"There is wisdom worth exploring in practices that have been passed down for centuries."

~Rosita Arvigo

There is a buzz around Women’s Wellness and its around the ancient art of Vaginal steaming. By no means is this a new healing modality. Quite the opposite. It is ancient in its roots and most cultures around the world have practiced this natural form of healing at some point in history and still do today. In the Mayan Healing tradition that I practice, it is called “bajos”. Bajos means “low” in Spanish, and often refer to geographical regions known as “lowlands.” Today it has become a holistic health practice for women in the Western world. It is known for its healing properties for many ailments concerning the reproductive system, healthy menstruation and fertility.

Vaginal steaming, sometimes called V-steam or Yoni steam (“Yoni” is a Sanskrit word that means sacred space, vulva, vagina & womb), is a holistic healing practice whereby a woman squats or sits over steaming water containing a combination of healing herbs. This ancient medicine is still alive and practiced today in America and abroad in many Asian, Latin American, African and indigenous cultures around the world. They utilize the wisdom of the plants and use herbal formulas as internal remedies and external washes and steam baths to maintain vaginal health. Yoni Steams are a safe, non-invasive method for fighting infections, clearing hemorrhoids, regulating menstrual cycles and increasing fertility.

A famous supporter of Vaginal Steaming is actress, Gwyneth Paltrow. Gwyneth is a supporter of all thing holistic and began her own practice of vaginal steaming after a visit to a Korean Spa called Tikkun Holistic Spa in Los Angeles. In writing about her V-Steam experience for Goop, she said: "You sit on what is essentially a mini-throne, and a combination of infrared and mugwort steam cleanses your uterus, et al.... It is an energetic release, not just a steam douche, that balances female hormone levels.” After Gwyneth blogged about her experience with Yoni steaming, it instantly sparked a fire! We have to give her credit for bringing it back to the lime light and to main stream awareness. Thank you Gwyneth!

I heard about this practice back in 2002 from a friend when I was in Acupuncture school. She told me that I should look into it as it would be beneficial for me in my Midwifery Practice. But it wasn’t until 2011 when I met my soon to be husband who kindly invited me to join him for a weekend Self-Care workshop Level 1 training of The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy that I began my own practice. It was then that I found my medicine and my teacher, Dr. Rosita Arvigo. I immediately felt a connection as if I came home.

It is thanks to Dr. Arvigo, that the world began to rediscover vaginal steaming as an effective self-care practice, one of the complementary modalities of health and wellness that is indigenous to Mayan Healing. Dr. Arvigo learned the basis from which these techniques were developed from her mentor, Don Elijio Panti, the great Maya Shaman of Belize, Central America with whom she apprenticed for ten years. Don Elijio believed that a woman's center is her uterus. "If a woman's uterus is out of balance, so is she," he would say. So I give a big “THANK YOU” to Dr. Rosita for bringing this wisdom back from our ancestors and sharing it with the modern western world.

Today, Yoni Steaming is being utelized more and more as an effective self care tool. It works by stimulating your body’s own natural healing abilities. It is used for medicinal purposes, mostly in the enhancement of female pelvic, uterine and sexual health and wellness. This natural and non-invasive treatment can be used for physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Used in conjunction with Arvigo Maya Abdominal Therapy, the yoni/root steam bath helps cleanse the uterus and pelvis of blood congestion and stagnation, relaxes the pelvic floor muscles, and is an effective treatment for many uterine and pelvic conditions. The healing combination of heat from the steam and medicinal properties of the plants aids as a deeply cleansing uterine lavage. The medicinal steam penetrates into the tissues, softening the cervix to dislodge and release indurated menstrual fluids and pathological accumulations that have not properly released with each monthly cycle. In addition, the steam bath softens and nourishes internal membranes and increases blood flow, to allow for a healthier environment to the pelvic region.

For me, Yoni/Root steaming is so much more than a physical act. It is a spiritual ritual, a ceremony. I have found that when we take the time to go past the physical, we reach the emotional & spiritual levels of healing. Yoni/Root Steaming affords us that time to just be. It is a sacred space, a time "out of time". A dream space. It allows us as women the opportunity to reconnect to the ancestral wisdom of the womb. When we consciously choose to take the time for self~love and self~care in this way we can turn our attention inward. We are then able to release any stored emotions, pain, tension or anxiety that we may be carrying. It gives us access to our own feminine energy that opens us to our own beauty and creative potential as a powerful women.

As you sit and steam, you may find that all your tension melts away and you return to a state of bliss ~ Your Birth~Rite!

I offer you to come and steam at Agape Healing Arts or to begin your own self care routine at home. It is time to experience this ancient tradition to celebrate the woman that you are. May we all return to the power of our womb. The power of creation.

FAQ

Why would I want to steam?

Regular steams can help cleanse your uterus and pelvis of congestion and stagnation.

Congestion and stagnation can contribute to:

Old indurated matter in the uterus

Dark blood at the onset or at the end of menstruation

Endometriosis

Fertility issues

Headaches or migraines with menstruation

Hemorrhoids

Irregular cycles

Irregular ovulation

Low libido

Menopausal issues

Ovarian cysts

Painful intercourse

Painful menstruation

Painful ovulation

PMS

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Uterine fibroids

Uterine prolapse

Vaginal dryness


What are the Health Benefits to steaming?

There are many health benefits to steaming which include:

Reduces pain, bloating and exhaustion associated with menstruation

Decreases heavy menstrual flow

Regulates the menstrual cycles

Increases fertility naturally

Detoxifies the womb and body

Tones and aids in the healing of the reproductive system after giving birth

Eases discomfort of uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, uterine weakness, uterine prolapse & endometriosis

Soften and release adhesions and scar tissue associated with childbirth or pelvic surgeries

Helps to restore bacterial and ph balance to aid in prevention of infections, bacterial vaginosis and odors

Relieves symptoms of menopause ~ hot flashes, dryness and painful intercourse

Heals emotional womb trauma caused by sexual abuse or misconduct

Release of stored emotions & anxiety

Access to the feminine energy that gives rise to our vibrant radiance and creative potential as women

Relieves tension and creates a state of bliss