The womb is the dreamer.

I have never altered my practice during my period. Although there are women who feel better avoiding or doing certain poses, it's an individual thing -- and honestly, the rules about women and yoga were written by men thousands of years ago, so I don't feel bound by them.

That said, if you have cramps or breast tenderness, do poses that build lots of heat (for cramps) and avoid anything that will smoosh the boobies (for breast tenderness). But those are practical suggestions, not traditional guidelines. Traditionally, women are told not to practice inversions (which includes downward dog) during their periods.

I agree that it is individually different for each womyn's body. However if you an irregular cycle or signs of detox (i.e. cramps, headache, strong cravings, irritability, nausea), I feel it is better to avoid inverted poses. The womb was not meant to be a detox channel but with the modern diet and environmental pollutants that are concentrated in animal products, the body becomes overloaded and will detox via every available channel. In the case of optimal benefit from regular practice, if you do have detox signs it might be better not to reverse and subsequently stagnate your blood flow as this will encourage a reabsorption of toxins. Any other time these poses, done correctly, will have innumerable benefits especially for the many womyn who have a misaligned uterus. In reference to downward dog, I feel that the minor inversion in the position does not outweigh the benefit of the tonifying pressure caused by the contraction of the abdominal muscles and the following poses offer the perfect counterbalance.

I think I have replied to this once before, but "e" is right about the topic, however, I thought it appropriate to be more specific. There are different types of prana. Prana in general moves upward, and sometimes visualizations (while I discourage teaching this way) are mentioned to imagine that the energy is moving upwards.

Having said this, as I mentioned, there are 5 different types of prana: prana, upana, samana, udana and vyana. There are four main centers around which these pranas focus. Prana's focus is the heart; apana, the anus; samana, the navel; udana the throat; and vyana moves throughout the body. The function of apana is excretion (kidney, bladder, genitals, colon, and rectum), which would include the movement of blood during the moon cycle. It's colors are white and red.

Inverted postures are generally recommended to be avoided during the moon cycle for women. In India, women are also to avoid cooking during this time as well, btw. Inverted postures tend to reverse the normal flow of upana, which is downwards, and so for energetic reasons, it's to be avoided. Having said this, there are many inverted yoga postures which more experienced yoginis can do just fine, but if you find you have difficulty, it's better to not do inverted postures, even downward dog, which inverts the abdomen.

Also, because of the 'goal-oriented nature' of our culture, we tend to think of things like this as something to be 'gotten past', but I would not recommend you feel this pressure. You can certainly choose these attitudes (or not) for your own, and not be a victim of this rather wrong-headed goal orientation to get past everything.

Incidentally, the same reason we don't eat for at least 2 hours before doing yoga practice is the same reason as I have mentioned before.

The effects of reversing energy are subtle, and so once you can grasp the more subtle aspects of your practice, then yoga really can begin to make a difference in your life.

Om,
DurgaDas
Silent Motion Yoga
www.silentmotion.org