Yoga Therapy

The digestive system is often the first target when you're stressed. Have you ever experienced an upset stomach or frequent trips to the bathroom before an exam or a big presentation — without eating anything unusual? You didn't do anything wrong, yet something happened internally that caused it. Why?

To understand this, let's look at disease from the perspective of Yoga — which means first understanding the human body from this same perspective.

Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy

Yoga Therapy is a growing field, and scientific evidence has begun to emphasize its efficacy. It is used to treat existing physical and mental health issues, as well as a self-care strategy for prevention and maintenance. The holistic focus of yoga therapy encourages the integration of mind, body and spirit. Modern yoga therapy covers a broad range of therapeutic modalities, incorporating elements from both physical and psychotherapy — using yoga postures, breathing exercises, meditation and guided imagery to improve physical and mental health.

The WHO's very definition of health — "not merely the absence of disease but a state of wellbeing at physical, mental and social levels" — is being broadened by introducing the spiritual dimension to health. Yoga, as the science of holistic living, provides for this total quality management.

Basis of the Integrated Approach

The basis of the integrated approach of Yoga Therapy is rooted in the Upanishads and yoga texts. Yoga philosophy describes the physical body, subtle body and causal body as the three bodies that encompass the five koshas. Total integration can occur when optimal health and wellbeing are reached within the body, mind and spirit — exploring and integrating each layer helps bring us closer to a state of bliss.

According to the Upanishads, there are five sheaths, or koshas, to our seemingly individual existence. Disturbances in the Manomaya Kosha percolate into the physical layer (Annamaya Kosha) through the Pranamaya Kosha. In treating psychosomatic ailments, it becomes necessary to work at all these levels of our existence to bring about the quickest results. The integrated approach, then, doesn't only deal with the physical sheath — relief there could at best be temporary, as is often the case with modern medicine — but also includes techniques that work on each of the different sheaths of our existence.

The Five Koshas

Annamaya Kosha

A satvik diet, kriyas (neti, jal neti, agnisara, kapalabhati, vaman dhauti), loosening exercises and yogasanas are operative at this level to reduce physical symptoms.

Pranamaya Kosha

Practising different kinds of breathing techniques helps remove random agitations in the pranic flows within the Pranamaya kosha.

Manomaya Kosha

Different types of meditation and devotional sessions help calm the mind. Practising inner peace results in emotional stability.

Vijnanamaya Kosha

Yogic counselling, lectures and satsang bring forth knowledge that helps overcome strong desires, likes and dislikes — the basic reasons for agitation. A lack of inner knowledge, and not knowing that "happiness is within us," is responsible for many unhelpful habits and agitations.

Anandmaya Kosha

Happy assembly, tuning to nature and taking action in relaxation leads to bliss. This brings our innate healing powers into effect — a complete cure of our ailments — and we learn to maintain equipoise in all our actions.