Yoni Breathing & Pelvic Floor Exercises

How to combine breathwork with pelvic floor exercises for feminine sexual health and vitality!

Currently, 1 in 4 US women suffers from pelvic floor dysfunction including incontinence, prolapse, vaginismus, vulvodynia, and various forms of pelvic pain. Still, women are not largely provided with the tools and education needed to address these treatable conditions such as yoni breathing and pelvic floor exercises.

This fuels chronic sexual dissatisfaction, suppressed orgasmic potential, challenges in intimate partnerships, poor childbirth outcomes, poor body image, decreased sensitivity to pleasure, and a decline in women’s overall quality of life.

Surgery is not the only option available for treatment and Kegels are not the answer to everything! In fact, they may even be a part of the problem. According to Physical Therapist, Lizanne Pastore, “The Kegel gospel of squeeze, squeeze, squeeze to strengthen the pelvic muscles has been presented to women for 60 years as the answer to everything. But it addresses only half of the equation. To strengthen the pelvic floor, you also need to relax the pelvic floor.”

In a fast-paced world that keeps us on-the-go, over-caffeinated, and chronically tense—relaxation is an essential part of healthcare that must be incorporated in order for wellness to be accessible. In fact, chronic tension of the pelvic muscles is a huge contributing factor to pelvic floor dysfunction in many cases.

It isn’t enough to simply squeeze the pelvic floor muscles every day, wellness can be achieved when we learn how to isolate, engage, coordinate, and relax the pelvic floor in sync with our natural breath cycle.

This article is an introduction to the ancient science of training the breath to support your sexual health as well as the body’s nervous system for stress-relief, restoration, and optimal functioning. This modality is known among yogic traditions as pranayama, one of the 8 limbs of yoga.

Pranayama is made up of two Sanskrit words, ‘prana’ meaning life force and ‘ayama’ meaning extension. It is the use of conscious breath control to direct and move energy (prana) throughout the body. You can use pranayama to sync with the movements of the pelvic floor with the breath, a sacred feminine practice known as Yoni breathing. Yoni breathing is a beautiful way to cultivate your daily practice of sensual self-care for greater overall vitality and increased sensitivity to pleasure!

What is Yoni Breathing?

Yoni breathing is a form of pranayama that supports the health of the vulva, vagina, erectile tissue, reproductive organs, and pubococcygeus (PC) muscles that make up the pelvic floor. By syncing voluntary PC muscle contractions (also known as Kegel exercises) with conscious breathing, freshly oxygenated blood can be more efficiently circulated throughout the pelvic region to strengthen, nourish, and energize the Yoni.

From a metaphysical perspective, Yoni breathing has long been used to birth ideas into physical manifestation by impregnating the womb with the power of intention through pranayama.

Benefits of Yoni Breathing

Yoni breathing can reduce stress, facilitate the release of traumatic energy that may be stored in the tissue of the womb, increase resilience, and support emotional wellbeing. Trauma is anything that overwhelms the nervous system (the body’s ability to cope with stress in a healthy way).

By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, Yoni breathing counteracts the body’s stress response to lower the concentration of stress hormones in circulation. With continued practice, Yoni breathing can help to rewire the brain for emotional resilience so that when familiar ‘triggers’ are encountered, the body learns to respond in a calm and affirming manner.

According to Yoga Journal, research shows that breathwork results in greater happiness and emotional stability, better exercise stamina (in the bedroom) due to increased intake of oxygen, weight loss due to a decreased appetite, and a longer life expectancy due to overall health improvement.

Yoni breathing can also support flexibility and enhance the benefits of sacred movements such as Yoni yoga and dance. Energetically, it can also be used as one of many feminine practices to balance the chakra system for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

“Womb breathing requires patience and gentle presence from you, as it is done in a sacred manner with the clear intention to heal, soothe, and open the gateway to the womb.”
—Padma and Anaiya Aon Prakasha, Womb Wisdom

How To Practice Yoni Breathing

The Yoni breathing technique is a simple variation of belly breathing with a mental focus placed on the pelvic floor. It can be combined with several different pranayama styles to advance your practice or diversify the benefits of breathwork.

Begin by finding a comfortable position such as seated upright or lying on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet planted on the floor. Think of an intention that you wish to embody.
Next, inhale while squeezing your pelvic floor muscles (squeeze your anus inward and up without using your glutes or abs). This is also known as a Kegel exercise or Mula bandha in yogic traditions (a Sanskrit word meaning “root lock”). At the top of the breath, hold for 4 seconds. You can use this time to plant your intention into the womb.
Last, exhale slowly and release the contraction to completely relax the pelvic floor. Repeat this breath cycle 10-15 times.

