| Dr. Jai Maharaj 2004-10-07, 2:18 am |
| Scope of Yog therapy
Avenues
The Pioneer
Monday, October 4, 2004
Yog Therapy is the adaptation of Yog to a particular set of people -
those with health problems. In its present form, it is a new discipline,
created by the marriage of traditional Yog with modern medicine. It was
pioneered by Swami Kuvalayanand in the early 1920s, when he founded
Kaivalyadham, a Yog centre in Lonavla (near Mumbai).
In the following decades Yog therapy spread to other parts of India, so
that now there are Yog therapy clinics in many parts of the country,
often associated with hospitals.
In the West, psychologists and doctors now use relaxation techniques
quite widely for the treatment of anxiety and stress. These techniques
are, as we know, derived from Yog, but Western medicine is only just
beginning to recognise the value of Yog therapy, as a discipline in its
own right, for the treatment of a much wider range of conditions.
However, that the ultimate aim of Yog is the realisation of life, not
just the curing of physical ailments.
Yog therapy works simultaneously on physical, mental and spiritual
levels. The interrelating of these different levels, through direct
experience, distinguishes Yog therapy both from traditional Western
physiotherapy and psychotherapy. We see Yog and Yog therapy as working
simultaneously on all these levels and aim to consider lifestyle and
attitudes, along with asanas, Pranayama and meditation, at every Yog
therapy session.
Yog therapy starts with simple exercises. People can begin to practise
and benefit from these right away, even if they have done no Yog before.
It does wonders on chronic conditions as of Asthma, diabetes or anxiety.
There are several possible ways in which the practice of Yog therapy can
be related to the practice of medicine.
In India it is quite common for medical doctors, familiar with Yog, to be
associated with Yog therapy centres. They see all patients when they
first attend, and at intervals thereafter to monitor their progress. They
prescribe the Yog to be practised, and this is taught by Yog instructors
under their direction.
At other Indian Yog therapy centres, Yog therapists have more
responsibility. They take patients directly, only referring them to
doctors if they feel it is called for.
Yog teachers should have sufficient grounding in anatomy, physiology and
pathology to be able to understand the nature of the conditions they are
likely to meet, the medical treatments normally applied, and the bearing
of these on the application of Yog therapy. They should be able to judge
when to consult a medical doctor, and to brief doctors about their cases
and discuss them intelligently.
There is also a place for physiotherapists, occupational therapists and
nurses to take up Yog therapy. In contrast to Yog teachers, the emphasis
of their further training will have to be on Yog and Yog teacher
training, rather than medical topics.
There are some Yog teachers with a talent for Yog therapy of a more
intuitive sort, who are not inclined to undertake medical training to the
extent described above. There is a place for such Yog therapists, and are
exploring ways to incorporate them - probably by having them work in
collaboration with sympathetic doctors or with more medically-trained Yog
therapists who would carry out the patient assessments.
There is also much scope, of course, for Yog teachers in general classes
to practise Yog therapy.
More at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
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