Day 5 Yoga Challenge

Today I spent an hour doing the Sparrowe/Walden Sequence for Premenstrual Syndrome, for hopefully obvious reasons. I was a little skeptical going into it, as the poses all seem too easy. I feared boredom and feeling like I was wasting my time, but I could not have been more wrong. This may have been the most transformational practice I have done yet.

“Heart of the Rainforest” played again and I felt the urge to light a couple candles sprinkled with lavender essential oil. Three sun salutations began my practice and then I launched into the sequence. Most of the poses included some form of supportive bolster while lying relaxed on the mat. Though there were only ten poses, you are meant to remain in each for several minutes.

There was something incredibly moving about respecting PMS in this way. My entire menstruating life I have been told over and over again how annoying women are during this time – how we overreact, sulk, lose our tempers and are quick to cry. This time of our cycle is treated with less respect even than menstruation itself, which I suspect only serves to perpetuate the imbalances that promote all “annoying” PMS symptoms. Christiane Northrup writes in her book, “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom” that the time just preceding menstruation is a time of reflective introspection. It is a time to respect our “shadow side”, confront difficult questions, and treat our bodies, minds and souls with loving care. How would our cycles be different if we truly respected the different states we enter as our hormone levels change?

For me, the week before my period can have both negative and positive effects on me – but it is always intense. The darkest moments are coupled with the most transcendent and loving revelations. There is nothing neutral about this time. How could I channel this intensity if I consistently respected it in all areas of my life? What if I gave myself the space and time to be still? What if I allowed the darker thoughts and emotions to emerge? I have spent so much time trying to immediately dismiss the negative energies alive in me that I don’t give them the chance to be heard. Perhaps the turmoil associated with this part of the menstrual cycle is there to inspire us to listen to what the darkness has to say, so we can let go of old patterns and go with open eyes into whatever direction is healthiest for us.