Do you do yoga when having your period?

I never heard of such a thing. I don’t do yoga, but if I did surely my period would not stop me. Do yoga teachers actually skip teaching during the month? Not that I know of. What would be the reason?

This question came up during my yoga instructor’s training and there is a range of response.
Women might refrain from the inverted postures especially (headstand and shoulder stand and the downward dog in the sun-salute), the rest of a routine set of asanas would not be contraindicated.
There is the principle of Apanavayu, all of the ways the body expresses itself (fluids excretions etc). Some believe that the inverted postures in particular could interfere with natural flows during a woman’s period.
However, lots of women who I know will do the full set of asanas during their period and they say there is no ill effect whatsoever. A few refrain to avoid interfering with the flow, and some just want some private, quiet time during their period and have a distinct routine at that time.

I don’t know the positions. When you say flow do you mean flow from position to position? Or, actual menstrual flow? Do you mean because of gravity?

Maybe they don’t use tampons.

He/she means your menstrual flow. My yoga teacher was one of those that would not allow inverted positions. Personally it depends on how crampy I am if I am going to do the inverted positions or not.

Crampiness makes sense.

Maybe it is some sort of philosophy or rule from the culture yoga originates. But, old cultures have all sorts of ideas about menstruation.

”Some yoga instructors suggest women not to do yoga on your period.”

Really? I’m a guy and have been practicing around yoga teachers and practitioners since the early seventies and have never heard of such a thing. I would imagine cramping might preclude some positions, but that would be left to the individual. Pranas, or breathing techniques, are the most important part of yoga. It’s not all about positions.

For example, I deal with physical pain and stress through an Ujai breathing technique in simple Shavasana (death pose ~ my favorite because I’m lazy) which I recommend to women with menstrual cramps. Ujai is also very effective for PMS, PTSD, depression, or any other psych or emotional disturbance. I would never make a blanket statement like the one above recommending practitioners not do any yoga at all. That would be irresponsible and says more about the prejudices of the teacher than their concern for the student ~ which should always be paramount.

It might be that the instructor may want to prevent any embarrassment in class. But women generally gravitate toward classes exclusively for women and I would think they of all people, her fellow female yoga practitioners, would be enlightened enough to not be unduly concerned about a woman showing evidence of mense in class—especially in an era when Fergie can wet her pants in front of thousands of her fans during a song and not miss a beat until the next scheduled costume change and not experience an outbreak of indignation from the audience. What a trooper.

Actually there is yoga positions that help with your menses and crampiness.

What I’ve seen in yoga books says they don’t do inverted poses because menses are seen bodies natural cleansing process. Inverted positions are suggested to be contraindictive to that. rough paraphrasing. I don’t really subscribe to all aspects of yoga. I do what I can and if I am having a rough day I will try harder poses but not force it and switch back to some easier one’s

Are these instructors under the impression that menstrual flow will in any way be hindered if the woman is upside-down? That sounds like a pretty poor understanding of the body to me… which can’t be helpful in that line of work. I would find it hard to take them seriously after hearing that.

I do a lot of home yoga, just can’t afford instructors. The traditional books seem to cover this topic though I really can’t tell you more with authority because in all honesty I skip over that part.

Back when I had a period, I would still do yoga. On any given day, I modify my practice to how my body feels in the moment.

My yoga teacher (Iyengar yoga) has her female students who have their period do a restorative sequence with no inversion for the week, and would offer the separate sequence also for students who are ill, injured, or just feel the need. I found restoratives to be a welcome break and quiet time.

I think it is a very respectful view of the female body. I am often tired during my period and appreciate the stretching/rest.

Here is a link.

@Cupcake The thing is, some women don’t like the idea of being treated differently or being told they have to do something different during their period. That they are “unclean” or can’t partake in activities. I’m just offering this as a reason some women might be annoyed or have a knee jerk reaction to this sort of statement.

I know women who were not allowed or not told to use tampons and I think to myself, what did they do? They didn’t put on a bathingsuit in the summer? What about ballet class? Gymnastics?

@JLeslie I am completely anti-tampon, so I guess I can’t relate. I don’t see anything wrong with being encouraged to be gentle with your body for a few days a month. I do use a menstrual cup, although that could tip and unleash its contents… so it’s not exactly the same as a tampon).

I don’t think this has anything to do with being told one is unclean or can’t participate (just my perspective here). I think it has to do with respect… respect for the ancient traditions of yoga and ayurveda, and respect for/patience with ones natural cycles.

But I’m no olympian… and I get quite tired out once a month, so perhaps my perspective is unique.

And correct, I modify my activities during my period. I don’t lift weights and wouldn’t do ballet or gymnastics. I would go for a leisurely swim with my cup, though. But my period extremely heavy and my cramps can be practically unbearable.

Also, I don’t equate any of what I’ve written above with being lesser or unequal to anyone. Except maybe an olympian. But I’m OK with that.

@Cupcake I didn’t mean to say yoga practices are implying menstruation is unclean, but some religions, like Judaism, require women to take a special bath after menstruation ends each month. I was just grouping it all together. I am all for women doing what they personally are comfortable doing. I am fine with yoga having recommendations for what might be more comfortable or beneficial for menstruating women, I just have a problem if it is delivered in a way that women need to do it for medical reasons, because I would definitely challenge that, or that they should be forbidden to do the regular moves.

@ciheins is correct, by “flow” I meant menstrual flow. Not the flow from one asana to the next.

Note that I am reporting the information that came up during instructors training and since that in discussions with other instructors. Further note that it was only mentioned as something to consider, an idea from Ayurvedic tradition, not as an essential part of asana practice.

As in all hatha yoga practice it’s vitally important to ‘listen’ to one’s body and learn it’s ways. Each woman is encouraged to understand the effect of inverted positions on her body. If there are none, that’s that.

Most female hatha yoga instructors I know with whom the topic came up, never had an issue with inverted postures during their periods. The exceptions were all Indian and they may have been responding to cultural/traditional thinking on the matter.

@dabbler Interesting.