This is a great technique to begin the day before getting out of bed and also at night before going to sleep to promote a well-toned pelvic floor. This is also the primary style of breathwork that complements the Yoni egg practice. It is imperative to allow the pelvic floor to completely relax by disengaging the muscles between each breath. You may need to slow down so that you can feel a complete relaxation.

The relaxation between breaths trains your Yoni muscles to properly engage and relax throughout the day in sync with your normal breathing pattern. It also prevents your pelvic floor muscles from becoming overly tense, which can decrease their blood and oxygen supply.

An overly tense pelvic floor can show up through lower back pain, vaginismus, vulvodynia, pelvic pain, painful periods, problems reaching orgasm, painful sex, vaginal dryness, and other yoni health issues.

FIRE BREATHING

To awaken feminine energy (Shakti) and heat up the body, Yoni breathing can take on the form of rapid-fire breaths (also known as kapalabhati) combined with pelvic floor contractions. Only, practice fire breathing once you have mastered the previously described technique and are certain that you are NOT dealing with an overly tense pelvic floor. If you have not mastered pelvic floor muscle isolation and coordination, it is likely that you will not be able to completely relax between breaths.

A fantastic way to develop your vaginal muscle awareness, coordination, isolation, and sensitivity is to work with a Yoni egg daily. Click here to browse our certified crystal Yoni egg collection and learn more about the properties that each stone offers.

UJJAYI BREATHING

Another method that increases heat in the body is Ujjayi breathing (also known as ocean breath). This breath is especially useful when preparing the body for a series of movements such as womb yoga, sensual dance, or sex. Just remember to include your pelvic floor contractions with full releases in between each breath.

STRAW BREATHING

Alternatively, straw breathing can be used, cool down the body, and relieve any tension or stress. Simply insert a straw into your mouth and use it for your inhales and exhales (rolling up the tongue in a tube shape can suffice if no straw is available). Rather than contracting, this is a time to focus on releasing your pelvic floor so that freshly oxygenated blood is circulated and any tension has an opportunity to melt away.

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING

Another way to cool down is alternate nostril breathing (also known as Nadi Shodhana or “channel purification”). This breath has been said to balance the hormones. Plug one nostril and inhale with a light pelvic floor squeeze, then cover that nostril while exhaling through the other nostril while releasing the pelvic floor muscles.

Cooling breaths are excellent preparation for meditation, womb Reiki, Shavasana (corpse pose), sleep, sensual massage, and connecting in with a partner after sex. This restorative practice activates the parasympathetic nervous system after performing a series of vigorous movements to return the body to a balanced state (homeostasis).

Yoni Breathing & Pelvic Floor Exercises: Your Daily Practice

The following are several ways to incorporate Yoni breathing into your daily routine. This is not an exhaustive list, so please feel free to share, in the comment section below, additional ways that you might incorporate Yoni breathing in your unique practice.

► Take a moment to set your intention for the day. Then, complete 10-30 Yoni breath cycles in the morning just after waking. Repeat this breathing practice in the evening before bedtime.

► Combine Yoni breathing with your Yoga meditation or posture practice (especially Yin or restorative yoga, Yoni yoga, or womb yoga). Although Yoni breathing can be combined with nearly any asana, it pairs well with the following: easy pose, cat-cow pose, bound angle pose, lying release pose, child’s pose, mountain pose, goddess pose (dynamic movement), bridge pose (dynamic movement), and happy baby pose.

► Combine Yoni breathing with sensual dance (pelvic circles and undulations).

► Complete 5 Yoni breath cycles in between calls or meetings when you are at your desk (or do this on the hour, every hour throughout the day).

► Take one half of your Yoni breath (inhale) when sitting, standing, squatting, climbing a stair, or lifting. Exhale just after taking the action. For example, inhale and squeeze, sit, exhale to release. Or inhale and squeeze, climb stairs, exhale to release.

► Practice Yoni breathing before or after a Yoni steaming session (do not engage in pelvic floor contractions while steaming or sitting on a toilet-style seat).

All in all, remember to have fun as Yoni breathing can be a tremendously sensual and pleasurable experience. In the wise words of Padma and Anaiya Aon Prakasha, “Womb breathing requires patience and gentle presence from you, as it is done in a sacred manner with the clear intention to heal, soothe, and open the gateway to the womb.”

*Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute as medical or mental health advice. If you have low blood pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, lightheadedness, vertigo, or anemia—please consult your doctor before trying any of the techniques mentioned. Rapid (fire) breathwork attempted after eating may result in nausea and is not traditionally recommended during pregnancy or menstruation.

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