The more experience I gain in my chosen field of Therapy Yoga, the more I realise how many different ways this mind-body treatment can help people. I continue to discover new and unique ways in which yoga therapy and counselling can counter and reverse physical, mental and emotional issues. Since this is a lesser known field, there are many who aren’t sure what exactly it entails. Some of the students of my yoga class often ask me about this, and I also receive calls from people wanting to know more. Hence, I thought I would just talk about the main perspectives of Therapy Yoga & Counselling today.
Yukta-shiksana – Literally, this means teach what is appropriate. There are some who may need to build physical strength, while others need to work on mental toughness. So each person opting for yoga therapy would have a customised treatment protocol that includes counselling, yoga, meditation and other modalities.
Bheda – This means differences between people, which must be respected. So here, what is appropriate for one person may not be so for another, since each of us is a unique individual. We all have different specific personality traits and life experiences, which make us what we are.
Desha – This refers to a person’s region of origin (country, state, urban, rural etc.) and their situation in life. Where we live and our circumstances have significant bearing on who and what we are.
Deha – This refers to the physical self – our age, constitution, nature, peculiarities, state of health, the amount of weight we carry, physical ailments we have, etc. Obviously these are important factors to keep in mind for yoga therapy as well.
Kâla (kaal) – This refers to the time of day, the seasons of the year and so on. Some of us tend to feel healthier at some times of the year or in some seasons. For instance, joint ailments are worse in winters, allergies are worse at other times and some emotional problems tend to flare up at specific times as well.
Vritti – A person’s occupation or aptitude is also a significant factor. So, for instance, my yoga therapy sessions with a homemaker would be designed differently from the sessions for, say an athlete. I would take a different approach for a student than I would for a business person.
Shakti – This refers to endurance – both physical as well as emotional. What is the intellectual capacity? How efficiently does one retain information? How flexible or strong are they physically? How much time to they have to devote? These are other aspects to consider.
Mârga (maarg) – The person’s belief system and spirituality are also relevant for yoga therapy. Some of us are more ritualistic than others, for instance. Some of us respond better to chanting, exercises and so on.
Multi-pronged approach
Yoga therapy is about holistically improving one’s mental, physical and spiritual health. The physical aspect or shakti-krama involves physical exercises to help strengthen the muscles and improve circulation and organ function. They also help improve physical endurance and shore up the immune system. At the same time, the body is purged of toxins or dosha, to release blocked energy of the body’s channels or nadi, and ailments/diseases are removed from the body. There is yet another aspect of yoga therapy; which is âdhyâtmika-krama which refers to the intellectual or academic aspect of the human being. This is about getting to know our own inner selves and our abilities.
I don’t claim to know everything about yoga therapy. I am as much a student as I am a teacher, I feel. This is because I continue to learn from the people who approach me for therapy and from my experiences in each case. I am enriched by my experiences, and in turn I am able to offer that enrichment and insight to more people who seek yoga therapy and counselling.