Menstrual Course with Heather Haxo Phillips

Many of us have lost touch with our natural cycles. When it comes to menstruation, we tend to override our body and mind’s need for rest and rejuvenation which can lead to imbalances and issues such as PMS, cramps, headaches, heavy bleeding, missing periods to trouble conceiving and fibroids.

Taking the time to acknowledge, rest and reflect during menstruation can generate surprising benefits for the rest of the month – increased strength, vitality and confidence for the entire month and throughout our life.  Iyengar Yoga offers specific sequences for pre-menstrual, menstrual, and post-menstrual phases.  These poses can support us now and well into the future.

In this workshop we will explore the anatomy and physiology of the menstrual cycle with Dr. Deborah Feltman. Then we will learn which poses should be done during the phases of the menstrual cycle.  You will experience how yoga asana and pranayama can help relieve common issues and prevent future ones from emerging.

Students will learn how to take care of themselves in class and how to develop a home practice that supports their monthly cycle. Teachers and Teachers in Training will learn how to effectively take care of those in class who are menstruating.

This workshop is open to all – those who menstruate and those who do not!  Experience in Iyengar yoga is recommended.

Schedule

Friday 4 – 8 pm:  Female Anatomy and Hormones Part 1 + we will do a menstrual sequence designed to calm and nourish the body.

Sat 1 – 6 pm:  Female Anatomy and Hormones Part 2  + Alternatives for Menses during a regular class + Pre-Menstrual Practices.

Sunday 12:45 – 3:15: Post-Menstrual Practices

At the conclusion of this weekend course participants will be able to:

(1) Practice pre-menstrual, menstrual and post-menstrual sequences for healthy women including asana variations and modifications for menses from the Introductory I & II syllabi.

(2) Learn how healthy menstruating women can and should practice in general classes.

(3) Identify contraindications for menses from the Introductory I & II syllabi.

For teachers and teachers-in-training:  We will primarily work with asana and pranayama variations and modifications for menses from the Introductory I & II syllabi, touching upon some Jr 1 poses. We will cover L-shapes, T-shapes, cross bolsters and the variations of supine poses that are so critical to women’s health. Special attention will be paid to how to bring incorporate healthy menstruating women into a regular class.

Workstudy and Scholarships are available.  Please inquire by emailing info@adelineyoga.com

CIYT and Teachers-in-Training are assigned reading:

Yoga: A Gem for Women Iyengar, Geeta S. (1983), Allied Publishers Private LTD. Read pp. 44-48 and pp. 77-80.

Geeta S. Iyengar’s Guide to a Women’s Yoga Practice, Steinberg, Lois (2006) Read pp. 1 – 54 and pp. 119 – 181.

Note: We do have Lois Steinberg’s book in stock.  If you don’t already own it, drop by the studio to purchase your copy.  It is the main text we will reference during the course.

Recommended reading:

The Woman’s Yoga Book: Asana and Pranayama for All Phases of the Menstrual Cycle, Clennell, Bobby (2007)

Study the female reproductive system, including internal and external anatomy.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS:

Heather Haxo Phillips is a certified Iyengar yoga instructor at the Junior Intermediate III level, among the highest certified Iyengar teachers in the East Bay. She is Director of Adeline Yoga and has been teaching for nearly 15 years.  Her additional certifications include:  Certified Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT), Relax and Renew restorative yoga teacher and Yoga Alliance E-500 level instructor. She has specialized yoga therapy training which includes scoliosis, musculoskeletal injuries, pain management and women’s health including pre-natal yoga and menses. In addition to the being the director and lead instructor of the Adeline Sadhana Studies program, Heather assists senior teacher Carolyn Belko in her teacher education program in San Diego.  Heather deepens her own practice by studying regularly with senior teachers including Carolyn Belko, Lois Steinberg and the Iyengar family in Pune. Heather is past President of the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Northern California and an active volunteer for the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States. She is also Vice-President of the Lorin Merchants Association (LBA).

Dr. Deborah Feltman, MD is an obstetrics & gynecology specialist from the Chicago area. With 30 years of experience, she is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist whose passion lies in helping women through life’s many transitions. Dr. Feltman is known for her compassion and sincerity in listening to patients and learning about their lives to provide individualized care.

She graduated from Northwestern University The Feinberg School Of Medicine in 1988. After medical school and a residency at Northwestern, Feltman completed a pelvic surgery fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. She is also a certified yoga teacher (C-IAYT) and certified in ayurvedic medicine.