How to do a Yoni Steam

At first, this set up may seem cumbersome, but once you do it you will see how easy it becomes, and how worth the trouble it is! First, find a private spot — the bathroom, your bedroom or a meditation space; you may want to be looking at an altar, or out a window. Place your open seated chair where you will have room and be comfortable. Be sure to wear socks and/or place the chair on carpeting.

Start a pot of 3–4 quarts of water to boil with a lid. Once you have a rolling boil, turn the heat down, add one cup of well packed dry herbs (one quart of fresh herbs) to the water and simmer for 5–10 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep for another 10 minutes with lid on always. You want to keep the volatile oils of the herbs in the steam and not let them escape. You can add dried seaweed to the steeping herbs if you are using that as well.

Meanwhile, gather a sheet, towels, and wool blanket to drape around you while you sit. They should be wrapped around you once you sit down to form a sort of sweat lodge for the lower half of your body. Use pillows behind you, and towels on top of the seat, if desired.

Once you are ready to sit and steam, transfer the herb pot to under the open seat of the chair, or you can pour into a crock-pot which is already heated up. If you use a crock-pot at this point, you will be able to steam longer, as you will have the constant source of heat. Sit down, get comfortable, get your draping around you, and then open the lid of steam. Adjust to the heat and use the draping to allow in cool air if needed while you get settled; otherwise close the steam tent up so that no cool air comes in. Then, settle in to your yoni steam.

Relax, meditate, read something inspiring, have music playing . . . focus on your womb, your vagina, your pelvis, and see what your body has to tell you during this time.

Usually a steam lasts about 20–30 minutes. It seems like a lot of work for such a short time! Stay longer then! Listen to your body. Repeat as desired. Use the steams throughout your cycle, focusing on the week before bleeding. Do not use during bleeding or pregnancy. If you no longer bleed, use the steams throughout the month, as desired. Postpartum and just post menopause are ideal times to steam to facilitate cleansing of the uterus.

Some herbs traditionally used for steams: oregano, basil and marigold are traditional in Central America. We can expand to using what calls to us: some suggestions are: rose, calendula, lavender, rosemary, mugwort, motherwort, St. John's wort, basil, yarrow. The herbs used in the steams are intended to moisturize, vitalize, tone, soothe, warm, and cleanse. Seaweeds such as kombu and bladderwrack are added for their mucilaginous quality which can aide in softening and cleansing, as well as their rich mineral content. Yoni steams bring deep healing, moisturizing and warmth to your pelvis.

Yoni steams can help cleanse the womb of old blood and plaque left behind from previous cycles, it can soften tissues, as well as vitalize prolapsed tissues. The possibilities for healing are numerous. One healer I learned from uses them for any issue from yoni to heart — in other words, the whole torso. This would include digestive issues, reproductive issues, heart and lung issues, and emotional spiritual issues — the stories that we all hold in our bodies.

Blessings on your yoni and your experience!