Ahead of her “menopause yoga day retreat” in Soho on 15th February 2020, Petra Coveney explains more about how yoga can help women greatly during this time in the lives:
Some of the main symptoms of menopause are anxiety, irritability and a feeling of being overwhelmed. In ayurvedic terms, women going through this stage in life become more vata and often describe it as feeling anchorless and “blown about in the wind”. These symptoms can become debilitating and affect work, their health and their relationships.
We can help women to manage these emotions with yoga poses that calm the mind, soothe the nerves and feel grounding. In my classes, I teach inversions and adapt standing poses and forward folds to allow the head to rest on the floor, a brick or a bolster. This contact of the forehead, or crown of the head, with a firm surface has an instant calming effect.
For example, downward facing dog (adho mukha svanasana) with the forehead or crown on a brick or bolster is a pose that is easily accessible to most women and those who haven’t practised yoga before. It can be held for two to three minutes because there is less weight on the hands, wrists and shoulders. Staying in this pose also helps to stretch the spine and the back of the legs, which can bring about a feeling of physical and emotional release. Practising this same pose with the hands on bricks by a wall and another brick under the forehead can also have a grounding effect. Being able to push against an immovable wall can feel reassuringly supportive.
Using these props enables students to stay longer in these poses without tiring and as a result, according to Bobby Clennell (The Women’s Yoga Book) and Elise Miller (Yoga as Medicine), helps to pacify the adrenal glands and tap into the parasympathetic, or “rest and digest”, nervous system.
After my own struggles going through an early menopause at a time when there was very little information or support available, I made it my mission to create workshops with this kind of support for women. I now deliver these across London with the aim to create a space for women to come together to share, laugh and learn more about menopause in a supportive environment.
My next event will be a three-hour yoga for menopause workshop at triyoga Camden on 7th October. To create a safe space, the workshop will be open only to women going through menopause.
Menopause is a positive opportunity to take time out of our hectic lives; an excuse to take a pause, a deep breath and reassess what we want and need to feel healthy and happy. I hope you’ll be able to join me.
Petra Coveney is a qualified BWY 200 hour yoga teacher, has a Yoga Alliance 200 hour qualification to teach Max Strom’s Inner Axis technique for stress, anxiety and insomnia, and is a member of the British Menopause Society for health practitioners.
She will lead a “menopause yoga day retreat” at triyoga Soho on Saturday 15th February 2020 (click here to book). Menopause is a time to ‘nurture and nourish’ yourself so this special one day retreat will include yoga, breathing and meditation techniques, information on nutrition and natural remedies as well as some nurturing menopause treats in a special goodie bag. There will also be a talk about medical approaches from Harley Street menopause specialist Dr Shahzadi Harper.
