Yoni Steaming - Benefits & How To Do

Yoni steaming is an ancient practice which basically means vaginal steaming - done with the help of herbs infused in warm water. Find out everything you need to know in this article. 

I recently did a coaching call with one of my clients and asked her to start on yoni steaming - knowing very well how much it will help her uterus, and help her flush out the toxic waste and stuck emotions. I told her which herbs to get and to start right away and gave her a strict protocol to follow the first and the second month with yoni steaming and then on...

I have also done it and honestly love the benefits - whatever helps me stay healthy and stay connected to my womb is a 'yes!' for sure!

So, today I want to tell you about an ancient practice called yoni steaming - vaginal steaming (yoni is a Sanskrit word which means vagina).

History of Yoni Steaming -

'Yoni' is a Sanskrit word (from India) which means women's vagina, vulva and her womb. In Hinduism, a women's vagina is considered sacred and as a symbol of Goddess Shakti, who represents the ultimate feminine power of creation - yoni thus means "sacred place" or "source" 

The exact origin of yoni steaming are unknown or rather confusing - some say it is from the Mayan culture (Maya Healing Lineage) while others say it is from Korean rituals or the Chinese rituals. 

Yoni steaming is an ancient practice that has been used by women in many cultures since centuries to heal their womb, connect with their feminine energy and their innate wisdom, increase their intuition, heal pain and trauma, and give birth to a healthy baby.

Basically, this practice has been used by our grandmothers and great-great grandmothers who all had far too many multiple pregnancies - without any issues, and never had to complain about pcos, cysts, heavy bleeding, endometriosis, fibroids, etc. and till the end of their lives, had perfectly healthy vagina and balanced hormones. No infections - nothing. No cancer either - that was a far fetch call back then!

One of the practices that they did frequently is that of steaming their yoni with herbs - letting this herbal steam go inside their womb and clean their vagina as well as the other reproductive organs.

As the herbal steam enters the vaginal canal, it cleans the fallopian tubes, the uterus (the womb) and well, nourishes the ovaries and the womb. This is not simply 'steam' - no; it is the highly beneficial, sacred plant compounds and their essential oils that are entering through the outside of the vaginal canal by virtue of the water molecules.

Benefits of Yoni Steaming -

-great for healing pcos, fibroids, endometriosis, uterine weakness & prolapse, blood stagnation.
-reduces menstrual cramps, bloating, pms, pain.
-reduces heavy periods or corrects absent periods thus helps in balancing menstrual cycles
-increase fertility
-increases lubrication, vaginal sensitivity, pleasure points and libido
-flushes out toxins from the tubes, vaginal canal and the womb (uterus)
-tones the reproductive system after child birth
-helps maintain healthy vaginal odor and gets rid of vaginal infections
-helps with yeast infections and uti's
-reduces pain during sex
-connects you with your feminine energy more deeply
-releases toxic emotions, trauma, abuse, pain from your womb
-increases energy and gets rid of fatigue
-creates deeper connection with your body - your womb, ovaries, etc. and removes stagnation

What Herbs are Used for Yoni Steaming? -

The herbs that are used in yoni steaming (and that you should look to get) are usually basil (cleansing), calendula (relaxing), rose petals (balances emotions, soothes menstrual cramps, helps anxiety and reduces inflammation), mugwort (boosts energy, blood circulation, sleep, and relieves stress), motherwort (cleansing and analgesic), yarrow (infection fighter, heals bruised tissues and scars), peppermint (boosts blood circulation, cooling and gives energy), rosemary (antibacterial, antiseptic, antimicrobial, dandelion (cleansing and helps get rid of toxins and excess bad estrogen), lavender (soothing and relaxing), and may have a few more depending on which company you buy from.

How To Do It -

I advise you buy a pre-made mix of organic yoni steaming herbs and all you need is a steam seat (a plastic basin that fits on top of the toilet seat). That is all you need! Do it at home (as opposed to expensive salons) so that it is more private, serene and a toast of self-love to your yoni - connecting with your feminine energy more deeply.

Take a nice warm towel or cotton bedsheet and as you sit on the yoni basin (without the underwear or anything - your yoni needs to be fully exposed to the herbal steam), wrap this bedsheet around you so that the steam is more concentrated and does not escape in thin air. You want the steam to enter your vaginal canal and not escape into thin air - hence the importance of wrapping your yoni area in a bedsheet.

I take a soft cotton cream bedsheet and wrap it around. 

