女生的特權

以幫瑜伽文摘這期（第七期)翻譯的一篇大師問答,有關女性的瑜伽練習！


我一直覺得女性的生理期是很神聖的, 個人覺得很榮幸, 因為我們可以比男人更可以和自然做連結!

女性也有許多不同階段如孕期、產後、更年期，這些都讓我們可以更有機會覺知到我們的身體，並且可以試著與自然現象的更好的互動，我會注意月亮的圓缺，月圓時會找機會去曬曬月亮，聽說可以刺激松果體．我的身體也確實在新月和圓月時會有不同變化，有時發現身體怪怪的，抬頭會發現原來是月亮的關係或是生理期將至．

雖然瑜伽練習是幾乎是我每天的功課，但是一旦生理期到了，就是我最大，休息個五天以上．以前年紀輕，會繼續練習，甚至倒立也都做，但是真的會影響身體啊！現在想想上帝給女人這樣的時間就是要修養的，在英文生理期也可以稱作 "Lady's Hoilday".所以有什麼事不能等呢？ 所以姊姊妹妹們,要好好愛護自己啊！


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＠在引產之後何時可以開始練習瑜伽呢？這跟月經有關系嗎？為什麼有些初學者會覺得頭暈和惡心？

回答：

我們會建議在引產後的三週之內都該避免作倒置的動作（任何腿舉到頭上的體式）．而且也建議在引產後的三週內避免作激烈的瑜伽練習，如阿思坦加瑜伽．

建議在頭三週內練習修復式瑜伽．修復瑜伽對于女性的療愈期非常有助益．

女性在例假時可以選擇練習或停止練習瑜伽．這可依照個人喜好．有許多的女性很喜愛練習瑜伽所以在例假時也會持續練習．對于在例假時的瑜伽練習，建議避免倒置的體式，強化腹部的練習，或是在體式中停留太久，還有會產生熱能或比較激化的呼吸練習如聖光呼吸法也該避免，因為這些練習都會造成不適．在例假練習時會感到惡心想吐的人，就應該要停止練習，直到例假結束後再重拾練習．

瑜伽練習中感到頭暈是很常見的問題．當然這情況在例假中的女性在練習瑜伽時也是很見．但首先分辨頭暈和惡心作嘔的不同是很重要的．惡心是胃部翻攪的感覺就像是要嘔吐一樣．惡心可能的原因是內耳不平衡、腹部器官壓力不正常、或是當懷孕時的賀爾蒙不平衡所導致．頭暈大部分是和頭部的感覺有關系，伴隨著頭昏眼花、耳鳴、眼睛無法定神、和不平衡的感覺．這些感覺可能只是因為突然快速的站起來（血液輸氧到腦部受阻）或者這些感覺可能是嚴重疾病的症狀．若你經常有這些狀況請諮詢醫師．另外可能會造成女性頭暈的原因包括：

１．在運動過程中用嘴呼吸會傳送危急的訊號給腦部，造成頭暈．瑜伽教導學生用鼻子呼吸，這是種較自然的方法，可以減少傳送危急的訊號給腦部，進而促使自然的放鬆反應．

２．急促的離開一個瑜伽動作也會造成頭暈．血液的流動受阻和突然的改變動作都會造成頭暈．

３．瑜伽可以幫身體排毒．而身體的淋巴系統就是負責這項排毒功能．這可能會引起頭昏眼花．在瑜伽練習中會感到頭暈的女性，必須要確定中有包括暖身的動作．會頭暈的人應該避免後彎和倒置的動作，而需要多練習可以打開肩膀和胯，及強化腿的瑜伽體式．

４．練習瑜伽前吃東西，或一整天沒有吃足夠的食物的去練瑜伽，也可能會造成頭暈。要確認不要吃飽飽的或是空著肚子來練習瑜伽。同時，在練習瑜伽之前也要清空你的腸和膀胱，以避免感覺到頭暈。在練習時最好不要喝太多的水，但是也要確定你的水份足夠，尤其是對孕婦而言．

５． 每次例假都會流失掉100-300公克的血液. 缺血會造成疲倦、頭暈或甚至昏倒。所以，若是有這些感覺時，就該避免長時間的前彎和倒立的動作。

６．低血壓也會造成頭暈。緩慢的移動轉換到下一個動作可以讓你的身體在必要時可以作調整。　若你有低血壓，要避免急速的離開前屈或後彎動作．低血壓患者在頭倒立和所有的倒置動作之後建議要作回復動作，例如孩童式。



