothing wrong with that.

This has been written in close reference to Geeta Iyengar “The practice of women for the whole month’, Printed and published by the Iyengar Yoga Association (UK) April 2009.  This is a fantastic 17 page document which I highly recommend anyone with menstrual issues to read. 

What poses can I expect to learn at an introductory entry level yoga class?

​What new poses can I expect to learn at a general class? 

​What new poses can I expect to learn at an intermediate class? 

It’s a disconcerting time for all at present, one major disruption is the Schools closure due to Covid-19. If you're looking for Home School ideas why not try some daily Yoga for Young Un’s (yoga for children).

Have you ever tried to stand as still as a mountain or as tall as a tree?  Yoga poses are exercises which started in India hundreds of years ago. They make our bodies strong and stretched at the same time as making our minds still and quiet. They can help us stay healthy, happy, fit and free from worry or distraction. 
Today have a go at ………
 
DOWN FACE DOG POSE: One  of the languages in India is called Sanskrit, in Sanskrit the word Down is “Adho”, face is ‘Mukha”, dog is “Shvana” and pose is “asana”, so Down Face Dog pose is also called Adho Mukha Shvana-asana

Stand upright with your legs squeezed together.
Bend in half and put your hands on the floor. 
Jump or step your legs back about a metre, keep your feet a hip width apart and toes pointing straight forward. 
Keep arms and legs straight and take your hips high to the sky so you make a triangle shape. 
Let your head hang to the ground and relax your face.   
Imagine you are a dog stretching its front legs and back with its bum high up in the air….. have you ever watched how dogs stretch? 
This pose is good for runners and for achy backs and necks. Enjoy the feeling of stretching your whole back and body, keep your arms straight and let your head hang easily and maybe eventually your head will touch the floor! 
Relax your face and slowly silently count for as long as you can.
Then jump back to stand up, and repeat it. 
With daily practise you’ll be able to hold your Down Face Dog pose for longer,  and your mind will also become still and steady; you won’t even need to count, all you’ll be aware of is your breath.  


Now try 
UP FACE DOG POSE , in Sanskrit the word up is “Urdhva ”, so Up Face Dog pose is also called Urdhva Mukha Shvana-asana

Lie on your  tummy with your toes pointed. 
Place your hands down on floor at the side of your chest, fingers forward 
Straighten your arms, lift your chest high. 
See if you can lift you trunk and things off the ground and just rest on your hands and tops of feet. 
Keep your legs straight and tuck your tailbone under.
Keep your arms straight and pull your shoulders down and back. 
Imagine you are dog stretching its belly and  back legs, lifting its head and chest and howling at the moonlight. 
This pose makes your spine strong and flexible.
 Enjoy the feeling of stretching your whole front body.
Relax your face, hold the pose for as long as you can, but remember to breathe. 
Silently count for between 10-20 seconds. Rest and Repeat. 

Have you ever tried to stand as still as a mountain or as tall as a tree? 
Yoga poses are exercises which started in India hundreds of years ago. They make our bodies strong and stretched at the same time as making our minds still and quiet. They can help us stay healthy, happy, fit and free from worry or distraction. 
Today have a go at ………

WARRIOR 2 POSE: One  of the languages in India is called Sanskrit, and  in Sanskrit the word pose is “asana”, also there is an old story about a strong warrior called Virabhadra so Warrior 2 pose is also called Virabhadra-asana 2 

Stand with your legs squeezed together.
Then jump your legs 3-4 feet apart and spread your arms wide.
Turn your right leg out to face right, keep the rest of the body facing forward. 
Bend your right knee deeply into a right angle and keep your left leg poker straight. 
Look to your right finger tips. 
Imagine you are strong and confident like a warrior. 
Feel every part of your body from the soles of your feet to the tips of your fingers, strong and firm; after a while you will feel your body getting warmer. 
Relax your face and slowly silently count for as long as you can. Try silently counting to 20. 
Then repeat it all to the left side. 
Try not to be distracted by things around you, imagine a warrior focused on their mission. 
With daily practise you’ll be able to hold you warrior pose for longer, and your mind will also become still and steady.  You won’t even need to count, all you’ll be aware of is your breath.  

