Monday, November 25, 2013


Here is a good one:   " The nose has a 4 stage filtration system.  By breathing into the mouth you go straight to Stage 4.  This easily results in sore throats, tonsillitis, and even ear infections."

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Timothy MCall, MD - an internist discusses what Western Medicine can learn from Yoga and Ayurveda

Link to: A Conversation with Timothy McCall, MD Interview by Kelly McGonigal, PhD

Excerpt from the interview:

KM:  You travel quite a bit, studying Yoga, Yoga therapy and Ayurveda around the world.  What have you observed in your visits to Yoga Therapy clinics in India, and from Yoga therapists working in the West, that Western physicians could learn from?

TM:  Yoga has enormous therapeutic potential that, despite recent gains in awareness, is still not being recognized or recommended by most Western physicians.  The range of ailments being treated, particular in India, amazed me.  Patients at two different clinics told me of complete remissions from rheumatoid arthritis. Alternate nostril breathing was being taught to some heart bypass patients, leading to smoother post-operative courses and earlier discharges.  Children and adults with severe developmental problems were making tremendous strides with Yoga.  I was also amazed by how varied their techniques were.  Different clinics were using different approaches, yet all seemed to be getting excellent results.


Thursday, November 14, 2013

Tuesday, November 12, 2013


Further resources for classes and trainings can be found at Yoga4Arthritis

Thursday, November 7, 2013


"Doctors have also been motivated by recent studies suggesting that patients who learn better coping skill often have better control over chronic conditions like arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and can reduce their reliance on powerful medications."


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

What is Yoga Therapy?

List of quotes describing Yoga Therapy by leading practitioners below. More quotes at this link and IAYT.


Yoga therapy adapts the practice of Yoga to the needs of people with specific or persistent health problems not usually addressed in a group class.

                                                                                               - Larry Payne, Ph.D Samata Yoga

The use of the techniques of Yoga to create, stimulate, and maintain an optimum state of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.

                                                                                             - Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D.

Yoga as a tool for healing has existed as long as yoga itself, but in recent times, this application has come to be known as yoga therapy.  The use of the term facilitates the growth of the field as a complimentary modality that will gradually be accepted by the medical community as well as the general population. The goal of yoga therapy is to use principles and practices to address an existing imbalance in the student's system.
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                - Sonia Nelson


Yoga therapy is a modern coinage and represents a first effort to integrate traditional yogic concepts and techniques with Western medical and psychological knowledge.  Whereas traditional Yoga is primarily concerned with personal transcendence on the part of a "normal" or healthy individual, Yoga therapy aims at the holistic treatment of various kinds of psychological or somatic dysfunctions ranging from back problems to emotional distress. Both approaches, however share an understanding of the human being as an integrated body-mind system, which can function optimally only when there is a state of dynamic balance.

                                                                                          - Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D

Yoga therapy is the application of Yoga to individuals to empower them to progress toward greater health and freedom from disease.

                                                                                         - Ganesh Mohan, Svastha Yoga and Ayurveda

Yoga therapy is a self-empowering process, where the care-seeker, with the help of the Yoga therapist, implements a personalized and evolving Yoga practice, that not only addresses the illness in a multi-dimensional manner, but also aims to alleviate his/her suffering in a progressive, non-invasive and complimentary manner.  Depending on the nature of the illness, yoga therapy can not only be preventative or curative, but also serve a means to manage the illness or facilitate healing in the person at all levels.

                                                                                                  - TKV Desikachar

Yoga therapy, derived from the Yoga tradition of Patanjali and Ayurvedic system of health care refers to the adaptation and application of Yoga techniques and practices to help individuals facing health challenges at any level manage their condition, reduce symptoms, restore balance, increase vitality and improved attitude.

                                                                                                - Gary Kraftsow American Viniyoga

Yoga Therapy is that facet of the ancient science of Yoga that focuses on health and wellness at all levels of the person: physical, psychological, and spiritual. Yoga therapy focuses on the path of Yoga as a healing journey that brings balance to the body and mind through an experiential understanding of the primary intention of Yoga awakening of Spirit, our essential nature.
                                                                                                - Joseph LePage, M.A. Integrative Yoga
                                                                                                                                                         

Yoga therapy is the adaptation of yoga practices for people with health challenges.  Yoga therapists prescribe specific regimens of postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques to suit individual needs.  Medical research shows that Yoga therapy is among the most effective, complementary therapies for several common ailments.  The challenges may be an illness, a temporary condition like pregnancy or childbirth, or a chronic condition associated with old age or infirmity.

                                                                          - Robin Monro, Ph.D. Yoga Biomedical Trust(England)

Yoga comprises a wide range of mind/body practices, from postural and breathing exercises to deep relaxation meditation.  Yoga therapy tailors these to the health needs of the individual.  It helps to promote all-round positive, as well as assisting particular medical conditions.  The therapy is particularly appropriate for many chronic conditions that persist despite conventional medical treatment.

                                                                     -Marie Quail, Yoga Therapy and Training Center (Ireland)


Yoga therapy consists of the application of yogic principles, methods, and techniques to specific human ailments.  In it's ideal application, Yoga therapy is preventive in nature, as is Yoga itself, but it also restorative in many instances, palliative in others, and curative in many others.

                                                                                           -  Art Brownstein, M.D.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Dr. Herbert Benson on Mind/Body Relationship


Dr. Herbert Benson  shares how the relaxation response is effective in managing stress and how the power of belief is crucial in patient/practitioner relationship.