WHY YOGA FOR WOMEN?

Women differ from men largely in the physical as well as the mental make up. A woman
is built more delicately than a man she has a smaller built and a more delicate skeletal
and muscular structure. However, she can withstand a lot of physical strains and mental
pressures through sheer grit and determination. Nature has made a woman naturally
strong in more ways than one.
A woman is the creator on the physical level and has inborn qualities of nurturing. If she
adopts yoga as a lifestyle, it will only enhance these qualities.
Physically she is more delicately constructed and definitely more flexible than her male
counterpart. Regular practice of yoga helps her to maintain the natural glow and luster
without the aid of cosmetics. Regulated supply of oxygen into the bloodstream helps her
to look and feel good, helps the muscles to work to their optimum best and delay the
aging process.
After puberty, a woman is plagued by hormonal changes every five years
(approximately). These changes result in physical and mental changes and erratic
behavioral patterns and sometimes leading to clinical depression. Yoga, if practiced on a
regular basis, helps a woman to sail through these problems without any stress or
behavioral changes.
In the ayurvedic system of approach, the body is divided into five layers.
a) Anatomical which consists of the skeletal and muscular system
The body is made up of bones and muscles.
Skeletal
Our body has 206 bones of various shapes and sizes. The functions of the
bones are to:
The bones keep the body upright
Protect internal organs
Store calcium and minerals
Produce red blood cells
Enable movement.
Two or more bones come together to form Joints or articulations. Joints are also
sites of muscle attachment. Joints are held together by non elastic tissue called
Ligaments.
Muscular
The muscular system can be divided in three parts
The voluntary group which are the muscles under the control of the nervous
system and are the ones which enable conscious work effort.
The involuntary group which make up the physiological system and
The cardiac muscle which is a unique muscle of its kind and has a large capacity
to function . It works non stop from conception to death.
b) Physiologicalwhich comprises of the various internal systems like the
digestive, respiratory, reproductive, cardio vascular, neurological, endocrinal etc.

All these systems are not directly under conscious control but they work to peak
performance with regular practice of yoga.
c) Psychologicalthe mind and emotional
Psychological balance is an important part of yoga and improves with the
regular practice of yoga.
d) Intellectual ---the power of thought and the function of the brain
Nonviolent thoughts and ascetic living are the two important principles of yoga
which improve with the regular practice of yoga.
e) SpiritualThe spirit and the soul
The spirit and the soul have been the subject of many a research and discussion
over the years. Yoga believes in the cycle of life after death and the regular
practice of all the eight fold path of yoga has the key to freedom from this cycle
of rebirth.
The yogic form of treatment believes all these systems to be interdependent and treats the
body in a holistic way. Yoga postures may just seem a series of exercises put together for
the physical benefit alone but along with the postures is focused breathing , deep
concentration, meditation, lifestyle and diet and other cleansing processes which benefit
one in a complete way.
Yoga can be divided into the following disciplines:
1.Yama Restraint and self control is the first discipline for the practice of yoga. Restrains
from overindulgence of the physical, spiritual and emotional level should be the aim of
every Yogini.
2.Niyama discipline of observances like getting up early for the practice of yoga,
maintaining clean environment, compassion towards others, nonviolent behavior in
thought word and deed is the part of this discipline.
3.Asanas are the discipline of practicing postures. The practitioners of old practiced the
asanas to gain a strong and healthy body which developed resistance towards the
elements of nature and prevented them from diseases. Rigors of meditation also took its
toll on the body which had to be strong and resilient. The practice of postures brings
stability, balance and focus ones life.
4.Pranayama or breath control is the discipline of the practice of various breathing
exercises. It is said that the regular practice of Pranayama brings the autonomous nervous
system under control and controls and reduces the frequency and the intensity of diseases
and chronic ailments. Dependency on medication is known to have reduced with the
regular practice of Pranayama and yogasanasas.
5.Pratyahara or the discipline of control of the senses. The five sense organs are a
constant source of distractions and the mind flits from one place to another creating
desire for the fleeting (material) pleasures. Yoga teaches one the control of these senses
so the focus of a person stays with self evolvement. In fact this one aspect develops with
the regular practice of yoga.
6.Dharana or the discipline of concentration is developed throughout the practice of the
postures and the breathing patterns. The practice of Yoga always advises one to focus on
the posture one is performing as well as to focus on the breathing while doing an activity.
It tells one to let the mind body and soul combine to give one a complete workout.

7.Dhyana or the discipline of meditation is the next arm of yoga. Deep concentration and
full awareness without visible effort is the end result. One should live in a constant state
of awareness when in a meditative state. Mind body and intellect cease to exist as
separate entities and they become one with the soul. In a meditative state it is a feeling of
liberation or freedom from the elemental life that one seeks.
8.Samadhi Or the stage of superconsciousness is the final goal of yoga. This is a state
where there is no elemental identity and one merges with the super conscious. It is the
state of liberation from earthly existence where the cycle of life and death, birth and
rebirth cease to exist.
Looking at health on a physical plane alone is a very short sighted way of dealing with
yoga. To get a holistic benefit start the practice of yoga along with the practice of lifestyle
and diet changes and you will certainly achieve a quality of life no other form of exercise
can ever give to you.