Anyways, enjoy your self-love time with a glass of wine and some nice candles along with some relaxing music! Connect with your womb and see how good you feel right away. Enjoy your beautiful, sacred spiritual, physical, emotional cleansing time!

Getting The Herbal Water Ready - 

It is wrong and very sad that sellers, companies and even herbalists won't teach how herbs should be used to give maximum benefits to the recipients and at the same time, to reduce wastage of these sacred herbs AND to help you save money by extending the use of these herbs longer. Just steaming the herbs for 5 to 15 minutes does NOT help in getting their extract and essential oils out fully - you need to simmer and then leave it overnight. 

This is how I always teach others to use herbs - be it when making some herbal tea for themselves or when making the herbal steam water ready for yoni steaming; take your herbs and add them to a pot of water, let it simmer and as it comes to a boil, close the stove and cover it immediately. Let it sit overnight on counter and by next morning you will see the water has become darker in color - do not take the herbs out yet. 

Now you can use this for your first yoni steam and then reuse it again for next day's steam and so on. More on this below.

Duration -

I would advise you to do it for a good 45 mins. That is my time and I love getting all the benefits from the herbs - the longer, the better.

How Often Should I Do Yoni Steaming?

1. For those with chronic infections - start with 2-3 times per week and then reduce.

2. For those with fertility issues or TTC - once per week is a good start and twice during pre-ovulation. This will help moisten your uterine walls and help in increasing the cervical fluids.

3. For those with healthy, regular pain-free periods - seasonal is best; every 4-6 months or with changing of seasons like solstices and equinoxes.

4. Postpartum (if natural birth, NOT caesarian)* - Mayan midwives suggest that postpartum mothers do yoni steam within the first 9 days after birth - so usually 3 steams after birth in the first 9 days. This is because 9 is considered a spiritual number in the Mayan tradition and the yoni steam will help clean the body off the fluids from the birth. I t will also help the uterus to shrink back to pre-pregnancy size.

*Note that this is for the healthy women with all-natural birth. For those who had troubled pregnancy or those who gave birth caesarian, please consult your midwives or doctor before proceeding. 

5. For those who are pre- or post-menopausal or menopausal - Yoni steam is a great way to help women relieve vaginal dryness and help with increasing vaginal sensitivity for more pleasure. Doing yoni steaming just few times a year can make a big difference in keeping your uterus moist and clean. This will also ensure that all the stagnant blood has passed from the uterus post-mensuration and now is completely out of the body. Some women have reported seeing thick, dark blood and clots pass even after 1 year of stopping mensuration - yoni steaming is a powerful, sacred practice! 

Cultivating Mindfulness in Your Yoni Ritual - Respecting the Sacred Herbs 

Also, I request that we all become mindful of these sacred herbs that mother Earth gives us. As you know more and more people are moving towards herbal medicine and cures, which basically means a lot of pressure on the plant kingdom.

I request that you use the herbs 2-4 times before composting them. So, what I do is after my first yoni steam, I leave everything in my steam seat. Then, the next day, I take my steel mini pot (that is exclusively for bath & body needs) and fill it with this herb water.

Take the steel pot and again warm the same herbal mixture and sit for 45 mins. This way, you are using the essential oils and other plant compounds to your maximum benefit while saving the herbs and your money. You can again warm the same mixture one or two more times and do it next day and day after - trust me, it is effective and no need to throw the herbs so quickly.

I did this total of 4 times till the water and herbs were completely reduced - it worked wonderfully and I definitely received all the benefits these herbs had to offer to me.

When you are fully done, plz. take the herbs outside, thank them and then compost them - letting them go back to where they belong - back in the womb of mother Earth. 

Notes & Precautions -

1. Make sure the water is warm enough to produce steam, but not too hot as it may cause burn.

2. Make sure you steam the herbs very well - slowly simmer them until the herbs change color to bright red/brownish water.

3. When you need to get up, plz. hold the BASIN first with your hands so to prevent it from tripping over and the hot water splashing all over you.

4. Do NOT do it when you are having periods or if pregnant or new mothers.

5. Do NOT steam during ovulation if you are trying to conceive.

6. Do NOT steam if you have a Intrauterine Device (IUD).

7. Do NOT steam if you have STDs, herpes, sores or blisters or acne.

8. Do NOT steam if you have internal infections with a fever - infections like uterine, cervical or ovarian.

That is it! I hope you will enjoy this new health regimen and make it a part of your wellness routine, going into the new year!

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Plz. do not email me with questions or comments - post them here in the comments section and I will reply there only. Thank you. 

-Somyata