Gender Equality in Yoga

Living and growing up in the United States and having traveled to a number of different places in the world, this writer has witnessed the ignorant and abusive ways in which we can think about, and relate and act to those members of the opposite sex.

In America, I was exposed to a number of people both in my immediate family and social circle and within my acquaintances, observations and interactions with others in the culture and society where women verbally abused men to their faces and behind their backs and took delight and pleasure in hurting them.

And also in America, I was exposed to a number of people both in my immediate family and social circle and within my acquaintances, observations and interactions with others in the culture and society where men referred to women in course and sexual terms behind their back and verbally, emotionally or physically abused them when they were around them.

The word “bastard” was used a number of times in referring to men both to their face and behind their back and the word “bitch” was used a number of times in referring to women both to their face and behind their back.

Certainly, being exposed to all of these pained and confused people did not, or does not for many others assist them in understanding themselves and their own feelings nor those of their same or opposite gender.

And it is likely that those who spend a lot of time abusing those of the opposite sex in some manner are most likely to do the same to those of their own sex.

Perhaps we all are victimized by other people and cultures and societies where we do not really think about nurturing and cultivating the spiritual and wise in others and find that it is easier to just be condemning and angry with no understanding about how that influences others, especially if those others are our children or those people that we have some kind of primary or secondary caretaker role to fulfill.

In Yoga, whether we are practicing it, teaching it, or just studying it we find that there is gender equality. What this means is that individuals understand and respect people of both their own gender and the opposite one as being human beings facing similar challenges, those being the action of the defilements of the mind and consciousness and what is involved in dealing with them through the practice and application of the Yoga teachings.

For this reason, one should never find any kind of abusive thoughts, words and actions to members of the opposite sex in individuals who are adhering to the path and practice of Yoga.

Perhaps part of this is because the pure soul within is not dependent or influenced by the body in which it inhabits.

Perhaps it is also because when we see ourselves as being weak in such a manner, we are less inclined to speak harshly about or condemn others.

The understanding and practice of Yoga does teach us humility and with that experience, we are less likely to think ill of others or abuse them.

It may be worthwhile to remember that when we see Yoga practiced in various cultural contexts, we may find some weakening or compromising of the teachings and their practice based on cultural values, not Yoga teachings.

We see this frequently in the application and practice of Buddhist teachings in the various cultures and countries of Asia.

Maybe this means that man is a more defiled creature then women after all or that maybe man’s defilements are just more overt then a women’s are.

In the understanding and practice of Yoga, we look at ourselves and though this action, we cultivate a greater understanding for others.

Perhaps it is such an evolvement of our consciousness that leads us to looks at members of our own and the opposite sex as being our equals.