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Chapter 12. Female Disorders

If half the female Yoga enthusiasts 1 know began their study of Hatha Yoga for the sake of improving their figures, it can be safely said that the other half did so because of menstrual pains and other female disorders. Many females find that drugs do little to alleviate the dragging down pains they have to endure every month, and so year after year they suffer in silence.

But this kind of pain is unnecessary. Yoga can and does help. Practise, at least twice a day throughout the month, the Sarvan-gasana or Shoulderstand described in chapter four, or if you are unable to do this, try lying down with your feet very much higher than your head. The chief function of this inverted posture in the battle against period pains lies in the reversal of the influence of gravity upon the internal organs. The fluids of the body tend naturally to flow downwards and even the skeleton is subject to downward displacement by the pull of gravity. The downward drag, though it may be held in check by a healthy and active body, is nevertheless always present in some degree.

There is a greater tendency in women than in men to suffer from varicose veins and prolapse of the viscera, this being due to the wider pelvis and larger number of abdominal organs. By inverting the body and holding it in poised stillness, all downward pressure is relieved. Practise the Shoulderstand over a period of time and you will soon begin to notice a lessening of the intensity of your discomfort each month, until after a time it will cease altogether to be a problem. Though a certain degree of slowing down of activity on the first two days of a period is advisable, there need not be any undue resting. Incidentally the Shoulderstand is especially recommended for women after childbirth after a suitable period of recuperation has elapsed, but in all cases do not prolong the posture beyond the point of absolute comfort. No Yoga exercises should be performed during pregnancy or menstruation except the breathing ones, which can be done with impunity.

An especially valuable exercise for women suffering from ovarian and uterine disorders is the BHUJANGASANA, called in English the COBRA POSE. AS it belongs to the basic group of essential Yoga asanas it should never be omitted from any practice schedule, no matter what the ailment from which you are suffering. It is not at all difficult and can be performed by beginners in all age groups.

Cobra Pose

1. Lie face downwards on your mat with your chin on the ground, and your legs straight and feet together. Place your palms on the floor at shoulder level keeping your elbows high off the ground.



2. Inhale slowly and deeply and at the same time slowly raise your head, shoulders, chest and upper abdomen, leaving the lower part of your abdomen on the floor. Keep arching your spine as you complete your inhalation, and remain thus for as long as you comfortably can without exhaling. You will feel a strong pressure in the lower part of your back as you push your head back as far as you can. And remember to keep your elbows bent and well off the floor. I have demonstrated the correct position in figure 43.



3. When the impulse to exhale appears, do so and at the same time gradually lower your body until you are once more touching the floor with your chin.



4. Without pausing, inhale again and repeat the movement and after the second performance of the Cobra relax before you repeat the exercise a third and fourth time.

The Cobra has many benefits and is as suitable for men as for women for it affects the adrenal glands which lie above each kidney, and the backward bend of the Cobra sends them a richer supply of blood and subjects them to a healthy pressure. The Cobra is also beneficial to people suffering from backache, displaced vertebrae, and poor circulation.

A word of warning though. You may not be used to exercising and your spine may be stiffer than you think so do please be careful while bending backwards in this exercise. Be sure not to jerk your body as you raise it off the ground as you could easily injure a rigid muscle and the pain could last some time. Remember that the Cobra is a beautiful and graceful exercise. As you leave the floor come up slowly and majestically like a rising cobra and under no circumstances must you force yourself to hold the position longer than you find comfortable. Gradually increase the time you hold it until you can remain immobile in the Cobra pose for ten seconds. When you are limbered up you can perform this asana up to six times a day.

While the Cobra is particularly useful to women suffering from dysmenorrhcea, amenorrhcea, leucorrhcea, and various other utero-overine troubles, the overall benefits can be greatly increased by those students able to increase the backward bend. Do not perform the variation until you are able to do the Cobra I have just described with perfect ease and comfort.

