What is Yoga Therapy? Creating Harmony of Mind, Body & Spirit
It is widely known that yoga can contribute in many ways to good health. Some of the best known benefits include:
- reducing
stress
- helping to
control back and neck pain
- increasing
flexibility, strength, and balance
What is less well known is that the therapeutic use
of yoga for a full range of health problems has had a long and successful
history, especially in the East.
Yoga Therapy is derived from the tradition of
Patanjali and the Ayurvedic system of health.
Yoga therapy treats the whole person, not just the
disease. It is based on the fact that, despite the success and undisputed value
of modern medicine, most healing results from the body’s remarkable resiliency
and natural recuperative powers.
The body’s recuperative powers and immune system
can be supported or inhibited by our behavior and attitudes. Yoga Therapy seeks
to identify and correct unhealthy habits and conditioning. This may be as
simple as improving your posture or as complicated as healing a relationship.
Even in cases where the
underlying disease (dis-ease) cannot be cured, yoga therapy can still make a
valuable contribution to the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of the
person.
Is Yoga simply a physical workout?
As our certified Yoga Therapist, Laura teaches more than the physical aspects of yoga. The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word Yuj (to unite). The original goal of yoga is to prepare the body (via physical practices) for meditation where the uniting our small ego-centered self with our true nature (our divine Self) can occur. For some of us, the real challenge is to be still, quiet and simply be with ourselves. Vinyasa Flow gives you the tools to help balance the demands that are put upon our body, mind and spirit. Replenish the source and you can live in a state of inner peace, vibrancy, health and harmony. This is truly the heart of yoga.
Yoga Therapy session is
designed to align, strengthen and stabilize your body, focus and calm your
mind, so that you may connect with your divine Self. Evolving from an esoteric
blend of traditional Hatha Yoga, Viniyoga (the Krishnamacharya lineage), and
Jivamukti® Yoga, Vinyasa Flow focuses on integrating breath and movement,
awareness and alignment, self-study and deep listening, strength and
flexibility in all realms (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual). Vinyasa
Flow Yoga is likened to a beautiful and dynamic dance as the postures and asanas
are connected through breath and awareness.
- Build core strength and awareness
- Heightens coordination and balance
- Helps to create mental focus, while calming the mind
- Integration of all
body systems: muscular, skeletal, respiratory, circulatory, nervous, energetic, emotional, psycho-spiritual
- Reduces and prevents pain and illness
- Heals and rehabilitates through a gentle and methodical
approach to the body
- Complements and enhances any sport or activity
Our
Private Yoga Therapy Lessons are a Holistic practice for Every BODY!
Options include: opening with chanting, setting intentions and breathing
techniques. Sessions then moves through gentle opening sequences into a variety of
sun salutation series and varying additional sequences. We then softly unwind
and close with deep relaxation and meditation. Each session is an opportunity to
nourish mind, body & spirit while sharing in the support of skilled teacher.
No prerequisites are required. All levels are welcome. While we do not teach intense back-bending or neck extending, some asana can be quite challenging and modifications are given as needed. Please inform your instructor, before your session begins, of any injuries or limitations that may affect your participation in the session.
Many beginning students ask if they should get in shape first before beginning yoga. Or wonder if they will have enough flexibility, balance, or grace to do yoga. To thiswe say...
... if you are breathing and moving your body mindfully, with intent and focus, you are doing yoga beautifully.
Join us on the Path of Yoga today....
Please note: Yoga Therapy Sessions are generally given at our GYROTONIC Kona studio location in Keauhou. We are able to accommodate a request for a Yoga Therapy session at our Pilates studio. Please let us know prior to booking (to ensure studio availability).