Breathe In, Breathe Out 'Asana is that perfect moment when the body is utterly still, effortless; sensation and breathing suspend themselves so that time comes to a halt.
Then: happiness in a moment of infinity.'
Patanjali, Yoga Sutras II, 47
Patanjali's Yoga Sutra (Penguin Classics)
Pregnancy Yoga
Untitled Document
CLIFTON HAMPDEN
Enjoy a special time with your baby.
Beginners/confirmed practitioners: all welcome!
Group/one to one sessions available on request.
- Breathing awareness can help you during labour and delivery.
- Regular practice helps with concentration and relaxation.
- Simple stretching exercises relieves backache and make you stronger physically and emotionally.
Please contact Laurence on
01865 407 661 or 075 546 35 112
yogin67@gmail.com.
Come enjoy our friendly sessions.
Tariffs CLIFTON HAMPDEN
Drop in: £9 each session (90 mins)
Four classes card: £32 (to be used within five weeks)
Four Pregnancy classes: £40
Ten classes card: £80 (to be used within eleven weeks. If used within 10 weeks, eleventh class is FREE)
Group and One to One sessions also available. £30/ one to one. £50 / one to two.
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By Laurence Nagy, on 2 May 2011
 Ruth Gilmore was plenary speaker at the latest British Wheel of Yoga Congress. As a doctor and Yoga teacher she discussed various claims concerning the benefits of Yoga. I was keen to have her views on inversions during a period. She wrote back in details the following message:  Here are the views against inversions during a period, followed by my comments on each:
1. It MAY cause endometriosis by encouraging the menstrual flow to pass along the uterine (Fallopian) tubes into the abdominal cavity. If the degenerated womb lining contains any healthy cells they might survive within the abdominal cavity and bleed each month, causing the condition.
BUT [My comments - the cause of endometriosis is not clearly understood, there are two main THEORIES,
(a) that during embryonic life cells that should develop as womb lining (endometrium) spread into other areas of the body and develop there, responding every month to the same hormones that cause the womb lining to build up and then bleed. This theory can explain why endometrial tissue can be found in areas distant from the womb, such as the chest and even in the nose.
(b) That the menstrual flow can possibly contain some healthy cells that could pass via the uterine tubes into the abdomen and develop as areas of endometriosis. This theory explains away the finding of such tissue outside the abdominal cavity by saying that cells might get into the blood or lymph and travel that way.
In my view (a) might be possible. (b) is COMPLICATED by the fact that in very many women the flow (which pools in the womb cavity at night as most women know, because they experience a greater flow when they get up in the morning) does go along the tubes at least to some extent - this happens in far more women than those who have endometriosis. Normally if there were living cells in the flow (and I don't know to what extent this is the case), the immune system would seek them out and destroy them. Thus retrograde flow can only be a cause of endometriosis if the woman has a specific immune deficiency that prevents such immune response, and inverting will make no difference to whether they develop it or not.]
2. EMBARASSMENT During inversions the flow will pool in the womb, and will run out when the woman becomes upright again. If the flow is heavy this could cause STAINING of the outer clothing or mat and be embarrassing. [I agree with this, and advise against prolonged inversions when the flow is heavy for this reason.]
3. TIREDNESS During a period many women are tired and would benefit more from a gentler practice without the work of sustained inversions [I agree with this but have come across women who actually like them at this time.]
4. MYSTICAL Considering it from the point of view of the energy body, at this time the net pranic flow is downward, so it seems inappropriate to turn upside down. [I accept this way of thinking, although it has NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE in favour of it, being a mystical concept.]
So, all in all, in my view there is no medical or scientific reason not to invert if one wants to, and just as importantly, there is not reason why one should if one doesn’t want to!
I hope this is helpful. Let me know if you need more details.
By Laurence Nagy, on 1 February 2010
When you come to Yoga, please feel free to feel tired , even exhausted, even achy. Yoga is there to sort you out.
BUT, if you have your period, PLEASE let the teacher know. Some postures are better for you, some are not advisable (inverted postures, strong twists).
If you have a bad back, bad foot, a stiff neck ,
never mind. Do come and ask the teacher to find for you a nice relaxing pose. A lot of discomforts can be relieved through relaxation.
Please, do speak to the teacher, either before or after the class. It’s very pleasant to know how you feel and if the class has been beneficial.
If you really need special attention, then please ask for a one to one session.
By Laurence Nagy, on 12 October 2009
Why shouldn’t we do inversions (viparita sthitti) during the period?
During menstruation if one does inversions the blood flow will be arrested. Those who tried to do out of enthusiasm or callousness will have noticed that the flow stops abruptly. This is certainly not good for health since it may lead to fibroids, cysts, endometriosis and cancer, damaging the system.
According to ayurveda, whatever has to be thrown out should be thrown out and not retained or held in. You cannot hold urine, faeces, phlegm, mucus etc, inside as they are substances that have to be thrown out. These are called as mala – the waste, which need to be excreted.
If they are retained within they invite all diseases. During menstruation one has to lessen physical exertion including walking, dancing or heavy house-hold work. The body demands rest and relaxation and one needs to provide that.
If this background, as far as the effects of inversions are concerned are known, one need not doubt about their omission during the periods. Still, due to obstinacy and rigidity, if one forces oneself to do one may have to pay heavily later if not immediately. The flow has to stop completely before one can resume the practice of inversion. The question is not of three days or four days. As soon as the flow stops, begin with the practise of inversions. Do not go suddenly for standing poses, back-bendings, balancings etc,. Remember that you have just delivered the unborn baby, since the menstruation is called as the funeral of the unborn baby.
Geeta S. Iyengar (Pune Feb 2003)
 
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Biography Laurence qualified in Vinyasa Yoga with Gérard Arnaud, Paris, in 2008 after 12 years of regular practice in the UK, Japan and France. She also qualified in Pregnancy Yoga with the British Wheel of Yoga in 2011. For her own practice, Laurence regularly attends workshops at the Iyengar Institute in London and in Oxford.
Opened to various styles, Laurence has a preference for Vinyasa sequences which involve connecting postures with breath-synchronised movements. As a teacher, Laurence is aware that Vinyasa can be too strong for complete beginners or students with a medical condition. Her close experience with Hatha Yoga and Iyengar "styles" allows her to adapt her practice to mixed abilities. Her classes are up and running in South Oxfordshire, where she lives with her husband and three children. She loves teaching and hopes to share all the benefits she gets from yoga with her students.
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