Cobra

Variation 2. From the first position, rise into the Cobra with the elbows bent and the spine arched. Slowly straighten the elbows, push the head back as far as you can, so that the bending of the spine involves the sacral to the cervical region. Remain thus for as long as you comfortably can without strain and then relax. When you can perform variation 2 you can, if you wish, omit variation 1 from your practice schedule.

Variation 3. There is yet a third variation of the lovely Cobra Pose for advanced students but it can be achieved by beginners who are athletic or who have been trained in ballet. From variation 2, with elbows straight, bend the spine backwards still farther, gradually bring your toes towards your head to touch the back of your head. This tones the deep and the superficial muscles of the back, and also relieves backache, helping to keep the spine young and supple.

And now to return to another inverted posture to rest the internal organs. For my readers who find the Shoulderstand just a little too strenuous but who need the benefits of this valuable posture, there is a slightly easier posture which has the delightful name of VIPARITA-KARANI MUDRA, meaning literally reverse effect. For short we will call it THE REVERSE POSE.

The radiations which we receive from the earth are negative while those from the cosmos are positive. Thus, when in the ordinary standing position we receive the negative radiation through the soles of our feet and the positive radiation through the top of the skull. In the Yoga poses in which the body is turned upside down, viz. Shoulderstand, Headstand, and Reverse Pose, the effect is just the opposite. Additionally these postures bring an unaccustomed rich supply of blood to the lower intestinal organs.

Viparita-Karani or Reverse Pose

1. Lie flat on your back, hands along your sides and feet together. Inhale deeply and at the same time raise your legs and buttocks off the floor, putting your hands on your hips to steady yourself and keep your body reversed.



2. Place your thumbs just under your hip bone and your hands round the back of your hips. You will find, by practice, your most suitable position of hands and elbows which should be set about a foot apart to maintain correct balance. I have demonstrated Viparita-Karani in figure 44, this position alsobeing the preliminary position of the Plough Posture described in chapter nine.

You will see from the illustration that Viparita-Karani does not require the body to be held straight, but bent at the waistline which should make it easier for some of my readers than the Shoulderstand. Do please keep your knees straight, though, and while in this position hold your body in poised stillness with your eyes closed. Hold it for one minute at first but gradually extend the time until you can hold it steadily and comfortably for ten minutes or more, according to the time at your disposal.

This posture is especially recommended for women who suffer from many kinds of female disorders, and any kind of physical or mental distress during the menopause. Because this posture affects the gonads it controls the ageing processes in the body and helps to restore youth and vitality and a sparkle to the eyes.

Viparita-Karani is very much a beauty treatment for it supplies the skin with an extra amount of blood and so prevents and smooths away untimely wrinkles. This natural beauty treatment is said by some to be worth far more than the costly facial massages in beauty salons which are so beloved of film stars.

Before I go on to your next exercise I would mention here that the CAMEL POSTURE or UTRASANA described in chapter six in connection with backache should also be practised by women suffering from displacement of the uterus and fallopian tubes provided that the displacement is not of a serious order. If you find the Camel too strenuous, try this similar but slightly easier asana which is called CHAKRASANA or the WHEEL POSTURE. Some of the variations of Chakrasana are only within the scope of the most advanced student of Hatha Yoga, but this one is quite easy for beginners.

1. Assume a kneeling position with your knees slightly apart. Inhale deeply and at the same time bend slowly backwards, at the same time raising your buttocks.



2. As you complete your inhalation grasp your ankles and remain thus for as long as you comfortably can without exhaling.



3. When the impulse to exhale appears do so and at the same time slowly return to the starting position. Twice a day is enough at first for this posture but you can gradually increase the number up to six. Lie down and relax after this exercise, and take a few deep recovery breaths.

