From time to time I get asked about the difference between yoga for men and for women.
First, it is worth starting with the fact that yoga was formed in the territory of ancient India and was a product of the way of life of that time. Spiritual practices were performed mainly by men. And Yoga itself, as a system, was developed by ascetics and hermits.
Secondly, If we take the purely physical aspect of Ashtanga-Vinyasa yoga (asana), we can say that strength forms are a male prerogative, and flexible forms are a female prerogative. Of course, you should develop all parameters in yourself, but within reasonable limits. Because the load, which is not characteristic of a single gender, can cause hormonal imbalance.
And thirdly, a certain modern trend of distortions of the Yoga system has emerged, when a whole galaxy of neo-shamanistic, neo-advatistic and frankly magical superstructures are attributed to it, such as working with crystals, collecting herbs, divination and other practices not related to Yoga (see six Darshans)… Things like this are confusing because the goal of Yoga (samadhi) and the goal of Yoga Therapy (health) are lost or muddied in modern household shamanism.
The male role in this story is the preservation of non-distorted knowledge through one’s own practice (in this sense, serving humanity). And recently so much has been said about the role of Shakti (the female aspect) that it remains only to implement it.
In relation to life, yoga always helps to return to oneself, one’s body, to your feelings and bring order, purity and clarity there. This is the uniqueness of yoga – in its ultimate form, its influence has no gender, racial or religious limitations.
To modify or upgrade any system, firstly it is necessary to understand it clearly. Yoga is a feat, self-restraint and transformation process. That is why it is still obtained by the few despite the yoga mainstream.