Wise Women in balance

Chi flows where the mind goes

Snowed under all summer with work and 'life', I haven't had the peace of mind or time to sit and write, something I love to do but often don't 'want' to (there's an important difference!). So when I'm pushed from one responsibility to the next with no downtime for deep work scheduled, but plenty of frivolous distractions, nothing gets written. But plenty has been shared in the world of bricks, mortar and splendid vistas, so it's not all bad.

I recently ran a couple of workshops for women approaching or in the throes of menopause. I'd been planning an exploration of menopause for years but my own peri-menopause got in the way! Once I was viscerally sure what menopause is all about, finally delivered one at the Distinction Hotel in Twizel with Jana Kaeppler of Vitality Health Coaching, and one on my own in Dunedin, at the beautiful Ayu Community Space. I'd like to share some of the highlights and key notes here with you.

Why Yoga, Qigong, Pilates, and Barre?

One of the key takeaways from a colleague who attended a recent menopause conference at the Sydney Opera House was the notion of "strong over skinny." The micro-strengthening that comes with barre practice, lifting weights, and the simple plank pose is paramount to keeping our bones strong and minimizing muscle loss in the later decades of life. In our golden years, most of us will naturally lose weight anyway, so that doesn’t need to be our focus. For some, weight loss may still be an important factor in improving quality of life, but stress management will likely have more impact than "going for a run" or going all out on the treadmill. Getting out in nature is key. A walk on the beach or in the forest, or regularly getting on your mat for yoga or Pilates, absolutely trumps an intense cardio workout at this stag for muscle maintenance and avoiding stress, and little bursts of cardio are more beneficial than long ones. Aside from deliberate muscle work, the gentle practice of qigong for strengthening the chi (subtle body) helps replace some of the strength disappearing from the physical body.

The Ayurvedic Perspective of Menopause

In contrast to the Latin-derived term "menopause," the Sanskrit term for this transition is "Rajonivrutti," or "the accomplishment of menses." It practically celebrates the completion of menses and the household or family duties that generally come with it, signaling readiness to "grow beyond the body." According to Dr. Rafeena, a Sydney-based Ayurveda doctor, Indian women struggle less with menopause than Australian women. This may be partly due to the added responsibilities Western women have in managing work and family, but also the differences in prevailing health systems between the two cultures. In Ayurveda, menopause is viewed as a natural transition, not a disorder. Stigma is absent, and the sustenance of grace and balance is ever-present. The interplay of the doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha—phenomena that describe unique combinations of the five key natural elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether) and holistic well-being are considered well beyond the hormonal changes that tend to be the primary focus in the allopathic or Western perspective.

Adrenals to the Rescue!

If we focus solely on the hormonal changes, the most notable is that when the ovaries cease producing estrogen and progesterone, the adrenal glands take over that task. If our adrenals are already working hard, managing stress, busyness, and fatigue (typical conditions for women in their 40s, often still with kids at home, working, and running the household), they become overwhelmed. We experience this overwhelm personally in the form of mood swings (greater frequency of depression, anxiety, or irritability), difficulty sleeping, managing stress, and knowing when to slow down or how to rest. Chronic stress leads to depletion of progesterone. Naturally, one of our key focuses will be managing stress, which often means preserving and fine-tuning our energy output.

Baby, Won’t You Light My Fire?

If we take a more holistic or elemental perspective of what’s transpiring in the body as it ages through one’s 40s and 50s, there’s a shift from Pitta dosha (where the elements of fire and water dominate) to Vata dosha (dominant air and ether). During the Pitta years (from the start of adulthood to midlife), we are generally more active, focused, productive (progeny notwithstanding), and driven. Our digestive system is strong due to the greater power of the fire element, or agni, in the gut. We tend not to need to watch what we eat as much.

When the Roaring 40s Subside

But watch out when you hit 50, as I have just done—the digestive system cools, the drive to produce and manifest diminishes, and the body is visibly starting to age. The fire and water dominance of Pitta subsides—digestion of food and information becomes more sluggish, and our joints dry out. If we keep trying to eat and do all that we did before, overload is inevitable. The adrenals and thyroid are the most likely to be impacted. Cue the need to slow down and rest constructively, and sprinkle breakfast with warming digestive spices like ginger and cinnamon. Turmeric, teamed up with black pepper and a fat like ghee, becomes more appealing to reduce inflammation and lubricate the joints as they start to dry out. It’s not that we shouldn’t still be "producing" something, as we did when the body was pumping out progesterone, the hormone of growing things, but the nature and volume might be less, like a factory that’s downsizing. However, we don’t need to compromise on quality, and it’s only natural that we develop the wisdom and powers of discernment to decide where to focus our precious creative energy. It’s almost like we need a little mysticism in the mix now, and it’s not that hard to find.