總括來說，瑜伽保持sukha和sthira的品質，也就是你的瑜伽練習的環境和你的日常生活應都該是愉悅舒且穩定的．這兩個特質若有任何的不平衡，就需要調整，以維持和諧的覺知來營造愉悅舒且穩定的環境．

瑜伽文摘第七期

http://view.online.zcom.com/full/14340/online.html

我的文章在瑜伽文摘第六期

http://online.zcom.com/full/14062/online.html
我的文章在瑜伽文摘第六期 My article on Chinese on line

我的Y!的blog又連不上去也沒法更新了, 這裡也怪怪的, 各位若是很久沒看到我更新文章,請到blog.sina.com.cn/vicyoga～

Break through in Kapontasana

My head can touch my feet today!!! This is the first in my life, I could land my head on my feet in Kapontasana!! So happy!! Of course, this time I got help from John to keep me rooted, and i could just reach to my feet and then my head touch down!! And the most exciting thing is, I don't feel pain, and it wasn't that difficult as I thought... I was so happy and share my happiness with John and gave him a thank you hug! :)

For such deep backbend, John made us do some prep, thigh strech, cobra, airplan. In Cobra, John ask us to have our dristi like following a spider crow up on the wall. And with plams draw backward. These two really help. I feel I do a lot more in cobra and Dhanurasana. And only a bit disconfort at my neck, no pain at lower back! Great, I think all these prep help me in Kapontasana! Now, what i need is my leg power to help me really root down to rise up!! I am on the half way to complete one of my new year resolution! YEAH!

Different yoga classes

I have attended "different" yoga classes these two days. Yesterday, John didn't show up at the scheduled class, I guess must be miss communication, Richard steped in instead. I saldemly attende classes other than Anusara teacher. But Richard's class kind of impressed me. His class is very much like what I did two years ago, which remind me something I miss. Especially at the begining class, he brings breathing practice into warm ups, which is very nice and well designed. I like it. We even did kabalabakit and nauli is the class. But I think he should mentioned for women in period should pass these two pranayama. Male teachers should be more considerated!! His sequence bring back memory, which is good for me to think out of the box. I have been in Anusara for too long, which kind of narrow me down. I should attend diffrent style of yoga class.

And today Amy's class is my second Chinese local teacher's yoga class. I was corrected so many times for my shoulder loop! The teacher insist I do too much, the shoulder blades should not close or engage... I am a bit kind of annoyed by her adjustment. She cannot convince me. Down dog should really engage shoulder blades, because it's a handstand prep pose! And plank pose as well. Of course there shouldn't be too much shoulder loop, but still need to be engaged! She didn't quiet understand. The poses she led are also kind of non traditional. Well, but i try to quiet my mind, otherwise I won't be able to enjoy the rest of the class. It's fun to try different teacher anyway! I learned!! :) Thanks for all energy!

one week surviving!

It's been a week, right? since I got back to SH.
What did I did this week?! well, pretty much nothing, just stay at home most of time, still in "weather shock", and also taking my period as shelter, tho.
Have been thinking what's next. Many thoughts, but, somehow, no much motivation to drive. Have to be able to do something!

1st yoga class in SH in 2010

How come it's so cold in Shanghai...... 抖抖抖....
It's my first winter in SH, tho I have been kind of living here for over an year. I luckly missed the last winter in SH, but now, "welcoming" my first winter with a grin and flown....
Went to Ben's class today, as my first yoga class in 2010! It's so warm in the studio classroom, it's nice to have floor heater... It really made a lot of difference!! But my body is still kind of confused by the crazy temperture, cold outside and warm inside... I guess, it will take me about one month to get used to such cold weather. I began to miss Taiwan now~
Back to the practice today, the theme is hip opening, but didn't feel too much at hip, maybe Ben is jumping too many place. I haven't practiced for almost 2 weeks, but I feel my body need more! Looking forward to tomorrow's advanced class! GO!

Practice to channel energy

I guess if you have regular yoga practice, you will always feel like you gain some energy after the practice. I recently realize in fact, it's not about "gaining energy", it's more like "channeling" the energy!
As I said I have been feeling confused and jammed, mantally and physically, here in Tainan. I feel anxious and get irrated very easily, which I even don't like myself. This has been not only making myself small, but torqued, I think. I even forgot and forgo my practice, I just let go... But, it only gets worse. I finally pick up my mat and began to practice again. I feel MUCH better and RELEASED afterward. Then, I realized, the energy within me (including emotion) just needed to be channeled out! It's like the water in the vast, need to replace with fresh water frequently!
I need yoga practice, I need more meditation as well. I should add this into my new year resolutions!!