By Tania Bayne
Yoga is an ancient practice with a truly diverse, wholistic approach that skillfully uses the mind-body-heart-spirit dimensions to create unity and balance. There are so many ways to define this practice. One of my favorites explains that:
“in yoga we learn to relax in the challenge of discomfort and find inner peace.”
The fact is that the healing power of yoga encompasses all dimensions of our being — physical, mental, energetic, emotional and spiritual. The beauty of this practice is that because it is multifaceted, it can be applied and modified to achieve specific results or benefits. For example, some people get attracted to yoga to improve their flexibility and keep healthy joints; others start after an accident or surgery or a major health crisis for a gentle and safe physical recovery; yet others like the emotionally healing component and the renewed sense of self they come to explore.
In recent years, many doctors and pain management clinics, schools and military personnel have increased interest, have read about the research on yoga and find that yoga is an excellent evidence-based therapeutic modality.
The five points of yoga are simple: proper physical exercise, proper breathing, proper diet, proper rest and relaxation, and positive thinking and meditation. Simple, yet not so easy to apply and keep consistently in our lives.
An interesting thing about yoga is that soon after you start your yoga practice, you realize that the physical benefits are just a small portion on the surface of a much deeper level of healing practice. The key meditation component of yoga gives us the tools and a natural way to improve, among other things, peace of mind, balance, strength, patience, courage and self-image. Additionally, yoga helps us with emotional regulation, stress management, pain management, and the element of mindfulness to help us to cultivate a deeper self-awareness. Yoga’s therapeutic benefits can help conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, anxiety, sleep problems, stress, obesity, injury prevention/recovery, physical pain, auto-immune disorders, depression, and many others.
It is also truly empowering to know and believe that you are the expert of yourself (mind and body), as you stop and listen to your body, to its aches and pains and learn to be gentle with yourself, tuning in to your body’s intelligence and treating yourself with utmost respect and care.
A main practice principle of yoga, called Ahimsa, from Sanskrit, promotes non-violence, being mindful and gentle with yourself. Keep in mind that yoga is an experiential science, art and practice, that just reading or hearing about it will give you only a glimpse of what yoga is all about. So, take a deep breath and join the big or small yoga community of the United States of Yoga.
Tania G. Bayne, LPC-S, is founder and CEO of Shanti Yoga & Counseling, shantiyogaandcounseling.com.