Growing Beyond the Body

Menopause presents an opportunity: we can more naturally move beyond family duties and prioritize self-care (though not solely) while contributing in new ways to the wider community and the world beyond our own flesh and blood. The later years are wired to be a less disruptive time, at least externally, allowing us to explore a broader purpose in life—for example, cultivating our ability to 'talk story' or fostering a stronger sense of inner peace and love. How nice, eh!

Ayuervedic Options

Behold below some of the ways that Ayurveda suggests for managing the transition from Pitta to Vata, and specifically navigating perimenopause and menopause. For peeps in NZ, Ayurda in Auckland is a good source for herbs and other remedies. For assistance with panchakarma, seek detailed advice from an Ayurvedic practitioner or doctor. Over the winter, I'll be creating an online course for embarking on a simple and gentle Ayurvedic cleanse over the coming months so look out for that, ready for early Spring!

• Herbs:

  • Ashwagandha: Balances overall hormones—an adaptogen that lowers cortisol (stress hormone), calming Vata and Pitta while boosting resilience.

  • Shatavari: Supports estrogen and progesterone, especially during reproductive and later years. Balances hormones and cools Pitta, easing stress-related hot flushes and adrenal fatigue.

  • Brahmi: Enhances brain function (brain food), mental clarity, reduces anxiety, and supports nervous system repair—key for stress relief.

  • Moringa: Provides general support.

• Panchakarma (Detox):

  • A five-step detox process to remove toxins (ama) and restore balance.

  • Includes liver cleanse, gut cleanse (enema), and nasya (sinus/brain treatment).

  • Removes toxins and supports hormonal balance.

  • Seasonal shifts—both yearly and lifetime—are perfect times for cleansing and resetting.

• Abhyanga Massage: Keeps body cool, reduces hot flushes.; improves energy flow, Helps to manage stress and keep joints lubricated.

• Lifestyle:

  • Daily exercise (customized to body type), pelvic floor exercises (contractions, pelvic lifts/bridge).

  • Reduce sugar, caffeine, alcohol;

  • wear cotton/linen;

  • spend time in nature.

• Breathwork (Pranayama):

  • Sitali Pranayama: Cooling breath (from your session plan) pacifies Pitta’s heat and Vata’s agitation, directly lowering stress response.

  • Nadi Shodhana: Alternate nostril breathing balances left/right brain hemispheres, soothing all doshas and reducing adrenal overload.

• Diet

  • Green leafy vegetables, seeds (over nuts) for healthy fats and fibre.

  • Avoid stimulants (alcohol, sugar, coffee) to limit Pitta imbalance and toxin buildup.

• Mindfulness: Becoming present, letting loose from external dramas; listening to the body’s "whispers".

• Meditation: Learning to shift your focus beyond the workings of the sense and the mind, beyond body consciousness is invaluable. So much cause for stress, anxiety and sadness is overcome and a sense of deep satisfaction, contentment and peace can most definitely be achieved. A simple practice we often do in our yoga sessions is to rest the mind and heart in meditation on transcendental sound vibration or yoga mantra. Mantra means to take the mind (man) away (tra) from the mundane, material atmosphere and place it onto that which is sacred and resonant with our essence as 'soul'.

FINALLY, AND MORE BROADLY

We are encouraged to seek and establish four pillars of support...

1. Positive attitude - acceptance, celebration or ageing milestone, disconnect from negative perspectives of age, reconnect

2. Daily Movement - lower intensity, more frequent, avoid coach potato tendencies

3. Stress Management - dinacharya (daily routine based on the doshic cycle),  abhyanga massage, ashwaghanda (herbal remedy for balancing hormones)

4. Happiness Engineering - finding deeper meaning and purpose, kindness, gratitude, creativity, service, play…

A deep dive into practices that warm and settle the vata energy of winter.

Reach out if you'd like more support in navigating some of the ideas and remedies presented here. I'm near the end of my own wellness coaching course and always happy to assist in some way anyone who is keen to learn and grow in health and wisdom. Upcoming events sharing the goodness of Yoga and Ayurveda in Twizel and Dunedin can be found here.