To end this chapter I will describe a series of slow and graceful movements which incorporate much of what I have described in this chapter. For the busy housewife and mother who has little time to spare, these movements act as a time-saving beauty treatment, a toning up of nerves and muscles, and above all a means of relieving her internal disorders. These movements include the Shoulderstand, the Leg-raising Pose (Udhitta Padasana), Viparita-Karani, and the Plough Posture, and we will call this series of seven movements YOGA IN SLOW MOTION.

FIGURE 45 PLOUGH POSTURE

1. Lie flat on your back with your arms extended at shoulder level. Keeping your toes pointed and your knees straight slowly raise your legs until they are at right angles to your body. 1 have demonstrated the correct position in figure 46.



2. Still keeping your legs straight and your knees together lower them to the left, thus forming a right angle with the body as I have demonstrated in figure 47. Your feet should be barely touching the floor. Raise them once again to the vertical and then very slowly lower them to the other side, until they are barely touching the floor. Raise them once again to the vertical, remain poised thus for an instant and then very slowly lower them to the starting position without altering the position of your head, shoulders, and arms. Relax before proceeding to the third movement. The first two are simplicity itself and the only point to remember here is that the movements should be done in an unhurried and graceful manner.

It is a good idea to put a slow piece of music on the gramophone, something relaxing and deep-toned, to put you into the right mood for these exercises and to encourage you to move slowly and rhythmically.

3. Keeping your knees together, toes pointed and legs straight, raise them not more than an inch or two off the floor and move them very slowly round at floor level until you are once again in the position I have demonstrated in figure 47. From this position raise them to the vertical, lower them to the other side and, still without touching the floor, bring them round to the starting point. Relax for a few moments and then repeat this movement bringing your legs to the opposite side.



4. From the starting position bring your arms slowly towards your body and at the same time raise your buttocks and legs off the floor and rise into a Shoulderstand, supporting your back with your hands. The Shoulderstand is pictured in figure 6.



5. From the Shoulderstand slowly bring your legs over your head and lower them until the toes are touching the floor behind your head. You are now in the Plough Posture, which is pictured in figure 45.



6. From the Plough Posture return to the Shoulderstand, and remain poised thus for a few seconds.



7. Bend your body slightly at the hips and at the same time lower your hands, until they are extended at shoulder level. You should now be in the position demonstrated in figure 46 with your legs pointing towards the ceiling. From this position slowly lower the legs and lie fiat with the arms still at shoulder level.

FIGURES 46, 47 YOGA IN SLOW MOTION

This completes the series of exercises. Memorize them before you begin so that your performance is one continuous graceful movement, up and down, side to side, up and down. The benefits of this Yoga in Slow Motion series cannot be too strongly emphasized. From a purely physical point of view all the muscles of the torso and legs are brought into play, particularly the abdominal and dorsal muscles. From a mental point of view it is a good exercise in concentration and control which is vital if the movements are to be performed as they should be, that is slowly, gracefully and above all fluidly. There should be no change of rhythm throughout, and the pauses should match the even rhythms of the movements.

Points to remember. Keep your legs straight throughout, and the toes pointed. Move your arms in rhythm with your legs, and lastly remember your facial expression. It should reflect inner peace and serenity, no matter how hard you are concentrating. And remember to play some slow music while you do these movements. This will not only make it more pleasant for you but will help you to establish an even rhythm. Almost any Beethoven or Mozart slow movement would be suitable but I leave the choice to your personal taste. Yoga in Slow Motion is recommended for toning up the system after childbirth after a suitable rest period has elapsed following confinement.

'Women should practise Yoga that they will have healthy and strong children. If mothers are healthy the children will be likewise. The regeneration of young women means the regeneration of the whole world.

‘Women who practise a course of asanas systematically, with interest and attention, will have wonderful health and vitality. I hope they will give patient hearing to my earnest and sincere prayer and start practising the asanas from the very day they read the Yoga lessons.

Glory to these women who tread the path of Yoga.'

SIVANANDA, the great modern saint.

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