Pain and Peace through an Ovarian Cyst

This is for any woman that might be panicking about experiencing an ovarian cyst or trying to figure out the pain down below. Take care, but don't panic.

A few days ago, I woke up to an agonizing pain in my lower abdomen. (the day before a full moon). The pain felt like I was having menstrual cramps, but I knew it couldn't be, as I just had my period 11 days ago.
Today, the pain in my ovary area is worse, especially as I walk. With every footstep, it feels like someone is stabbing a dagger into my ovaries.

Just want the pain to stop

To ease my menstrual cramps, I typically lay a hot water bottle over my lower abdomen. I've always opted for a hot water bottle rather than a heat pad to ease cramps. I don't like the idea of having electric coils on my internal organs.
After no relief with the hot water bottle, I was desperate to make the pain stop. Rarely do I ever take drugs to alleviate pain, but I as was scheduled to teach yoga classes, I needed something. I could barely take a step without stabbing pain. We don't get Aleve or Tylenol in Egypt, but the pharmacies here are an amazing source of help. The pharmacist gave me ibuprofen. Definitely helped me.

Pain in my uterus and ovaries has happened to me before. When I lived in New Mexico, I didn't have medical insurance. But, I was able to negotiate a discount and payment plans so that I could see an Ob-Gyn doctor for an exam and sonogram. The diagnosis was a cyst. It went away after a few days.

I don't have a doctor here in Cairo, but I know more about my body than any medical practitioner. I know my body was moving through ovulation and had a formed a cyst. Intuitively, I knew I had a cyst.

Important to know that the vast majority of ovarian cysts are not cancer

There are many different types of ovarian cysts, and they are an extremely common gynecologic problem. Because of the fear of ovarian cancer, cysts cause a lot concern to women who experience them. But, it is important to know that the vast majority of ovarian cysts are not cancer.
The good news is that almost all ovarian cysts will go away by themselves without doctor's treatment. Since the vast majority of ovarian cysts are benign, the presence of an ovarian cyst should be a non-worrisome occurrence.

Here's what I did to ease this painful journey

1) Understand messages from the body
The following are a few excerpts taken from "Messages from the Body, Their Psychological Meaning" by Michael J. Lincoln, Ph.D.

Uterus Problems: "I don't dare." She feels that it is not safe for her to manifest her creativity or her generativity, and she threfore distrusts and has disgust towards undertakings. She fears rejection, abandonment and attack, along with envy, jealousy and retaliation.

Ovary Problems: "She-jection." They have a fear of and rejection of their creativity and femininity. They are systematically self-denigrating and ashamed of the feminine role and situation. "Self-undermining." They have a great desire and need to be respected that is being prevented. Their circumstances are of such a nature as to be exploitative, non-accepting, and denigrating.

2) Ease off on activity
Rather than whinging about not getting to the gym, I took some down time.
Heat eased the pain, so I went to the steam room or sauna.
At home, I took advantage of a hot bath and a cup of hot cinnamon milk tea.

3) Take focus off of pain. Direct focus to lofty thoughts
The pain becomes so intense that "P A I N" is all that I can think about. My mind travels through every notion of pain.
But, I completely believe the body is an extension of thoughts and one can not have pain without thought.
The mind dictates, the body follows. 
By shifting my focus and reflecting on the messages revealed from this experience, I was able to create a space to clear accumulated emotions, fear, and pain. When the pain struck, I remembered my breath.

4) Use yoga postures to ease pain
I tried many postures but the only one that seemed to bring peace was bow pose.

I'm holding my tailbone a bit high in this photo of bow pose
taken at an earlier date.  Rather, one should burrow
the tailbone down toward the floor

At first, the pressure from being in the posture was intense, but as I breathed in, down into my torso, my breath cleared everything. In a state of bliss, I realized that I was meditating in this posture for almost five minutes at a time.

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) How to do it:

1) Lie on your belly with your hands alongside your torso, palms up. (You can lie on a folded blanket to pad the front of your torso and legs.) Exhale and bend your knees, bringing your heels as close as you can to your buttocks. Reach back with your hands and take hold of your ankles (but not the tops of the feet). Make sure your knees aren't wider than the width of your hips, and keep your knees hip width for the duration of the pose.

2) Inhale and strongly lift your heels away from your buttocks and, at the same time, lift your thighs away from the floor. This will have the effect of pulling your upper torso and head off the floor. Burrow the tailbone down toward the floor, and keep your back muscles soft. As you continue lifting the heels and thighs higher, press your shoulder blades firmly against your back to open your heart. Draw the tops of the shoulders away from your ears.

5) Eat and drink specific foods
I drank plenty of fresh ginger root tea and cinnamon stick tea with milk. As it is the season, I ate fresh mango and fresh banana. Both are excellent for women. According to Yogi Bhajan, mangos are a woman's medicine that works in every area.

6) Practice patience and fearlessness
I decided that I will allow at least 14 days for pain to pass. If the pain didn't lift, then I will seek a healer to help me.

Alhamdulillah, Kulla Tamem

update: after seven days of terrible pain, my body is now healing. The pain is almost gone. I plan to deeply explore the messages of manifesting my creativity and generativity without fear of rejection, abandonment and attack.

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PLEASE READ: I am presenting MY pathway to healing. Since I do not subscribe to western medicine practice, I approach ALL of my health matters with an attitude of gratitude and self-healing using yogic principals.

