Yog Niketan Dham

                                           History of Yoga Therapy

All yoga practices are known to have their wellness and therapeutic advantages for the human body, mind, and soul.

Since the evolution of yoga arose nearly 5,000 years ago, yoga therapy has deeply established itself in Indian civilisation and the world.

Yogis and gurus have practised yoga in the Himalayas for decades. With further advancement, yoga therapy slowly came into existence globally.

Yoga masters used it to determine the root of the problem and prescribe a proper routine to alleviate the ailment. 

Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya is considered one of the masters of yoga therapy and advanced yoga practices. 

In 1900, he started Yoga Chikitsa, now considered one of the leading practices for tackling problems related to physical and mental disabilities.

Indian philosophers profounded three kinds of sicknesses, and these were:

  • Spiritual unawareness
  • Mental issues
  • Physical problems

Yoga Chikitsa considers every aspect of human life—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. A yoga teacher or therapist observes a person’s condition and recommends a follow-up procedure.

Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy focuses explicitly on recovering deformities and healing by applying techniques such as correcting body posturebreathing techniques, and meditation.

Even though most people take their first steps towards yoga through physical exercise, the yogic lifestyle is much more than a few stretching exercises and yoga poses.

It is an easy tool for those who cannot stay on a yoga mat for long. It combines yoga postures, stretching movements, and body part alignment with deep breathing.

                                                             What is Yoga Therapy?

Ayurveda states, “Ya Kriya vyadhiharni sa chikitsa nighadhayate”, meaning that the process of curing different ailments in the human body by using various tools, treatments, and kriyas is known as Yoga Chikitsa. 

It combines yoga exercises with a stretching module to attain proper body alignment. Each individual must select specific Yogic Chikitsa fundamentals.  

Yogic science plays a symbolic role in the practice of therapeutic yoga. It has a great collection of several modules that include different practices. What is Yoga Therapy? It is simply:      

  1. A detailed conversation with the yoga therapist.
  2. A correct procedure is to be followed.
  3. To prescribe the period to be taken for the particular therapy.
  4. Regular practice and consistency in Yogic Chikitsa.
  5. To analyse the results and to examine their effects.

yoga-therapy                                             

                                     What Yoga Chikitsa Can Help With?

  • Postural Deformities
  • Migraine and Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Alcohol Dependence
  • Arthritis
  • Frozen Shoulder
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Phobias
  • Emotional instability
  • Chakras activation
  • Autism
  • Trauma

                                                                     Techniques

  1. Ashtanga Yoga
  2. Eight limbs of yoga
  3. Shatkarmas
  4. Yogic cleansing practices
  5. Asanas
  6. Yoga postures
  7. Pranayama
  8. Yogic Breathing
  9. Bandhas and Mudras
  10. Energy Locks
  11. Yoga Nidra
  12. Deep meditative state

                                          What are the benefits of Yoga Therapy?

Yoga Chikitsa goes beyond limited physical well-being. They go deeper and directly affect mental and emotional equilibrium.

Your yoga therapist applies particular Asanas to improve blood circulation, breath work for calmness, stretching movements for enhancing flexibility, and meditation for inner balance. 

You may feel the changes, and you can improve and heal accordingly. In contrast, much is yet to come regarding its therapeutic characteristics. 

The following are some of the scientifically proven health benefits of yoga Chikitsa are as under :

  • Yoga chikitsa supports relaxing the nervous system and reducing stress levels in the body and the mind.
  • It helps in controlling and curing tension, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and other mental issues that can affect the quality of life.
  • Regular practice of Yoga Chikitsa may help in reducing inflammation in the body. It is well known to reduce inflammatory markers in the organs.
  • Yoga practitioners with years of experience are known to have a lower blood pressure rate that prevents several heart conditions, such as attacks and strokes.
  • Researchers have proven that people who live yogic lives have better cholesterol levels. The risk of heart disease in these patients is also minimal.
  • Chronic pain conditions such as knee arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other bone and muscle injuries are treated by regular practice.
  • Pranayama, also known as breathwork, improves breathing retention. After pranayama, there is a lower chance of lung diseases, asthma, and other related conditions.
  • It can assist in Autoimmune disorders like Lupus, Fibromyalgia, and Rheumatoid arthritis.
  • It improves the flexibility level of a person and makes the body parts without tension.
  • People suffering from Celiac disease can get relief after regular yoga chikitsa sessions.
  • Multiple Sclerosis can be improved with daily yoga and yoga therapy practices.
  • Shatkarmas effectively clean the inner body parts and improve their natural working.
  • Persons with a consistent meditation approach can maintain the highest level of self-confidence and improvement.
  • Yoga Chikitsa is very effective for improving sleeping quality, and someone can get rid of Insomnia.

                                                  How does Yoga Chikitsa work?

  • Pranic awareness, control, and resistance techniques.
  • Visualization and meditative approach for self-identity.
  • Physical movements and postures range from mild to vigorous levels.
  • Particular practices that target areas of discomfort or cater to the circulatory system and musculoskeletal disproportions.
  • Target particular areas and work on several injuries.

Additionally, we also offer you a chance to practice and learn several other forms of alternative therapies, such as:

  • Ayurveda
  • Jin Shin Jyutsu
  • Reiki treatments
  • Pranic healing (Prana treatment);
  • Mantra practices
  • Yagna practices or fire rituals

Posture correction, Breathwork, Regular stretching movements, and a correct routine. Here posture correction is related with alignment of body parts and to keep body in a perfect position. Breathwork is taken from pranayama which is for increasing the efficiency of lungs. Regular stretching movements are the targeted areas to focus and a correct routine is followed up after the consultation of your yoga therapist.

Yoga class is a sequence of yoga asanas, pranayama, and meditation while yoga chikitsa includes a normal checkup by therapist and to keep the exercises routine in a regular basis. Yoga therapy has different modes according to a person’s needs and requirements.

Yoga therapy approaches in a convenient manner for yoga beginners who are unable to perform yoga postures or having difficulty in a regular practise. Yoga chikitsa simply prepares the body for daily exercises. It is very effective in correcting body posture with aligning the body parts.

Yoga chikitsa is a trditional practice of yogic lifestyle. In ancient times it was mainly practised as following the eight limbs of yoga which were:- yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. In modern world it is mostly used as a physical tool for keeping physical body in a perfect shape.