YOGA AS A THERAPY: A PERSPECTIVE
Yogacharya Dr ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
INTRODUCTION: The art and science of Yoga is first and foremost a Moksha Shastra meant to facilitate the individual to attain the final freedom, liberation or emancipation of Kaivalya.
However one of the important by-products of the Yogic way of living is attainment of health and wellbeing. This is brought about by right-use-ness of the body, emotions and mind with awareness and consciousness. This must be understood to be as healthy a dynamic state that may be attained inspite of the individual’s Sabija Karma that manifests as their genetic predispositions and the environment into which they are born.
YOGA the original mind-body medicine
Yoga is the original mind-body medicine that has enabled individuals to attain and maintain a dynamic sense of physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Bhagavad-Gita defines Yoga is equanimity at all levels, a state wherein physical homeostasis and mental equanimity occur in a balanced and healthy harmony.
To achieve this Yogic integration at all levels of our being, it is essential that we take into consideration the all-encompassing multi-dimensional aspects of Yoga that include the following:
• a healthy life nourishing diet, a healthy and natural environment
• a wholistic lifestyle
• adequate bodywork through Asanas, Mudras and Kriyas,
• invigorating breath practice through the use of Pranayama and
• production of a healthy thought process through the higher practices of Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga.
How our reaction to stress (distress) affects us :
From the Yogic viewpoint of dis-ease it can be seen that psychosomatic, stress related imbalance appear to progress through four distinct phases. These can be understood as follows:
1. Psychic Phase
2. Psychosomatic Phase
3. Somatic Phase
4. Organic Phase
Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru has explained the concept of Yoga Chikitsa (Yoga as a therapy) in the following lucid manner.
“Yoga Chikitsa is virtually as old as Yoga itself, indeed, the ‘return of mind that feels separated from the Universe in which it exists’ represents the first Yoga therapy. Yoga Chikitsa could be termed as “man’s first attempt at unitive understanding of mind-emotions-physical distress and is the oldest wholistic concept and therapy in the world.”
PSYCHOSOMATIC MECHANISMS OF YOGA: Yoga understands the influence of the mind on the body as well as that of the body on the mind. This is the principle of adhi-vyadhi elucidated in the Yoga Vasishta more than 5000 years ago! It is interesting that modern medicine has only realized this connection in the last hundred years whereas Yogis of India were teaching and practicing it for thousands of years.
No wonder Yoga may be considered as the original mind-body medicine. We are what we think, yet we also start to think that which we do.
Yogic concepts and techniques enable the development of right attitudes towards life and enable us to correct the numerous internal and external imbalances we suffer due to our wrong lifestyle/ genetic potential.
Yoga enables us to take responsibility for our own health and happiness!
YOGIC PERSPECTIVE ON HEALTH AND DISEASE:
Yoga understands health and well being as a dynamic continuum of human nature and not a mere ‘state’ to be attained and maintained. The lowest point on the continuum with the lowest speed of vibration is that of death whereas the highest point with the highest vibration is that of immortality. In between these two extremes lie the states of normal health and disease. For many, their state of health is defined as that ‘state’ in which they are able to function without hindrance whereas in reality, health is part of our evolutionary process towards Divinity.
The lowest point on the dynamic health continuum with lowest speed of vibration may be equated with lowest forms of life and mineral matter while the highest point with highest speed of vibration may be equated with Divinity.
Yoga aims at enabling the individual to attain and maintain a dynamic Sukha Sthanam that may be defined as a dynamic sense of physical, mental and spiritual well being.
The Bhagavad Gita defines Yoga as Samatvam meaning thereby that Yoga is equanimity at all levels (yogasthah kurukarmani sangam tyaktva dhananjaya siddiyasidhyoh samobutva samatvam yoga uchyate – Bhagavad Gita II: 48).
This may be also understood as a perfect state of health wherein physical homeostasis and mental equanimity occur in a balanced and healthy harmony.
Tiruvalluvar the great Dravidian mystic says in his 1330 versed Tirukkural, a treatise on righteous living, “Look for the disease, look for its primary cause, find the remedy for that primary cause and then apply that remedy” .
Most modern doctors and even modern Yoga therapists seem to have lost their way in the maze and are content managing the manifest symptoms without understanding the real cause.
SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF USING YOGA AS A THERAPY:
Numerous studies have been done in the past few decades on psycho-physiological and biochemical changes occurring following practice of Yoga.
Some of the researched benefits that are quite well proven are given below to facilitate an understanding of how Yoga works at least at the physical level though we are yet to research and understand subtler effects of Yoga.
Physiological benefits of Yoga: It has been found that Yoga produces stable autonomic nervous system equilibrium, with a tendency toward parasympathetic nervous system dominance rather than the usual stress-induced sympathetic nervous system dominance. This is of great potential in psychosomatic stress related illness abounding in populations worldwide.
Cardiovascular and cardio-respiratory efficiency increases.
Heart rate and blood pressure decrease implying a better state of relaxation leading to reduced load on the heart.
Respiratory rate decreases with improved respiratory efficiency.
