Fertility Yoga and its Powerful Health Benefits
Yoga and its powerful health benefits have been passed down for centuries - and we now have a lot of research studies to back this up. Yoga increases blood flow, releases endorphins and allows you to shift your attention (plus so much more), all of which increase overall well-being - plus it’s just a lovely form of self-care.
Fertility Yoga and its Powerful Health Benefits
But what makes the yoga we teach specific to “fertility”? We get asked this a lot.
The fertility yoga, breath-work, mindfulness and concepts we teach are geared towards optimizing your reproductive health and general well-being. We teach cycle-specific practices and sequences that honor where you are - whether you’re trying naturally or are doing fertility treatments (ART).
Also included in our approach to fertility yoga are dynamic postures that incorporate circular and spiral movements. You see, a circle represents the feminine and the spiral is found all around us in nature, art, architecture, and even our own DNA! These gentle, feel-good movements stir the energy of the 2nd or sacral chakra, which is the energetic center in the body that houses your reproductive organs and governs your creativity. These movements also elicit greater circulation and blood flow to the organs and spine, inviting new blood to circulate, removing stagnation and increasing chi (energy) to the reproductive organs.
Aside from the specificity of the breath work, movements and postures that increase circulation into the reproductive organs, we believe fertility yoga is also an opportunity for tapping into the divine feminine elements (yin, cooling, calming) - which helps you to be more in a state of receptivity.
So, we invite you to consider this concept:
View the journey of Life as spiral, rather than linear (which is often masculine in nature). The spiral evokes the idea of this being a journey, rather than a straight course to a destination and that no point along the way is incorrect, or imperfect. Even though our minds may tell us differently!
And speaking of our minds, the ancient yogis discovered just how powerful breathing is to regulate your nervous system and they have a saying: “The Mind is the King of the Emotions, but the Breath is the King of the Mind.” We personally understand all too well how stressful the fertility journey can be. The good news is that in addition to practicing yoga asanas (poses), your conscious breathing is one of the most powerful and efficient ways to shift your system into the relaxation response to help you feel more centered and grounded in tough situations.
There’s an ancient yogic breathing technique we deem one of THE most important to have, not only along the fertility journey, but along the journey of Life. It is called Ujjayi Pranayama or what translates from Sanskrit to mean Victorious Breath. It is wonderful as a standalone practice, and we suggest also using it while doing the fertility yoga practices. What differentiates yoga from other “exercise regimens” is the linking of breath with movement - when you do this you are essentially practicing what is referred to as a “moving meditation.” In fact, you can even integrate this breath work even in the poses included here in this restorative series, which is perfect for insomnia, boosting fertility and calming the nervous system.
Another powerful tool we use in our fertility yoga teachings are Mantras & Intention Setting, as “Energy follows intention.” Mantras or intentions may also be used to reprogram your conscious and subconscious thoughts to create a new or different outcome from the old “habits” you would like to change – thus allowing you to think and respond in a new way. In conjunction with the Fertility Yoga and breath work that we teach, we have designed an entire comprehensive mind-body methodology for fertility and overall wellness which includes over 25 hours of Soulful Concepts of Well-being through video, audio and written materials in the following areas:✓ yoga asana (poses)✓ meditation and mindfulness practices✓ pranayama (breath work)✓ emotional well-being/psychology✓ self-acupressure using the Fertility Ball Method®✓ Ayurveda + Functional Nutrition✓ plus other gems of wisdom! This is a robust online library of tangible and easy-to-integrate daily self-care and mind-body practices (+ community support!) to help you bolster your immune system, feel calm and more in control of your fertility/overall well-being. In fact, now in the Covid-era we are offering a 90-day free trial on soulfulconceptions.com.
Drawing from both Eastern and Western psychology and yoga/wellness teachings, Dr. Deborah Anderson (Health & Neuropsychologist/ Yoga Teacher) and Wendy Obstler (Yoga Therapist) of Living Lēla have created Soulful Conceptions™. Both Deborah and Wendy have experienced their own personal fertility challenges and know the power of having a mind-body toolkit and community support to better navigate the stresses of this journey.
Medical Disclaimer:
The information provided in this blog is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider or qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog.