The original yoga teachings say we all contain divine masculine and divine feminine aspects within ourselves. One cannot exist without the other.
Shiva and Shakti
Many modern yogis understand the divine masculine as Shiva energy. Shiva is most known as the destroying energy clearing the way for creation to happen in his wake. Shakti is the divine feminine energy and the creative energy in the universe. It’s common in yoga and spiritual spaces to hear folks say things like “She’s really stepping into her divine feminine” or “It’s beautiful to see a man embodying the divine masculine.”
Many modern yogis don’t understand that the ancient texts say Shiva and Shakti must always coexist and are found in all things. Shiva holds space for all of creation; nothing can be made without that spaceholding. Shakti’s energy of creation builds conditions for healthy destruction and for letting go.
Ancient texts acknowledged both feminine and masculine energy within all of us. Modern Western culture erases this concept and thus makes it feel foreign to many Americans.
Divine Masculine and Feminine in Practice
As yogis, we recognize these attributes within our own practices – the masculine solar channel, mirrored by the feminine lunar channel along either side of our midline, with shushumna uniting them. The Pingala Nadi is another name for the masculine, solar channel. This is the right side of the body, which activates the sympathetic nervous system and corresponds with heat, activity, and awareness. The Ida Nadi is another name for the feminine, lunar channel. We find this on the left side, activating the parasympathetic nervous system and representing calmness, coolness, and rest. Just like we need our right and left halves, we need both of these energies to be a complete person.
Unification between these energies within each and every one of us is intrinsic to our practices, but as Americans raised in a binary culture, we often forget that this is the case.
Queerness and American Yoga
Queer culture recognizes that we all contain multitudes within ourselves, no matter how we identify. In this way, modern understandings of gender expansion or nonconformity are directly aligned with the teachings. Unfortunately many American yoga studios do not feel like welcoming spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. Studios tend to default to the heteronormative culture at large, making them places where genderqueer, trans, or nonbinary folks experience feelings of alienation. Examples of this include highly gendered clothing, assumptions of mainly feminine energies, or tokenization of masculine individuals in class.
As American yogis, it is our responsibility to continually remember that the teachings we are steeped in say we are all divine and all both masculine and feminine. It is our responsibility to challenge the status quo in our modern culture separating us into two gendered categories.
Practice recognizing, sitting with, welcoming, and becoming the opposite energy you tend to identify with. They’re both a part of you. Get to know your full self. What is the energy you tend to push away? Where are you uncomfortable? How can you compassionately get to know the parts of yourself you haven’t spent time with? Be empathetic and breathe slowly.
How to Make Your Studio More Gender Inclusive
- Begin with restrooms: use All-Gender signage
- Don’t be afraid to ask for and offer your pronouns; respect those who decline
- Hire teachers who look different than you and from each other
- Hang a gender inclusive flag in your window and put one on your website
- Be gentle with folks who are different than you
- Practice being curious instead of judgmental
- Practice consent culture: ask before giving adjustments and advice; respect those who decline
- Remember that “No” is a complete sentence
- Live the example you wish to create
Josie Bray and Corrigan Luckey are the creative forces behind Oak and Thistle Apothecary based in Lowell, Massachusetts. Between them they share four decades in the wellness industry, with a deep focus on yogic and spiritual practice.
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