Always consult your physician if pain persists. Nothing in this website or this particular post is to be construed as medical advice. The benefits attributed to the practice of these techniques presented here or the use of Kundalini Yoga will vary with individuals.

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yogic self care and menstruation

To the men reading here: my last few posts have focused on the woman body. Please stay tuned...or just read on there's good stuff here...


A friend once added up all the hours of instructions given by Yogi Bhajan for a woman to follow in order to be happy, healthy, and holy. She joked that unless the hours in our day would suddenly increase, it would take two days just to complete one cycle of everything he suggested: yoga sets, meditations, exercise, self care, and care for others.

Such a blessing that we were given diverse "how to" guides for navigating life, especially for navigating our ever changing bodies. This last week, I've been reading a lot about yogic self care and menstruation. Here is an excellent habit to start:

From Yogi Bhajan's teachings: Following menstruation, it is very cleansing and enjoyable to take a yogurt bath. Yogurt baths relax the entire nervous system, clean the body of impurities, and leave the skin soft and radiant.

Preparation for Your Yogurt Bath

First get the yogurt to room temperature in a non-glass container. (the yogurt should be plain, completely natural with no additives. If you can make your own, the better.)

Your bathroom should be a comfortable temperature because you'll be laying naked for awhile. Take a large bath towel and place it into a clean, dry tub.

Nestle yourself comfortably in the tub, massage the yogurt completely into the skin, and include everywhere! Don't forget your ears, underarms, toes, scalp, and all in between bits. (perfect time for a yogurt douche)

After a period of time, the yogurt will change in texture and odor. Here's where I veered off the suggested course. The smell was way too unpleasant for me, so I rinsed after 15 minutes. Yogi Bhajan suggested that we take an hour for this bath. He said that we can put scented oil into our nostrils to curb the smell.

Rinse

Rinse your body and scalp well under a lukewarm shower. Shampooing the hair is optional, although a film of yogurt will be left following the rinse if you do not shampoo. End with a cold rinse. Dry your skin briskly with a towel. Put a little oil over your face, thighs and perineum. Other parts of the body can be oiled as well. (preferably almond oil, but in Egypt olive oil is the most available.)

Nap After

He said that it is ESSENTIAL that a one hour nap follow a yogurt bath and that upon rising, a glass of milk is taken. I didn't get a full hour nap, nor did I drink milk. I did have about 1/2 hour nap. When I got up, I felt fantastic. Everything felt in complete balance. And, my skin felt amazing...seriously AMAZING!

Yogurt baths can be taken often, but it is essential that one be taken following menstruation. For sure, this is one suggestion that I know I can fit into my routine.

** If your body is not in your control, your mind is not in your control, and your spirit is not in your control, how are you going to face the challenge of time and space? -- Yogi Bhajan **

natural cycles

Bow Pose is a gentle way to ease menstrual cramps.

Nabhi Kriya practice is on hold for a few days as I move through the natural cycle of my body.

Yoga Postures to Avoid During Menstruation

Yoga is a great way to alleviate menstrual cramps and mood swings, but the postures should be more relaxing and not straining. During menstruation, a woman should avoid the following postures:

1. any exercises that strain the lower back such as leg lifts
2. strong navel point exercises (like nabhi kriya)
3. mul bhand
4. breath of fire
5. inversion exercises (shoulder stand, plow pose)

Yoga Postures to Practice During Menstruation

To keep my navel point in balance, I have been practicing bow pose and cobra pose with long deep breathing. Rock pose is an excellent posture to sit in during meditation. It really relaxes my cramps.

Daily Movement through Menstruation

Avoid Heavy Lifting: Every month, I realize how much lifting that I do daily. During the days of flow, a woman should avoid any heavy physical demands and recognize that she is a female, she is delicate, she is beautiful, and she is menstruating.

This doesn't mean drop out, or become helpless. Rather, my approach to these few days is to move slower and more deliberate. I avoid lifting anything that would require me to use both hands. I'm a weightlifter-bodybuilder, so I'm very strong. But during these days, my partner loves that I call on him to move something for me. He loves that he is needed and his brawn is appreciated.

More postures that are supportive of menstrual cycle.

Menstruation is a beautiful female experience. As women, we experience menstruation universally, trans-culturally, and for the greater part of our lives on this planet. When we take care of our selves, and flow in the rhythm of our bodies, this cycle doesn't have to be painful, or uncomfortable. It is a time to remember our refinement and grace. It is not a sign of weakness, nor debilitating.

Embrace Yourself and Be Kind. Menstruation is not a Curse.

From my own experience, several years ago I embraced my monthly cycle. I used to experience debilitating cramps, vomiting, and overall depression. After I embraced it all and accepted it rather than dread it, everything moved into balance. I still experience cramps and mood swings in various degrees, but because of my attitude, they are not as severe.

How Nabhi Kriya Helped Ease My Monthly Cycle

This last month of strong navel point yoga has brought me to the most balanced cycle that I've ever experienced; no cramps and almost no disruption to my emotional balance. Without expectations, I've discovered another wonderful reward in my 40-day journey of nabhi kriya. As my period only lasts for under three days, I will resume the nabhi kriya tomorrow.

**I follow these practices as taught by Yogi Bhajan