Yoni steaming is the new hype. The herbal steam is supposed to promote the health of the womb. Even Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow swears by it. Our author Jana tried it out.
What is Yoni Steaming?
Yoni steaming is an ancient technique in which different herbs and flowers are heated. Once the steam is pleasant, the woman sits over the decoction with a special stool and lets the steam work on her vulva and vagina. This method was already used thousands of years ago, for example to relieve bladder infections, for mothers in childbed or for vaginal dryness.
For a few years now, this ancient method has been brought back into consciousness. Yoni steaming is almost hyped in wellness circles as self-care for vagina and vulva. Of course, it is considered an alternative healing method and is not without controversy. Some consider it nonsense, others pointless.
Questions about questions
Since I have been very concerned with my femininity for some time and have already experienced a lot about cycle knowledge and Yoni Eggs, I now wanted to experience Yoni Steaming. I was hoping for the following: a nice women’s circle as a relaxed setting for my birthday party, knowledge about the herbs to be used and a yoni that feels good – warm, soft, moist. Then, when a date for my birthday is showing up, I give myself a present – and also invite my yoni bearing friends to join the Yoni Steaming with Women’s Circle. The Yoni Steam Circle lasts two hours and costs €49 at “Honigseele” Berlin.
But before it starts, there are some exciting questions from the friends and their partners, which I would like to answer here:
Do the women all sit naked on a pot while streaming?
No, quite the opposite, because the body should not cool down during the steam bath. That’s why they either wear long skirts or wrap themselves in long scarves that they bring with them.
What does steaming feel like?
It’s best to remember what it was like when you had a cold as a child: many of us sat with our heads over a steaming bowl, with a towel over our heads. Yoni steaming is not that much different.
How does a women's circle work?
Every women’s circle is different. At “Honigseele” in Berlin, there is first a small round of introductions, and to get you in the mood, course leader Christiane then gives an overview of the herbs and flowers that are used in Yoni Steaming. Rose and lavender, camomile, St. John’s wort and so many more that I can’t remember them all. Depending on the personal goal and also the phase in the cycle, a different herbal mixture is used, more about this later.
Each room of the “Honigseele” is lovingly decorated with plants. Cosy blankets, meditation cushions, hot herbal tea, nuts and chocolate are also waiting for us. The room is filled with the scent of herbs and blossoms.
To warm up our bodies, we first dance and shake ourselves, then we lie down and listen to a meditation that gets us in the mood for the herbal steam bath. In this meditation we are guided to our personal intention for the Yoni Steaming. Some wish for support in case of cycle discomfort or discomfort after an operation in the lower abdomen, others want to come more into the flow and find trust. Christiane then puts together an individual herbal and flower mixture based on our respective intentions. For me there are: Lavender, St. John’s wort and a special rose that she personally brought from Portugal.
How does Yoni Steaming work?
Water is brought to a constant boil in a hot water heater. It is then poured into beautiful white pots with wooden handles and then the selected dried herbs and flowers are added. Christiane only uses dried herbs and blossoms; according to her, essential oils are too concentrated and can cause skin irritation. Put the lid on. Time to prepare the seat.
She warns us at the beginning about the water temperature. The only thing that can go wrong with steaming is that the water is too hot! Then you could burn your vulva with the hot steam. I am therefore very careful and let the water cool down properly.
As soon as the temperature of the steam is comfortable, the woman sits down, wrapped in her shawl or long skirt, over the steaming vessel of water. Of course, one does not simply squat over it, but there is a wonderful stool with three legs and a triangular cut-out in the middle for this purpose.
Softly bedded on stools
After taking a little seat, we sit quite comfortably, wrapped in our skirts, shawls or blankets. The teacher invites us to put a cushion on our laps and lie on top of it. So I lie snuggled on the pillow for about 20 minutes while my yoni gets comfortably warm from underneath. I thought it would feel wetter, but it is a very fine pleasant steam of water that I find comforting.
By means of another meditation, Christiane leads us deeper into relaxation. Images emerge in my mind of how I may redesign my flat to live there happily with my new partner. A beautiful dream, while at the same time doing something for my yoni wellness.
My conclusion
Yoni Steaming is a wonderfully relaxing ritual that I will gladly repeat. That’s why I asked for my own individual mixture, because steaming can also be done at home.
As I had wished beforehand, it was a wonderfully relaxing women’s circle. Afterwards, I was able to start my birthday round feeling refreshed and invigorated. By the way, my yoni still felt very pleasant for days afterwards.
I can really recommend this experience to anyone with a yoni. If you prefer to do the steaming in the comfort of your own home, there are also online offers. And I will also regularly treat myself to this feel-good experience at home.
Can I also do it at home?
Yes, because Yoni Steaming is also possible without a specially built stool. There are two possibilities:
1. Place a small pot in the toilet. Since this is not possible in every toilet, a friend later gave me the tip to stretch a plastic bag over the toilet seat instead and pour the water-herbal decoction into it. To do this, let the water cool down a bit more so that the bag doesn’t melt.
2. Place a pot on the floor in front of the sofa. Squat over it in a long skirt or wrapped in blankets with the front of the upper body leaning over the seat of the sofa.
You should find out for yourself how often and how long you can do Yoni Steaming. For me, I have taken: maximum once a week, for a maximum of 20 minutes. Pregnant women are advised against steaming because it can trigger premature labour, but it can be a great way to support the birthing process once labor started naturally. Steaming is also not recommended for women with very heavy bleeding as it can increase the bleeding.
Important notice
I am not a medical doctor. This article reflects only my personal experience and knowledge. Each reader is responsible for herself. This means: do your own research and get advice on duration, frequency, herbs, side effects and most importantly, see what feels good for you personally and your yoni.
PS: Check out the original in German on the Happy Vagina blog: https://happyvagina.de/yoni-steaming/