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Month 1:Introduction to Yoga Therapy

•Introduction to Assessment Tools& Self-Diagnosis

•Yoga Therapy for Yourself

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Friday Night Intro

• Manual Handouts• Get to Know One Another• Parking Instructions• Code of Conduct Form & Requirements• How to Study Anatomy Book

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Assignments, Assessments & Guidelines

1. Attend All 10 Weekends in Full2. Review Assigned Readings3. Apply Content to Monthly Case Studies4. Maintain Personal Home Practice5. Monthly Mentor Conversations to Review

Progress and Questions6. Learning Through Experience

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What is Yoga Therapy?• The process of empowering others towards better health/healing

through practical application of the philosophy of Yoga and itspractices—Dilip Sarkar

• Comprehensive Yoga Therapy (CYT) applies self-realization fromclassical Yoga traditions to alleviate suffering through harmonizationof body, energy, mind, intellect, and spirit.

• An evolving practice, one driven by the client’s awareness andgrowth in the practice of Yoga.

• Comprehensive lifestyle approach towards physical wellness(asanas), psychological attitudes (self-knowledge), mental stillness(relaxation, meditation), and spiritual centeredness (cultivatingpersonal beliefs)

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Month 1 Saturday Program

• Comprehensive Yoga Therapy Overview• Personal Assessment;• Anatomy Intro

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Yoga Therapy in the US,Internationally

• Progressively more regulated• Centralized organization provides:

– Standards of care– Ethics of practice– Conferences/seminars– Research– Professional development– Credibility to profession

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Myths of Yoga Therapy

1. Yoga Therapy is Ayurveda2. Yoga Can Cure All Ills3. The Yoga Therapist’s Job is to Diagnose

the Client and Fix the Ailment4. It is Most Important to Treat Symptoms5. Knowledge of One Lifestyle-Symptoms

Relationship Allows StandardizedTreatment for Future Clients

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Comprehensive Yoga Therapy

• Incorporates Hatha Yoga techniques fortherapeutic aims– More than just Hatha practices

• Classical roots to understand mentalimpediments to personal enlightenment

• Restoration of consciousness to allaspects of one’s life

• Stress management and eradication

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Yoga’s Spiritual Roots

• YOGA means to yoke, unite, join, harness,or bring together in Sanskrit

• Believed to have existed as a way of lifefor thousands of years

• Founded in ancient spiritual texts(Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, YogaSutras)

• A way of life, not a religion

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What is “Therapeutic” Yoga?

• YS I:2“Yoga is the stilling of the wavesof the mind”

• Practices to yield internal steadiness;transcend the suffering of the body

• Freedom through the Eight-Fold Path ofYoga

• Application of Yoga Lifestyle – StressTransformation: Work & Relationships.

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Eight-Fold Path• Yamas (Restraints):

– Ahimsa (Non-harming)• Respect and gentleness to clients and others• Compassion towards self and positive outlooks

– Satya (Truthfulness)• Communicating and listening with integrity• Being true to one’s self and their limitations

– Asteya (Non-stealing)• Robbing ourselves and others of all the little things…

– Brahmacharya (Moderation)• Balance in all things, not too much but not too little either• Preserve energy in practice so as not to burn out

– Aparigraha (Non-coveting)• Not wanting what we do not have• Endeavor for health but without attachment; health just comes 12

Eight-Fold Path• Niyamas (Observances):

– Saucha (Purity)• Pure thoughts, actions, and energy• Healthy choices in life, mentality, and practice

– Samtosa (Contentment)• Accepting things as they are with compassion• Get above limited perspectives to see things in a different light

– Tapas (Discipline)• Consistent practice, even when it is not fun• Daily elements for continuity

– Svadhyaya (Self-study)• Spiritual/personal growth through reading and putting into practice

– Isvara Pranidhana (Surrender to a higher power)• Relinquishing need to control and having faith in the moment

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• Asana (Mind-Body Postures)– Extended comfort of body and steadiness of mind while

maintaining a physical posture• Pranayama (Breath Control)

– Prolonging, measuring, and purifying breath and energy throughpractice and awareness

• Pratyahara (Sensory Withdrawal)– Mastering relationships between external stimuli and internal

responses; decoupling the external from the internal state• Dharana (Concentration)

– Single-minded focus on one thought• Dhyana (Meditation)

– Heightened awareness and altered consciousness movingtowards internal processing, regulation, and deep relaxation

• Samadhi– Alignment with one’s Higher Self; pure awareness

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Underlying Assumptions of CYT

1. The mind is the seat of healing2. Every person is unique3. The allopathic framework of health is

limited4. Health must be approached from a

comprehensive, whole-person point ofview to address lifestyle, personality,history, and mind-body relationship

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Therapeutic Yoga’s Approach

• Integrative approach to amplify andrestore health through education andempowerment of the client

• Movement, breath work, mental practices,lifestyle education, and philosophy forpersonal growth