Now try extended warrior pose,  keep a straight diagonal line from your back foot to your finger tips, silently count to 10 or 20 and try the other side. 

Have you ever tried to stand as still as a mountain or as tall as a tree? 
Yoga poses are exercises which started in India hundreds of years ago. They make our bodies strong and stretched at the same time as making our minds still and quiet.
Lets explore TRIANGLE POSE 
One of the languages in India is called Sanskrit, in Sanskrit the word ‘Tri’ means three, ‘Kona’ means angle and ‘Asana’ means pose so Triangle Pose is also called Tri-kon-asana.

Stand upright with your legs together and arms by your side 
Jump your legs 3-4 feet apart and spread your arms wide.
Turn your right leg out to face right, keep the rest of the body facing forward. 
Bend sideways to your right, place your hand on your ankle and stretch the other arm to the sky. 
Look up to your fingertips.
Keep all your limbs very straight like the edges of a triangle. 
Don’t forget to breathe when you’re in the pose. 
Silently count to 20 then try it on the other side. 

Have you ever tried to stand as still as a mountain or as tall as a tree? 
Yoga poses are exercises which started in India hundreds of years ago. They make our bodies strong and stretched at the same time as making our minds still and quiet.
Lets explore BOW POSE  
One of the languages in India is called Sanskrit, in Sanskrit the word ‘Dhanur’ is bow and pose is “Asana” so Bow Pose is also called Dhanurasana, this is a back bend where we make the shape of a bow (like a bow and arrow):

Lie on your tummy 
Bend you knees and hold your ankles 
Lift your thighs up and keep your arms straight so your chest lifts 
Push your legs into your hands so your arms stretch like a bow string 
Imagine yourself like a bow ready to shoot an arrow full of energy 
Can you get your head closer to your feet? How high can you lift up off the ground. 
Don’t forget to breathe when you’re in the pose. How long can you stay for? Count silently in your head.

It’s a disconcerting time for all at present, one major disruption is the Schools closure due to Covid-19. If you're looking for Home School ideas why not try some daily Yoga for Young Un’s.
TREE POSE FOR CHILDREN 
Have you ever tried to stand as still as a mountain or as tall as a tree? 
Yoga poses are exercises which started in India hundreds of years ago. They make our bodies strong and stretched at the same time as making our minds still and quiet. They can help us stay healthy, happy, fit and free from worry or distraction. 
Let's start with TREE POSE. 
One of the languages in India is called Sanskrit, in Sanskrit the word tree is “Vriksha” and pose is “asana” so Tree Pose is also sometimes called Vrikshasana.

Stand with your legs squeezed together.  
Take your right leg away, bend it and place it as high up your left inner leg as possible. 
Stretch your arms high to the sky.
Silently count, how long you can stay still for?
Then try the other side. 
Imagine you are a tall tree with deep stable roots. 
Your feet are your roots, your body is your trunk and your arms are your branches. 
At first your tree may feel wobbly but try it every day and watch it grow stronger and more steady. 
Eventually you’ll be able to hold you tree still and steady for a very long time.  Your mind will also become still and steady and you won’t even need to count, all you’ll be aware of is your breath.

The upcoming term has been postponed until further notice due to COVD-19, until then why not subscribe to the online yoga classes see here.  Please contact Kate for more information or to book. 

I'd like to warmly welcome Senior Iyengar teacher Helen Graham to run a specialised Yoga workshop exploring Pranayama (the breath branch of yoga).
​
20 years ago, Helen was one of my first teachers and is a Senior 3 teacher and IYUK teacher trainer and moderator.  Helen has been practicing Yoga for over 50 years and has visited the Iyengar centre in Pune, India over 40 times.  She has worked one to one with both BKS Iyengar and his daughter Geetaji, she teaches workshops around the world and is a wealth of knowledge. 

The workshop is on Saturday the 29th February 14.00-15.30 and will be £15.  Places limited to 10 people so book soon.  £5 deposit required on booking and final Payment is needed by the 1st of February.

For those new to the Iyengar style of Yoga, or new to yoga in general, book into 'An introduction to Iyengar Yoga'.  This will be a 90 min workshop and will take place on Wednesday the 25th of September from 13:45-15:15pm.  To book please fill out a health questionnaire and contact form.