Yoga As Therapy

This week I've been in Austin, TX...the home of a rockin' music scene, the University of Texas and its state capital.  I'm here attending SYTAR (the Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research). When trekking to such conferences, I step into the realm of the unknown as a seeker of knowledge.  I'm curious to learn about what's next in the world of yoga and yoga therapy.  It seems as though Western science is catching up with what the yogis have been touting for a couple of thousand years.  Yet, research plays a vital role in bringing legitimacy to an often skeptical Western mindset of allopathic medicine.  

I am working on the vision of having the practices of yoga being so accepted that when visiting a physician, yoga is an integral part of healing and wellness.  They write on their prescription pads..."take three deep breaths, find a good yoga teacher and call me in the morning."

Part of my role within the Eisenhower Wellness Institute is to bring this vision into manifestation.  Needless to say, it's not the default attitude of many but you can feel the shift happening.  Part of this shift is having great research that supports the benefits of yoga.  The change is to one of legitimacy rather than someone saying, "yeh...try yoga, I hear it's good for you."

I have seen an increase in the number of people attending my Therapeutic and Restorative classes.  These classes offer a space in which people who might never step into a mainstream yoga studio or want a spiritual component to their practice often not found in a gym setting, can feel at home.  If they have physical limitations, are recovering from an injury/illness or have high levels of stress, depression and anxiety, these classes are aimed at supporting their specific needs.

If we look at the definition of therapeutic:
adjective \ˌther-ə-ˈpyü-tik\ 

: producing good effects on your body or mind

: of, or relating to, the treatment of illness 

then all yoga is therapeutic in nature.  Although if we follow the trend of popular yoga in our culture, it can look more like an exercise option than a healing modality.  My thought is that for yoga to have a therapeutic impact it needs to reflect the eight limbs of yoga as articulated in the ancient teachings of the Sutras of Patangali which include:

*Internal and external observances of behavior such as: compassion, integrity, gratitude, simplicity, discipline and connection to a higher source
*Postures & poses
*Conscious breathwork
*Inner reflection & contemplation
*Meditation

It's also a practice that unfolds over time with no quick fix, yet a way of establishing practices that support good health (emotional & physical) for the long haul.

It's incredible to be part of such a community that is striving to bring a higher level of accessibility and acceptance to this ancient practice through research and on-going education.  Here at the conference, I am spending my time looking at chronic pain, hormones, chakras, stress reduction and fascial release (and more!) and am excited to share what I've learned.  I know that what yoga has to offer can alter the course of our lives in the most profound way, even if it simply begins as a way to improve balance or lengthen muscles.  Keep at it and the magic will be revealed!