Cultivating Pelvic Support
The Muscles of the Pelvic Floor are essential in creating a sense of support. Follow these exercises for greater strength:
Begin
in Savasana. Take the first few moments to scan the body for tension
and invite it to let go. Notice how your body feels on the floor and
allow your mind to begin to slow down.
From a place of relaxation begin the first exercise.
Pelvic Floor:
Lie on your back with your knees bent, and the soles of the feet on the floor.
Become
aware of the length of your pelvic floor, from your tailbone to your
pubic bone. It might help to visualise the muscles wrapping around in a
figure of eight around/between your anus, vagina and urethra.
Begin
by engaging the muscles around your anus. See if you can isolate this
area. As you engage the muscles, be mindful of keeping your belly,
lower back and legs soft and relaxed, and your breathing even.
Sometimes it can be helpful to make a fist with your hand, so that you
tighten the fist as you engage the muscles, release the fist as you let
go. Repeat…
Next bring the tips of your fingers to your thumbs
like a zucchini flower that opens and closes as you engage the muscles.
Shifting your awareness to the muscles around your vagina, begin to
isolate this area as you engage the muscles. It’s almost like you were
trying to close the vaginal walls inwards towards each other, but try
and keep the pressure even on all sides. Remember to breathe and to
relax…
Now bring the first finger to the pad of the thumb. As
you engage the muscles you draw the finger to the thumb as you relax
you let go. This next movement is very subtle, almost like silk.
Bringing your awareness to the area around your urethra, isolate and
engage these muscles, then release. Repeat….
Now try to access each part but in different orders. Using the hands symbol to keep track of where you are! Play with it.
It’s
just as important to relax the area and release any residual tension
after the exercises. So either tuck the knees into your chest, or bring
the soles of the feet together and allow the knees to drop out towards
the floor.
Transverse Abdominus:
Lying
on your back, keep the right leg straight, but bend the left knee,
bringing the sole of the left foot to the floor. Breathing in, and then
breathing out. As you breathe out, allow the left knee to open out
towards the floor. Keep the pelvis stable throughout the entire
movement. At the same time, your opposite arm (right) moves out along
the floor, providing a bit of balance. Breathing in draw both the arm
and the knee back to centre. Repeat…
Then practise with the other arm and leg.
Integrating all the Muscles:
This
time keep your knees bent, the soles of the feet on the floor (as we
did in the first exercise). Roll your pelvis in a circular rotation
almost like a clockface. Move from 12 to 1 to 2 to 3 and so on….
Feeling which part of the circle might feel tight. Be mindful of
pressing your feet into the floor and keeping your back soft and
relaxed. Your lower back shouldn’t move at all.
Now make sure
you allow yourself a nice relaxation. Not only does it help your body
to integrate all the benefits of the exercises, but it’s also nice to
have time to just be.