The physiology of a woman is quite different from a man. Hence, the practical training in Yoga and the application also differs in case of men and women. There is transition from childhood to puberty, in which the menstrual cycle starts, and after the fertile years are gone comes menopause. The hormonal changes that occur during these changes have to be taken care of. It is normal but with yoga practice life for women can really become better. The classical text on Yoga such as the secrets of Yoga by Natha Muni recommends the women to inculcate the regular practice of yoga for good health and happiness.Lord Shiva imparted the teachings of Yoga to his wife Parvati as his student in the "Shiva Samhita" one of the important text on
Hatha Yoga Curriculum.
Modern life and challenges for Women
The life for women has changed with the changes in the social structure throughout the globe. Earlier women would be the homemaker, but now even has the role of the bread earner. So, in such case the challenge for women becomes harder. With different roles taking care of health becomes pertinent to face the challenges.
Yoga helps to calm the mind and the body which helps flexibility and endurance which are a must for the modern women. With proper nutrition and yoga the modern woman will be able to face the multi-tasking which she has to do daily.
Balancing the different phases of Hormonal Changes through Yoga
There are five different phases in a woman's life viz. Childhood i.e. pre-menstrual age, starting of menstruation, the fertile age, menopause and postmenopause. Yoga treats each change by balancing the body as per the requirements.
Childhood - The body is growing and can repair very quickly. In this age men and women are alike and Yoga treats them quite alike. Surya Namaskar, and regular asanas with meditation has to be done in these years.
Puberty the teenage years - The teenage years for a female are life changing as hormone levels rise and dip within a period of four weeks. The whole body undergoes dramatic changes and it requires managing by Yoga. Avoid poses which are strenuous for the back and do a lot of pranayamas. These poses and exercises will help relax and keep you energetic and joyful in the days you would normally feel exhausted. That is the magic of yoga. Many of the research work on the efficacy of yoga practices have been very helpful to cope with disturbed menstrual cycles during this young age .
Pregnancy - A woman has the power to bring life to the world. It means a lot but requires strength. Join
Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Course before planning to bring a life in the world. The poses in prenatal yoga are designed to make pregnancy easy while strengthening the body to make it ready for "the birth" of new life. The modules of the training are of great help in the achievement of the pregnancy with confidence and can help in preventing the associated complications.
Menopause - This is another point in a woman’s life when menopause happens and that is quite a change. The woman experiences the changes at physical and mental level. Yoga can help by relaxing the mind and body. After menopause women should go for full fledged yoga with Ayurvedic diet to keep themselves fit and joyful. Yoga is indeed magical.
Post menopause - These years can be long and healthy for older women if they regularly do the practice of Yoga in their daily life. The retirement life can really be blissful, and they can go for higher yoga which consists much more of meditation.
What does Yoga do for women?
The answer is quite simple, but lengthy. Yoga can help women in the following ways:
1. Sensitive training and food during the month long menstrual cycle.
2. Increasing protein and vitamin rich food intake during the cycle.
3. Yoga poses for supporting fertility.
4. Prenatal and Postpartum practices for before birth and after birth special care.
5. Calming the mind in pre-menopause and also calming the before the onset of menopause.
6. Yoga support after menopause happens. Women can go meditation retreat during this time.
Yoga Helps in PMS and Pregnancy
The days leading up to the period can be really draining for a woman. This is called Premenstrual syndrome or PMS. The hormones in the woman’s body go bonkers expecting the eggs to fertilise and when that does not happen they dip. This can be quite exhausting experience. Regular practice of Yoga can help balance out the hormones, and make it more normal.
Pranayama and Yogic Breathing for Stress and Anxiety
Pranayama is controlling breathing which tends to control the blood pressure. In case of pregnant women this can become a boon as high blood pressure is a problem during pregnancy.
Yogic breathing is somewhat higher form of Pranayama which helps control the metabolism of a woman’s body. It can be used to up the metabolism during pregnancy as a woman who is pregnant requires more energy for the growing foetus.
Yoga a boon for the Transitional ages
As living beings we tend to age, and there are two transitional ages. One from childhood to puberty and the second from adulthood to old age. In both these transitions men and women face issues.
But women face more because they experience more hormonal changes. They will tend to gain weight but Yoga can be used to keep a check on that. Another issue is of the digestive system which goes haywire during transitional phases. Yoga and meditation can help keep these in balance.
So, Yoga has benefits for practicing women. It helps them throughout their life and if done diligently keeps them fit and free from ailments. Explore the yoga philosophy and its practices in 200 Hours Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh to get the full benefits of yoga in just four weeks.
