Today, a significant portion of the population tends to have sedentary lifestyles, primarily due to the nature of their employment. This holds true for both women and men, as many jobs involve prolonged periods of sitting and minimal physical activity. And it is an established fact that such lifestyles can lead to weight gain and obesity which are linked to increased risk of developing several health problems. But, are women at a higher risk when compared to men? Do yogic practices have any potential to help women prevent developing such issues? Are such practices any different from gym or physical exercise?
Sadhguru elaborates on this as follows, explaining that prior to our current global era, “both men and women, of course, were working hard physically – physical work. Because of physical work, there never was any fat around the abdomen. At a young age, if a girl gathers abdominal fat, she is asking for it, there’s simply no 2 ways about it. She is just asking for it, it will come. How soon or how late depends on various genetic and other aspects of life, but once abdominal fat gathers, then a young woman is definitely inviting trouble for herself. It will come! Not enough activity – physical activity I mean – they may be working in office, that doesn’t mean anything, because that’s not physical enough. If you’re working in a field, that would be different. I think the problems that you’re mentioning largely are happening in urban woman, simply because their physical activity, even if they exercise, it’s half an hour, one hour in the morning, rest of the time they’re sitting, sitting, sitting.So because of this, there is not enough activity in that region. That’s one reason. Another thing is, reproductive process is not made use of – that’s another reason.”
“Once abdominal fat gathers, then a young woman is definitely inviting trouble for herself. But if you’re just gymming, and doing muscles, and you’re looking fit, that’s not good. There are specific asanas and processes. If they do this, the basic body chemistry can be brought to such a level of balance within you. And this is the solution for the future generations.”
“So, if you’re not using your reproduction process, that is, if you’re not bearing a child before you are 21 years of age, it’s very, very important that you must do Hatha Yoga. If you do gym, if you run, if you do this and that, run to some extent. But if you’re just gymming, and doing muscles, and you’re looking fit, that’s not good. You must do intense Hatha Yoga. From the age of 12, if a girl child starts doing Hatha Yoga, she will go through all those issues people who… most of them think is a big issue, and go through lots of struggles for every stage of development within themselves, they will go through this effortlessly.”
“So, this has to come, that if reproductive health of a woman has to be maintained without reproducing, it’s very important that certain things are done. And that part of what you are doing should be largely focused in the thoracic region, or the abdominal region must be worked in a certain way. There is no system which works it the way the Hatha Yoga, the systems of Hatha Yoga will work it. And there are specific asanas and processes which can be taught. If they do this, they need not go through all those medical stuff that unfortunately the numbers are rising in a big way.”
“So, this also can be very easily handled. The basic body chemistry can be brought to such a level of balance within you, if you do the right kind of yoga. And this is the solution for the future generations. Otherwise, this will rise, because…today I think, including the rural, tribal, all kinds of women put together, the average child-bearing age I think has gone up to 22, or so. But I believe in the next 25 years it will go to 35 most probably, and it’s a very good thing. So, if it goes up to 35, then the number of these type of issues that young women will have will multiply manifold, unless they take care of themselves.”
“Taking care of themselves is not about medicine, not about doctors. You must start yogic processes, so that the body brings a certain balance, chemical balance is there in the system, hormonal balance is there in the system, all these glandular secretions are happening well, in a balanced manner. If this is happening, they will not go into this mode of unnecessary ailment. Well, a percentage of people will always have some physical illness – that’s a different matter, but right now there is an unnatural level of percentages, the society is reaching an unnatural level of sickness. So, that has to be brought down. It’s very important.”
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