The amplitude and smoothness of respiration increases, along with all parameters of pulmonary function such as tidal volume, vital capacity and breath-holding time.
EEG - alpha waves increase.
Theta, delta, and beta waves also increase during various stages of meditation.
Gastrointestinal function and endocrine function normalizes with improvement in excretory functions.
Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase. Posture improves with improvement in strength, resiliency and endurance.
Body weight normalizes and sleep improves with increased energy levels and the immunity increases with improved ability of pain tolerance.
Psychological benefits of Yoga: It has been found that somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase with better self-acceptance and self-actualization.
There is better social adjustment with decrease in anxiety, depression and hostility.
Psychomotor functions such as grip strength, balance, dexterity and fine motor skills, eye hand coordination and reaction time, steadiness and depth perception, and the integrated functioning of body parts improve.
Mood improves and subjective well-being increases while cognitive functions such as attention, concentration, memory, and learning efficiency improve
Biochemical effects of Yoga:
The biochemical profile improves, indicating an antistress and antioxidant effect which is important in the prevention of degenerative diseases.
There are decreased levels of blood glucose, total white blood cell count, total cholesterol, Triglycerides, LDL and VLDL. At the same time it has been reported that there are increased levels of: HDL cholesterol, ATPase, hematocrit, hemoglobin, thyroxin, lymphocytes, vitamin C and total serum protein following Yoga.
THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES OF YOGA CHIKITSA: There are numerous therapeutic modalities used in the application of Yoga as a therapy. Pujya Swamiji Gitananda Giri has enumerated 52 aspects of Yoga Chikitsa in an encyclopedic manner. His exposition of Yoga Chikitsa is unparalleled yet this is a small attempt of mine to put some of these ancient ideas into a modern context for us all to work together towards and harmonious and healthy world.
Some of the commonly used modalities are as following:
Physical Therapies: Asanas (static postures),
Kriyas (systematic and rationale movements),
Mudras (seals of neuromuscular energy) and
Bandhas (locks for neuromuscular energy) gently stretch and strengthen the musculoskeletal system in a healthy manner. They improve mobility and flexibility of the different joints and groups of muscles. There is also concomitant improvement in the systemic function such as respiration, circulation, digestion and elimination.
A general sense of health and well being is also promoted by these aspects of Yoga that help release feel good hormones like endorphins and encephalin.
Emotional Therapies: Swadhyaya (introspectional self analysis),
Pranayama (techniques of vital energy control),
Pratyahara (sensory withdrawal),
Dharana (intense concentration),
Dhyana (meditational oneness) and
Bhajana (devotional music) stabilize emotional turmoil and relieve stress and mental fatigue.
They bring about an excellent sense of emotional balance that is vital for good health.
Group work such as this is important to achieve proper emotional balance that is essential to good health.
Development of Proper Psychological Attitudes: Yoga encourages us to step back and take an objective view of our habitual patterns of behaviour and thoughts.
This enables us to cope better with situations that normally put our bodies and minds under strain. Adoption of the right attitude is one of the most important aspects of Yoga as a therapy and if this is not done it is again more or less Yogopathy and not Yoga Chikitsa.
Mental Therapies: There are a great many Jnana and Raja Yoga techniques of relaxation and visualization that are useful.
Other practices such as Trataka (concentrated gaze),
Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana as well as Dhyana may also be utilized.
Relaxation is a central element in Yoga as it is the body’s own way of recharging its cells and helps to ease physical, emotional and mental tensions.
Spiritual Therapies: Swadhyaya, Satsangha (spiritual gathering seeking knowledge of the reality), Bhajana sessions and
Yogic counseling are important aspects of Yogic therapy that are often neglected in favor of physical therapies alone.
It is important to help patients understand their inner spiritual nature and realize that “Oneness” is health whereas “Duality” is disease.
We cannot remain lonely, depressed and diseased if we realize that we are part of this bountiful and wholesome, wonderful, happy and healthy Universe.
Preventive and Rehabilitative Therapies: Yoga has numerous preventive benefits especially when it is started early in childhood.
It helps in prevention of accidents by increasing awareness as well as agility.
Improved immunity helps in preventing infectious and contagious diseases.
The added benefit of starting early is that the person knows the technique so that they can do it if needed at a later stage in life.
Psychosomatic, stress related and lifestyle disorders may be effectively prevented by adoption of a Yogic way of life.
Yoga also offers rehabilitative therapies for most musculoskeletal conditions as well as in recovery for debilitating illnesses.
The practice of Yoga also goes a long way towards prevention of disability and improving quality of life in numerous chronic conditions.
Pain Relief Therapies: Yoga is a useful addition to the pain relief therapies as it improves pain tolerance and provides an improved quality of life. It can be safely said that Yoga helps us endure conditions that it may not be able to cure. This is vital in end life situations where it is important that the patient has a sense of improved quality of life during their end days. Yoga can also benefit caretakers of such terminal patients who are under great stress themselves.
The right-use-ness of these modalities according to condition and needs of patients will enable us to strike at the root cause of the disease and by correcting its origin. If this is done properly, the manifestation of the disease corrects itself and health and harmony can manifest once again.