Base of Support

We’re continuing our series on the systems of the human body called “Your Body on Yoga,” playing off the old commercial which simply showed two eggs frying in a pain while the announcer said, “This is your brain on drugs.” Thankfully, “your body on yoga” is so much healthier.

We’ve covered a lot of body systems so far so scroll back through the blog to check them out. The present conversation is about the reproductive system, considered by Yoga and Ayurveda to be one of the most precious of the systems. The main role of this system is reproduction, so it is significant for us to acknowledge that we carry within us the egg and seed which have the potential to become human beings. And to take birth as a human is a precious thing indeed!

In Ayurveda there is differentiation between male and female reproductive organs as well as additional channels for menstruation and lactation that are specific to the female body. We’ll look at these differences in upcoming blogs, but for today let’s discuss a body part that is found in all humans and is especially important for supporting the reproductive system—the pelvic floor. 

Yoga is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy pelvic floor.

Yes, both women and men have a pelvic floor. It’s shaped like a sling of three layers of muscles that attach to the bones at the base of the pelvis. There are openings for solid and liquid wastes to leave the body, and in women an opening for giving birth to a baby. When pelvic floor muscles are too toned or not toned enough, it can be difficult to hold the wastes in long enough to get to the bathroom.

Because of its proximity to the sex organs, pelvic floor muscles that are too tight or too loose also affect sexual health. It can be the cause of painful intercourse and inability to orgasm.

Yoga to the rescue!

Here are some things we do in yoga class each week to keep the pelvic floor healthy. You might like to try them at home too.

Goddess pose: This is a standing squat with legs wide and turned out. The best way to practice is to bend and straighten the knees, making sure the knees are tracking over the second toe so you don’t give yourself knee pain. Hold your arms overhead and bring your attention to your pelvic floor; you will notice it stretching open when you squat down and releasing to its natural position as you stand up. Do 10-20 squats several times a day.

Tree pose: Place one hand on the wall for balance. Shift weight into one leg. Lift the opposite knee, turn the leg out to the side, and place the foot on the inside of the standing leg. Pay attention to your pelvic floor as you do this. You are stretching that one side of the pelvic floor as the other side remains strong and still. Practice on both sides so you can compare.

As you move through your day, notice your pelvic floor muscles. How do they respond to standing, walking, sitting and lying down? Can you observe the two sides working differently at times? When do they feel weak and when do they feel strong? 

Root chakra awareness: Yoga teaches that the root chakra is located at the tip of the tailbone or just above the pelvic floor. Sit on the floor or on a hard chair with feet on the floor. Sit on the front edge of your sitting bones with a long spine. Become aware of your pelvic floor. Imagine you could breathe in and out through your pelvic floor. After a few minutes, notice how your muscles feel more at ease and working more harmoniously with your whole body.