Global Yoga Fest Organized by Yogi Jayadevan 19th to 23rd Feb.2016

Yogacharya Dr. Mukund V. Bhole, M.D.

Random thoughts on the application of Traditional  “Yoga Sādhanā” (dikshā, shikshā & abhyāsa) as Therapy

There are various treatment  protocols such as:

- Treatment of the physical structure (annamaya kosha)

- Treatment of vital body functions (prānamaya kosha)

- Treatment of mind and the mental functions in respect of disturbing memories, feelings, emotions, thoughts, actions, behavior and state of being (manomaya, vijnānamaya and ānandamaya koshās). 

- Modification of Food, Diet, Nutrition, Exercise, Work, Nature of different kinds of Inputs-Outputs, etc.

All these aspects are covered in an altogether  different manner in ‘Yoga Sādhanā’ practiced as ‘Yoga Therapy’ in order to manage one’s sufferings. Some more aspects are integrated and one has to work on one’s own after initial training & learning. Therefore, Yoga Therapy is getting recognized as an independent system.

Traditionally, the main object of practicing Yoga was ‘realization of self’ (Ātma-sākshātkāra) and universal nature of the self (Brahma-sākshātkāra) through purification & development of the self.  As a process, some of the universally accepted and understood meanings of the word ‘Yoga’ is ‘To Unite’, ‘To Join’, ‘To Connect’, ‘To Relate’, etc. The resulting state of being or consciousness is recognized and termed as a ‘Yogi’.

Pātanjala Yoga Sutrās (PYS) mention eight aspects (astāngās) for understanding, learning and practicing Yoga:

     (A) Bahiranga Yoga:

    (1) Yama,
    (2) Niyama,
    (3) Āsana,
    (4) Prānāyāma.

     (B) Moving from outside to inside the body:
    (5) Pratyāhāra.

    (C) Antaranga Yoga:
    (6) Dhāranā,
    (7) Dhyāna,
    (8) Samādhi or Samyama.

Bhagavad Gitā mentions eighteen different types of Yogas:

(1) Arjun-Vishād-Yoga,

(2) Sāmkhya-Yoga,

(3) Karma-Yoga,

(4) Jnāna-Karma-Sanyāsa-Yoga,

(5) Sanyāsa-Yoga,

(6) Dhyāna-Yoga,

(7) Jnāna-Vijnāna-Yoga,

(8) Akshara-Brahma-Yoga,

(9) Rājavidyā-Rājaguhya-Yoga,

(10) Vibhῡti-Yoga,

(11) Vishwa-rῡpa-darshana-Yoga,

(12) Bhakti-Yoga,

(13) Kshetra-Kshetrajna-vibhāga-Yoga

(14) Guna-traya-vibhāga-Yoga,

(15) Purushottama-Yoga,

(16) Daiva-Asura-sampat-vibhāga-Yoga,

(17) Shraddhā-traya-vibhāga-Yoga,

(18) Moksha-sanyāsa-Yoga.

Every patient should treat oneself as a ‘sādhaka’ and should try to study these source books along with the Yoga practices to avail of maximum help. Yoga has been declared as a sports activity. Most of the Yoga Instructors get trained on the lines of exercise and sports unless and until they receive special training in Yoga Therapy.   It may happen that patients may get instructions on the lines of exercise therapy or physiotherapy instead of traditionally  followed  ‘Yoga Sādhanā’ as Therapy.  In Yoga Therapy, we work with the ‘Individual’ rather than the specific disease conditions. Therefore, Yoga as Therapy stands on different foundations.

Common features of Yoga Sādhanā utilised as Yoga Therapy can be summarized as follows:

1. • To assume suitable body position (either sitting or lying down according to one’s health) in proper environment and floor conditions and to develop awareness of the physical body (proprioceptive awareness) with a ‘let go feeling’ (prayatna shaithilya) and try to maintain it for some length of time, say 20 to 30 mins. [PYS-II:47]
   
   

2. • This will allow the individual to experience physical stability (sthira) and comfort (sukha). [PYS-II:46]
   
   

3. • To dissociate the mind (vi-yoga) from the worldly activities related with one’s profession/vocation/ business/service, family, society, hobby life, etc. (samsāra / indriya-pradhāna-bahir-mukhatā) during this period and to keep one’s mind connected with the body from inside (to become antarmukha).
   
   

4. • To learn to develop awareness of the physical body (deha-bhāva) when one is not involved in any kind of worldly activites.
   
   

5. • To listen to different types of messages, mostly of disturbing nature (vikshepās) from the body.
   
   

6. • Try to develop awareness of the origin of these messages & their contribution to sufferings, if any.
   
   

7. • As patient, one already most of them in details.
   
   

8. • To perceive some kind of light with lightly closed  eyes (antah-prakāsha or manah-prakāsha) and start perceiving the body with the help of that light.  If difficult, get guided by the Yoga therapist.
   
   

9. • Start developing awareness of:
   

     (1) the body movements related with natural, spontaneous,
involuntary breathing (kinesthetic perception or vāyu-dhāranā!);

    (2) the flow of in-breath (svāsa) and out-breath (prasvāsa) guiding you inside the body along with their entry-exit areas, pathways and 
   destinations.

1. • Allow any memories, thoughts, feelings, etc. to flow freely.
   

1. • Start reciting mantra of your choice if mind seems to be very active and disturbing.
   

1. • Spend some time in Yoga Nidrā or Shavāsana in the end and also in the beginning if feeling tired, exhausted and weak.
   

 

1. • Developing awareness of one’s body movements related with involuntary, natural and spontaneous breathing  activity (prānāyāma)  will help one to recognize the blocked areas of the body in respect of breathing movements which require to be unblocked through Yoga Sādhanā (vāyu-shuddhi).
   

1. • Awareness of the blocks in the experiential pathways of the flow of breath and its internal destinations require them to be removed through yoga practices (nādi-shodhana and nādi-shuddhi prānāyāma).
   

 

1. • Games, sports, exercise protocols, fitness programs, medicines, counseling, etc. cannot achieve this goal of vāyu-shuddhi and nādi-shuddhi leading to prānāyāma.
   

1. • Detailed guidance to work with disturbed vayus, blocked nadis, closed lotuses and chakras has to be received from the experienced Yoga Teacher & guide.
   

1. • Working with suitable mantrās (sound vibrations) play an important role to influence the mind. Recitation of mantras is different from singing and talking, even though the same alphabets are used.
   

1. • Books, charts, audio CDs, video films, lectures  are good for learning different techniques in details. However, sooner or later, one requires the help and guidance of a living teacher-cum-guide (Guru!) to get more personalized training and guidance.
   

                              

                                                      Dr. M.V.Bhole