How I see the yoga world evolving lately is for me a bit preoccupying. There is more and more emphasis on yoga as a way to lose weight, build muscles, “get fit,” and “burn calories,” almost like it is another workout to add to a gym schedule.

A few days ago, I was speaking to a personal trainer at the gym. He encouraged me to join his center and told me how important it would be to teach “strong classes,” where people sweat, push hard, and keep coming back because it feels challenging.

His words didn’t resonate with me… at all.

Why does it always have to be difficult to be considered worthy? Since when did calm, softness and gentleness become “not enough” unless they come with sweat?

This week, I want to share something that has been deeply present in my own journey and recovery: the quiet, powerful medicine of yoga for the nervous system and how this alone can transform hormonal balance, including amenorrhea secondary.

For anyone craving more softness, more steadiness, and the permission to rest without guilt… this is for you.

One of the teachers I deeply admire, David Frawley, explains yoga as a complete system for psychological, emotional and neurological healing. He often emphasizes that the nervous system is the bridge between the body and the mind and when this bridge is calm, clear, and nourished, the entire hormonal network reorganizes itself.

Yes, asana matters. But not the way gyms promote it.
Yes, strength matters. But nervous-system strength, not abs :)

The real medicine lies in:

These are the practices that speak directly to the hypothalamus, the master gland behind HA. They restore safety. And when the body feels safe, hormones begin to flow again.

In David Frawley’s words, pratyahara is a mental fast, a break from overstimulation.

Pratyahara is one of the most underestimated limbs of yoga, yet it is one of the most transformative. It is the moment you consciously withdraw your senses from external stimulation, almost like closing too many tabs in your mind. When you reduce noise, screens, conversations, and constant input, the brain finally gets a break from processing the world.

In HA, the mind is often racing:
What’s wrong with me? When will my period come back? How long will this last? Am I doing enough? Am I eating enough?

This mental noise alone activates cortisol and blocks ovulation.

The beauty is… even a few minutes of sensory withdrawal can shift your whole chemistry:

At first, this peace may feel uncomfortable. If your nervous system is used to stress, calmness can feel foreign. But slowly, it becomes home again.

“Prana” means life force, vitality, the energy that carries intelligence through your body.

For HA, gentle pranayama is essential. And it can more simple that you think. I learnt them years ago and still, discovering their benefits every day more and more.
Not forceful.
Not fiery.
Just soft, slow, lunar breathing.

My favorite: Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing).
Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) is perfect because it balances the two hemispheres of the brain and calms the electrical “charge” of the system. Over days and weeks, this breath can soften cortisol levels, support thyroid and adrenal regulation, and create the internal conditions for ovulation to return.

Yoga Nidra is not sleep. It is a guided journey between wakefulness and dreaming where the body enters deep parasympathetic healing. I personally love yoga Nidra a lot, it feels like a proper reset of my nervous system in a couple of minutes.

During Yoga Nidra:

For women with HA, this practice is pure gold.
Even 10 minutes a day can shift your internal chemistry.

Dont worry, I know meditation at first can feel like something impossible. And, no, you do not need to sit in Padmasana for three hours :)

Meditation can be:

Close your eyes, breathe, and let thoughts come and go. No battle. No perfection. Just presence.

When you meditate, even briefly, your body switches from “protect me” to “I’m safe.”
And that safety is where hormones flourish.

Mantra is not just chanting; it is a way to stabilize the mind and redirect energy.
If your thoughts run like a waterfall, a mantra becomes a gentle thread that brings you back.

For HA, the bija mantra “Shrim” is especially supportive. It vibrates with feminine, cooling, lunar energy, the qualities that nourish the reproductive system and ojas (vital essence).

Repeating “Shrim” silently during meditation or throughout the day brings the mind into a calm rhythm. This rhythm is medicine for a system overwhelmed by stress or perfectionism.

Not all yoga is equal for hormonal recovery.
Dynamic flows or intense classes stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which is already overactive in HA.

What you need are longer-held, grounding, yin-like shapes, which:

Poses such as Viparita Karani (legs up the wall), Supta Baddha Konasana (reclined cobbler’s pose), gentle forward folds, or supported backbends nourish the nervous system in a way that directly supports hormonal repair.
Think of them as sending a message to your brain:
“My body is safe. You can turn fertility back on.”

The longer you hold them (like in Yin yoga), the more your fascia unwinds, your breath slows down, and your nervous system softens.