The scuttlebutt is and I've heard it a few of times. "Trust me" I am no authority on this. But! Yoga was made for a Man's body and not a Woman's. That's why a woman doesn't align the same way as a man in a pose. I repeat What?
This statement usually comes across like this. Yoga was practiced "Made for" by men who only taught other males as a monastic life for the preparation of meditation. (True) Then (this part is added.) Women "in general" can't align their hips the same because they are "made" different. Sounds true? But What?
There really are enough topics out there that divide the girls from the boys. This doesn't need to be one of them. I don't know where the origin of this tidbit of information started, but I do know that I have heard it said by teachers I respect and trust and I have read it on a blog or two. I know I know I know we've all seen the video of some yogi stepping and pulling on his student's body to get the student into the twisted shape desired. Well???? Is this not what correct alignment is?
Yoga for the most part here in the grand Old' US of A is gaining in popularity. "Duh" There are many who are coming to the practice at "we will just say" an elevated age. In other words allot of us are all grown up and our bones are shaped and formed in the alignment they were designed to be in.
It didn't take my small mind to realize this. There are great teachers out there who have studied the anatomy and have this stuff all figured out. So why even bother writing about this? Me I'm hoping, even if it's just in my small corner of the yoga world, to help others understand that a yoga pose is a yoga pose and its goanna land where it's going to land.
There are many who are new to yoga and some that have been around for awhile and we want to be reassured. About what you may ask? That we are doing it right! Because I don't look like that person over there. You know the one. Yes that one the ninja yogi who is flipping and jumping and bending and I didn't know that you could put your foot there!
If your bones are short, long, large, small, backwards, or lopsided. They are your bones and the pose is your pose. If you are not hyper flexible and your bones touch sooner rather than later. You're not going to look like your neighbor beside you. It doesn't matter. Let me repeat that! Forget about it, "IT DOESN'T MATTER!" Our bones may "unite" compress sooner depending on your build.
Yes to do yoga is to unite breath with body with mind or spirit. What matters is that you work on breathing moving and getting stronger. You will relieve muscle tension and maybe even some life tension. You will get stronger. You will gain more confidence. When we learn to focus on our breath and our body we will find what works best for us in a pose. You don't have to compare yourself with someone else. If you are then ask yourself why? Is it body issues? A feeling of "I'm not as good as them". Why torture yourself like that? There are some bad ass tools out there like a strap a block or the assistance of an experienced teacher who knows about the body and is not trying to get you to conform to their idea of what a pose is supposed to look like. Become familiar with and use them your body will thank you for it.
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