C O V E R S T O R Y
YOGItimes magazine for the modern yogi
By Christine Hassler
Photography by Jasper Johal
Arriving at Yoga Practice
Women have taken to yoga faster than they took to supportive pantyhose. In fact, one statistic suggests that 75-80% of Western yoga practitioners are female. Millions of women have been hooked by the many benefits of practicing yoga, such as easing PMS symptoms, bringing relief during menopause, strengthening bones to prevent osteoporosis, and reducing the risk of disease by stimulating lymph flow and reinforcing the immune system, to name just a few. Yet, the numerous health benefits are not the only reason so many women love yoga. The very essence of yoga lends itself beautifully to the inherent qualities that modern Western culture defines as feminine. Yoga, just like a modern woman, is a harmonious balance of the yin and yang.
Women who are seeking an alternative or complement to high-intensity exercise may find it in yoga. In fact, many women have found yoga to be a form of exercise that fits their bodies better than any other. The deep, slow, low-impact movements can be safe and therapeutic for pregnant or injured women. Even women who have suffered severe injuries have found yoga to have a profoundly positive impact on their recovery. Also, as women age and it becomes more difficult to engage in high-impact exercise, yoga provides an appealing alternative.
The overall practice of yoga, which is a combination of breath, flowing movements, maintained postures, and restorative poses, strengthens a woman's body from the inside out. The physical practice of yoga allows women not only to sweat and stretch, but to condition their upper bodies without having to lift weights. With each vinyasa, her muscles become beautifully defined as her mind clears. Yoga can whisk women away from the computers over which they hunch all day, bringing stretch and stimulation to their sometimes tense and overworked bodies. It also replenishes muscles that suffer from a sedentary or stressful lifestyle.
But women are flocking to yoga classes for much more than just a workout. Practicing yoga can also serve as a form of meditation that calms the minds of women who are consistently distracted by work, significant others, children, and seemingly endless “to-do” lists. Some yoga teachers play music that sets a mood for a woman either to drift away or to get her groove on with as she flows through postures, providing a temporary haven from the challenges of daily life in an environment full of collective, positive and healing energy.
Without the mirrors, loud music and competitive atmosphere of most gym environments, women who practice yoga have the opportunity to go within and actually feel themselves sweat, rather than just make themselves sweat. A lot of women look forward to getting off the fast-paced treadmills and into the slower environment of a yoga class. A yoga practice becomes their inner highway patrol, reminding them to slow down and be present.
Many women find that through their yoga practice, they develop an appreciation of the female form, which is essential given all of the body issues women are faced with today. Yoga fosters this awareness by directing one's focus to the inner being, and thereby quieting the obsession with the outer. The sound of the breath rhythmically floating through them encourages gratitude toward their remarkable bodies, no matter its shape or size. A woman can hold chaturanga dandasana, and forget about the guy that has not called. She can glide into virabhadrasana, and the red convertible that cut her off in traffic becomes insignificant. When she rests in savasana, her self criticism and to-do list simply melt away.
Unlike the meat-market feeling many women encounter at sports clubs, yoga studios can provide a safe place for a woman's spirit to dance free from judgment or observation. Hardwood floors replace glass ceilings and men and women enter on a level playing field. Both sexes face their mats equally and can relate without sexual tension or segregation. Yoga's ability to balance the masculine and feminine energy in everyone makes it attractive to both men and women bridging the gap between the sexes.
Yoga also speaks to the practical side of a woman in that she does not have to join a gym, or pay a monthly fee to participate. Yoga studios charge by the individual or package of classes. Plus, with all the different styles of yoga that are offered today, most women can find a style or a variety of styles that fit their needs and desires. If a woman wants to move through an arrangement of poses linked together, a vinyasa class will meet her needs. A woman who wants to maintain the posture, and who appreciates the use of props might be drawn toward an Iyengar class, where sinking into the asana allows a depth of body-awareness to grow. For the women who like it really hot, Bikram may be the appropriate option. Whatever style of yoga they are drawn to, once women learn the basic practice, they can do yoga anywhere, anytime, for free. Yoga is a complete package of mental, physical, and emotional training.
Discovery in a Yoga Practice
What women often discover on their yoga mat is an opportunity for self-reflection and appreciation. In a space free from noise and obligations, going within and learning about the self becomes possible. Aspects of the self that often hide behind a woman's identity as employee, boss, artist, mother, or wife may find expression on yoga mats. The little girl comes out to play in headstand (sirsasana) and giggles when she falls out of half moon (ardha chandrasana.) The inner caregiver reminds her to breathe, and soothes her when she loses balance in tree pose (vrksasana.) The inner healer tells her when she is pushing too hard. Her inner voice and intuition become audible in the absence of cell phones. She tunes into her innermost thoughts and emotions. A woman becomes an observer of herself as she watches how her body and mind react to the myriad opportunities that yoga presents. Every day women are faced with circumstances that challenge their sense of self. The accepting environment surrounding yoga helps to alleviate this challenge by nurturing self-love. It is a practice that comes from a universal rather than a competitive, ego-driven source. Although yoga is not outcome driven, women take pride in watching their practice develop over time. Many women feel a great sense of accomplishment the first time that they arrive in a new pose, or complete a class. Because of its intensely personal nature, yoga can be very empowering for women.
Yet another great perk that may come from practicing yoga is friendship. Yoga studios offer women a sense of community and a place to bond with other women of different ages and backgrounds. Many women are meeting their best friends on the mat next to them. In yoga studios throughout the world, women are discovering a loving support system, void of competition from their fellow females. Women have gathered together for centuries, and practicing yoga together supports this ancient tradition.
Extending the Practice of Yoga
Practicing yoga develops survival skills for what can sometimes be a world full of obstacles and challenges. The peace cultivated through the practice teaches women how to be less reactive and agitated. Many women feel that yoga has seen them through a lot of the challenges that they face while off their mat. For instance, some are able to manifest healthier, more loving and accepting ways to deal with themselves and others from the understanding that they achieve in their yoga practice.
Continuous practice may also harness an enlightenment of how to truly utilize a woman's body as she becomes more adept to dealing with physical obstacles that arise. Perhaps she does not ache as much after a long run or hike, or her breath is more fluid when climbing a flight of stairs. She protects her backs by tapping into her core and utilizing the strength of warrior legs when lifting something heavy. Instead of tripping over the newspaper as she dashes out the door, she can catch her balance and avoid spilling her tea. Women feel longer, leaner, and healthier from their yoga practice.
Yoga also may encourage healthier eating habits. As women become aware of their intestines while ringing them out in a deep twist, they are less likely to put chemically-enhanced, nutritionally questionable food into their body. Through yoga, women may start to crave nutritious, real food almost as much as chocolate.
Good yoga vibes have even penetrated popular culture. Yoga has swept the fashion industry - companies from Nike to Victoria's Secret have developed yoga-related clothing lines and products. Teachers are becoming local celebrities, and female stars like Christy Turlington, Ashley Judd and Madonna are singing the praises of yoga. Despite the recent fashion craze and celebrity endorsements, a yoga studio, ideally, remains a sacred space. It does not discriminate as to whether women wear the latest Lululemon or their high-school sweat pants. Pop star, millionaire, or soccer mom, yoga welcomes every woman.
Unlike the latest diet fad or fitness gadget, yoga is here to stay. It is a practice to cherish for a lifetime. Women continue to share yoga with their mothers, girlfriends, sisters, and daughters as a celebration of the divinely feminine. Yoga is the ultimate in mind, body and spirit liberation. Women, warriors and goddesses of Yoga, hear them roar!