Yoga Classes › "menopause"

Gabriella Espinosa

Anger and rage are common during menopause. This may surprise to you and those around you. We've been taught to believe that anger is a negative emotion that shouldn't be expressed so we bottle it up until it explodes or mask it and this can cause us internal conflict. In this menopause yoga class we learn to work with anger as a positive force for healing, empowerment and healthy communication. Using the power of breath, sound, somatic enquiry and movement we will give space to our anger and allow it to be felt, moved, and released. The class will take place seated and standing, the first part of the class takes place entirely seated. You can also lie down for this part. The second part has us adopt yoga poses accessible to most bodies. Transform your anger into fierce power!

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Gabriella Espinosa

Anxiety is nervous system’s way of keeping us safe and out of danger. Due to the hormonal fluctuations in peri-menopause and menopause, women often begin to experience anxiety for the first time impacting the ability to cope with everyday life. This class is mostly seated and also includes a restorative yoga pose. The class encourages us to lean into our anxiety from a place of curiosity and compassion to listen and learn how and why it’s trying to protect us. The first part of the class is seated, and we use touch based somatic exercises to soothe our nervous system. In the second part of the class we simply lie on our backs with legs over a chair or sofa, to down regulate your nervous system and shift into a sense of feeling at ease and safe in your body. Props needed: Chair, yoga mat and blanket.

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Gabriella Espinosa

Connect to your body, gain more confidence with your body. In this class we work with the power of affirmations, breathwork and a gentle slow flow vinyasa yoga to learn to appreciate all the amazing things our bodies can do. Our bodies go through a lot of change during our lives and especially during menopause - so much so that you feel your body has let us down or betrayed. Yoga teaches us that our bodies are “sukrta” or well-made just the way they are. You might need a Journal, pen, yoga mat and bolster/cushion

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Gabriella Espinosa

It can be helpful to write down your menopause experience, in order to consciously re-write your menopause story. This is a journalling exercise in which you're guided through a series of journaling prompts to reimagine and rewrite your menopause story. Journaling freely and expressively in this way has the added benefit of being a wonderful relaxation tool, and a soothing way to deal with the stressors of daily life. Get curious - what are some of the narratives about menopause that you have internalised and how are they shaping your menopause experience? Journaling helps bring clarity to our experiences by writing down your thoughts and feelings, essentially decluttering your mind, breaking them down into pieces that are easier for you to process emotionally. In this class, Props needed: Yoga mat, journal and pen

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Petra Coveney

Anhedonia or ‘loss of joy’ is a menopause symptom caused by low oestrogen. But we can reframe our thoughts to help change our feelings. Join Petra in this Gratitude guided visualisation to help you focus on what you feel grateful for and set an intention on something that brings you joy, everyday of your life.

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Petra Coveney

Embracing your menopause can foster a positive mindset, which may benefit our moods and mental health. Join Petra for this 5-10 restorative pose called Mountain brook that can help you to breathe more deeply by gently stretching across your chest, and open your heart to opportunities in post menopause Second Spring.

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Petra Coveney

Join Petra for this energising Hatha class designed to build bone and muscle strength while also boosting your brain and heart health. This short sequence includes modifications for osteopenia and lower back pain as well as frozen shoulders, which are common menopause symptoms of low oestrogen.

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Petra Coveney

A simple visualisation exercise to help to manage hot flashes often associated with the menopause. This yoga class is one simple pose, breathing deeply whilst lying in a constructive rest position. You can do this any time when experiencing uncomfortable feelings of heat. Expect a short demonstration of Petra’s Hot Flash Wave, with Ocean breathing and 3-part breath. If you practice this daily to reduce stress, you will also develop the simple skills for managing hot flashes, as you learn to allow the heat to flow calmly through you, rather than resisting it.

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Petra Coveney

This gentle vinyasa yoga class is designed as a moving meditation to calm your mind and nervous system to help you prepare for rest. It is followed by Petra’s ‘disappear from the world’ restorative yoga poses, Max Strom’s ‘Mind Meets the Breath’ meditation and breath work, before ending with a relaxation practice, seated meditation and a mantra. You will need a strap or belt, a bolster, a cushions, 2 blankets, 2 blocks and 1 cork yoga brick or weighted eye pillow (or equivalent). NB - Modifications: hip and knee injuries take care. If you experience hot flushes, keep your head level with your heart. Osteoporosis: avoid flexion rounding your back in forward folds; keep your spine straight. Claustrophobia: avoid placing the blanket over the head. Headaches: avoid placing weight on the head. Trauma and previous experience of panic attacks: breathe at your own pace and pause the practice when needed.

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Petra Coveney

A soothing and calming yoga class to cool hot flushes and help you surrender to the natural process of change associated with the perimenopause and menopause. Expect hip opening stretches and simple somatic movements through the spine which lead to a restorative yoga practice, followed by a deep relaxation, a guided meditation and a mantra. This class is taught wholly on the floor and is very gentle and grounding. It is designed to help you befriend your body with kindness and self-compassion at a time when your body is transforming and can feel out of your control. You will need a yoga mat, a strap or belt, 1 bolster and 2 cushions (or household equivalents), and 2 blocks (or thick books). NB - Modifications: take extra care with hip and knee injuries. Osteoporosis: avoid flexion rounding your back in forward folds; keep your spine straight. Trauma: please note that hip opening poses and stretches across the chest can release tension but may also trigger trauma. Follow your own breathing pace, pause the practice when needed and find a comfortable resting pose.

