Yoni Steam

WHAT IS YONI STEAMING?

Yoni Steaming, also known as Vaginal Steaming, is the holistic practice of using the warmth of a gentle herbal steam to permeate the exterior of the vagina. During your yoni steam session, a base formula of Chinese herbs will be combined with herbs specific to your constitution and then decocted over a single burner. During your treatment, you will simply sit on a sauna box that contains the burner and the herbal decoction and allow the steam to flow upwards. This process is incredibly nourishing to your feminine essence. Clients have reported feeling empowered, invigorated, and rejuvenated after yoni steaming sessions.

Yoni steaming has a vast history in most every culture. From Africa to Asia to the Caribbean, medicine women have been preparing yoni steams for each other to cleanse the uterus, release toxins, detox, strengthen reproductive organs, and regulate menstrual cycles. These sessions have connected women for millennia and inspired positive relationships with their feminine energy.

INDICATIONS

There are many conditions for which yoni steaming is indicated. Women have noticed that it can:

Regulate Irregular and Absent Menstrual Cycles
Increase Fertility
Relieve Chronic Vaginal and Yeast Infections
Reduce, and actually Melt, Fibroids
Reduce Ovarian Cysts
Relieve Uterine Pain
Speed Weightloss Post Birth
Assist with the Recovery from Vaginal Tear, Episiotomy, and C-Sections
Ease Symptoms of Menopause
Relieve Menstrual Pain
Increase Sexual Desire and Lubrication
Decrease Infection and Odor
Detoxify the Womb
Released Stored Negative Emotions Trapped in the Uterus
Tone the Reproductive System Post-Birth
Significantly Reduce Pain and Bloating due to Menstruation

And we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the undeniable connection to the feminine that is reached during a Yoni Steam.

METHODS

PREPARATION

Find a comfortable space for this treatment. The bathroom is ideal because you will need the floor to be safe for heat (eg. tiles). You can prepare a platform of a couple of folded shower towels to place your pot upon, either on the floor or in the bathtub. The ideal height of the pot of herbs is around your calves.

For your comfort, you can prepare a special chair to sit in. For example, you can use a wood stool with slates across the top or cut a round hole in a wicker chair or camping chair, small enough for the steam to rise in, but not too large that your bottom falls through! About 4 inches in diameter is good for most people. If you do not have a steaming chair, you will be standing over the pot in a wide squat, similar to horse stance.

COOKING

You will need a cooking pot. Glass or ceramic is best; steel is fine; never aluminum. First, place your herbs in a 2-3 quart pot and cover with about 8 cups of water to SOAK for about 30 minutes. Then, bring your herbs to a BOIL, and then reduce to a SIMMER for 30 minutes with the lid slightly open.

STEAM

While your herbs are still steaming, take the pot off of the stove and move it to your prepared space. Place it carefully on top of the towels and test the heat of your steam at the height that your vagina will be. When the steam is warm, but not too hot, stand or sit over the pot and allow the steam to rise upward into your (panty-less) vagina. Stay in this position until the heat is gone. The length of your steam will depend on how long the heat remains, but steaming typically can last anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes.

CLOAKING

You may want to cover your upper body to stay warm during your steam. Additionally, you may choose to cover your lower half as well in an effort to keep the heat in and increase the detoxifying benefits of the steam. Please use caution as to not warm yourself too much if you are experiencing signs of heat, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and burning sensations.

COOLING AND STRAINING

Once the steam has finished and cooled, you can strain out the herbs and pour the liquid into one or more squeeze bottles for use as a douche in the shower. These will be one-time use per bottle. Add one tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar per cup of liquid and shake well. For application, squeeze the bottle to send liquid up into the vagina, then allow it to run out and wash naturally. If you are experiencing a bacterial infection, please do not insert anything into your vagina.

PRACTICING RESPONSIBLY

Please read through the following Contraindications and Cautions to Yoni Steams before use.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Yoni Steams are Contraindicated for those who fall into any of the below categories:

Pregnant women
Women who are currently menstruating
Women who are prone to spontaneous bleeding
Women who are trying to conceive should not steam between ovulation and their next menstruation in case they are pregnant

CAUTIONS

Yoni Steams may be appropriate for women whom experience the following; however, we may modify your steam or recommend a specific course of treatment:

Women who are prone to infection (herpes, UTI, yeast)
Women who are trying to conceive (we will not steam between ovulation and the next menstruation)
Women experiencing short menstrual cycles (less than 27 days)
Girls under the age of 13 who have reached menarche
Women with IUDs
Women experiencing hot flashes and/or night sweats
Women with a history of interim bleeding in the past six months

In addition the following recommendations should be strongly considered:

Steam sessions can be once a week, once before and once after menstruation, or with the moon cycles.
It is often recommended to stay warm during a steam session by covering the shoulders with a blanket. We may recommend adding or removing this extra layer depending on your constitution.
It is important to stay hydrated during and after a steam. Also, raw fruits and vegetables are great to replenish water and cool the body before or after a session.

Yoni Steam: How To Guide To Restored Feminine Health