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Petra Coveney

This dynamic vinyasa yoga class is an energising but soothing practice which ends with a restorative yoga pose, relaxation, seated meditation and mantra. This class is designed to help you befriend your feelings at a time when erratic hormonal Pre-Menstrual Tension can trigger ‘energy surges’ and fiery emotions such as menopause rage. You will need a strap or belt, a bolster, a cushion and 2 blocks. NB - Modifications: hip and knee injuries take extra care, use a blanket when kneeling. If you experience hot flushes, keep your head level with your heart. Osteoporosis: avoid flexion rounding your back in forward folds; keep your spine straight. Trauma: hip opening poses and stretches across the chest can release tension but may also trigger trauma. Follow your own breathing pace, pause the practice when needed and find a comfortable resting pose.

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Petra Coveney

A gently strengthening yoga class to re-energise and empower by building strong bones. This dynamic hatha yoga class with poses that are held for 10 rounds of breath helps build bone mineral density and muscle mass, and raise the heart rate. This class has been designed to help prevent osteoporosis (weakened bones), sarcopenia (muscle loss) and cardiovascular disease, which can develop post-menopause. Expect a range of simple heart-lifting backbends to energise, breath work, a restorative yoga pose, relaxation practice and seated meditation. You will need a strap or belt, 2 bolsters, a cushion, a blanket, and 2 blocks. NB - Osteoporosis: avoid flexion rounding your back in forward folds; keep your spine straight. If you have previously experienced panic attacks, avoid holding your breath and instead follow your own breathing pace.

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Petra Coveney

This is a brief yoga tutorial of some of the ways you can use a chair to modify your yoga practice if you have osteopenia (weakened bones) which can affect women as they go through the menopause. If you have osteoporosis, you must always consult your GP before practising yoga, and ask your osteopath or physiotherapist which range of movement is suitable for your body.

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Gabriella Espinosa

This yoga class brings awareness to the pelvic floor and lower body through breath, gentle movement and deep relaxation. Starting with a long relaxation, we then bring gentle movement to the body, practicing yoga poses to bring tone and range of movement to the pelvic floor. Class ends with a guided lower body relaxation. Pelvic Floor health is essential as we transition into Perimenopause and Menopause. As our levels of oestrogen begin to fluctuate, this can have an effect on the tone and elasticity of the pelvic floor. Increased levels of stress and anxiety during this time can also lead to hypertonic or overactive pelvic floor muscles caused from too much tension or tightening of the pelvic floor. Pelvic floor muscles can also be weak or hypotonic meaning the muscles are not providing enough support for the bowels, bladder, and uterus. You will need a bolster, blankets, two cork bricks (if you have them, or books), a belt, sandbag or weights (optional).

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Uma Dinsmore Tuli

A yoga nidra to welcome you home to yourself just as you are, right now. Especially curated for those in their menopause journey, but equally suitable to all. Settle down and get comfy ready to do absolutely nothing at all! This practice invites you to simply to take a pause to be. This is your time and space to pause and rest. You just need a place where you can lay down comfortably, maybe with some pillows and your favourite blanket.

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Uma Dinsmore Tuli

A yoga nidra especially for the menopausal journey. Settle down and get comfy ready to do absolutely nothing at all! This practice invites you to simply to take a pause, to rest and to be, because in the menopausal journey, the pause is exactly what you need. You just need a space where you can lay down comfortably, maybe with some pillows and your favourite blanket.

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Gabriella Espinosa

This yoga class takes us through a series of poses which have been proven (in a seminal two-year pilot study of yoga and osteoporosis) to improve bone strength. This class builds strength and balance, but in a gentle, accessible way. The key pillars for sustaining bone strength include stimulating the bones through weight bearing movement, muscular engagement of the arms, legs, abdomen and glutes, and balance, which helps build agility and equilibrium. Maintaining our bone strength and density to prevent the risk of osteoporosis is hugely important as we journey into menopause and beyond. You will need 2 cork bricks (or books!) and a blanket.

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Gabriella Espinosa

This cooling and calming yoga class and breath practice soothes the nervous system and deeply relaxes the mind and body, suitable for anyone feeling overwhelm or the need to calm. But this class especially is a great menopause yoga class, providing relief to hot flushes, night sweats, irritability and sleeplessness. In addition to supported forward folds, gentle inversions and restorative poses, there is slow deep breathing and cooling pranayama practices. This sequence is recommended for anyone feeling overwhelmed or stressed, or anyone experiencing menopausal symptoms, especially if you are experiencing excessive heat in the body and to mitigate the effects of hot flushes, night sweats and irritability. A soothing practice to do in the evening before bed. You will need a chair, a bolster, two blankets and an eye pillow.

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