• For the whole, individual person• Founded in concepts of the Yoga Sutras,

Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita16

CYT and Health Conditions

• Yoga Therapy does NOT treat disease– Treatment of acute conditions/symptoms the

responsibility of a medical professional• Must understand and respect client’s

physical, mental, and emotional condition– Psychological ailments are the realm of

psychotherapeutic specialists• For the person, not the disease

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CYT and Health Conditions

• Assist the client; aim for Prevention• Positive approach to all lifestyle factors:

– Exercise, breathing, ethical living, stressmanagement, work attitude, relationships,nutrition, meditation, emotional balance, lifeintention, spiritual focus

• Of these, stress is the biggest obstacleand negative impact on health

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Foundational Principles

• Daily Routines• Removing Suffering and Accepting Pain• Self-Reliance and Sufficiency• Student of Health vs. Patient of Disease• 5 Paths of Yoga

– Bhakti, Karma, Raja, Jnana, Tantric• Personal Practice and Healthy Habits

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Vision of Yoga Therapy

• Education, not modern therapy– Not symptom relief, excision of symptoms

altogether through balancing the mind• Spiritual lifestyle focus• Key Definitions

– Spiritual: Sense of sacred in the ordinary– Mind: Intellect, emotion, senses, feelings– Therapy: Cure of disease via lifestyle education– Yoga Therapy: Holistic approach to balance the mind

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Hazards of Yoga Therapy

(Note: These are all naïve assumptionsnovice practitioners should be mindful of)

1. Doing yoga as therapy solely forsymptoms of a disease…

2. Clients think that doing poses (asanas) isyoga…

3. The Department of Health governs yogatherapy…

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Yoga Therapy as Education

• Healing through removal of“stinger”—restoring balance byunderstanding the causes of their suffering

• “Healing” is not freedom from disease butfreedom from the bondage disease canhave on the mind, psyche, and spirit

• Not quick-fix, magic pill, or silver bullet• Not one-size-fits-all; totally individualized

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Yoga Therapy as Education

• Firm rooting in higher consciousnessand/or spirituality breeds a balanced mind;yields healthy living

• Continued education, lifelong endeavor• Spirituality is the faith in the sacredness of

reality• YT as an education tool is not one method

as a cure but a holistic way of living

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Conditions Helped by CYT• Vibrant Health with Minor Stress• Overweight (Weight Loss)• Spiritual Direction• Immune Conditions (Arthritis, Lyme Disease)• Dysfunctional Systems (Asthma, Diabetes, Digestive Ailments,

Heart Disease)• Mental Illness (Anxiety, Depression, Nervous System Disorders)• Physical Pain• Stress Management• Pre- and Post-Natal Care• Age-Specific Yoga (Children and Seniors)

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CYT is NOT for Everything

• Temporary conditions/illness/injuries bestserved by health practitioners– Minor conditions can be referred to

complimentary care practitioners, but seriouscases need to see primary care physicians

• Yoga Therapist may reconvene when theclient is healthy enough to attend a yogaclass

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Comprehensive Yoga TherapyLineage

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The Yoga Institute of Mumbai

• Shri Yogendra founded world’s firstsuburban yoga center 1917. Healing workbegan.

• Householder yoga, taught how totransform daily life into a spiritual life

• Taught all branches of yoga.• Lesser known in the USA due to their not

branding yoga.• Influenced yoga lifestyle based programs.

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The Yoga Institute

• Yoga Therapy programs since the 1930’s.Numerous books published, many are freeonline downloads at

• www.TheYogaInstitute.org• Present Directors Dr. Jayadeva and

Hansaji Yogendra oversee and approveComprehensive Yoga Therapy materials.

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Personal Background forPersonal Healing

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• Humility: Be the student, wear the client’sshoes

• Learn material via personal work-through– Familiarize to content and process

• Review personal assessments in Month 2with more detail, structure, and discussion

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• Most medical schools make students actas patients to learn the system as well asempathy

• We are all students of life, all areresponsible in deepening our health and ofothers!

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5 Schools of Yoga

• Bhakti – Love & Relationships• Jnana – Realized Knowledge• Raja – Psychology• Karma – Attitude of Work• Tantra – Health and Well Being

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Five Paths of Spiritual PracticeAssessment Form

• Read this form from manual.• Fill in the 5 basic categories.• Examine your dominant types.• Appreciate how the paths of yoga cover all

aspects of life.

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Five Paths of Spiritual Practice

• Review lower exercise.• In small groups expand the exercise to

include a variety of tasks. Notice whichpersonality type or types dominate yourconsciousness.

• Honor those types and harness yourstregnths.

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Apply Your Personality Type

• See how your personality type canempower you to feel yourself in situations.

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Boundaries

• How do you feel about yourself vs. howothers feel about you?– We read others through filters of your own

pain, guilt, and unresolved issues– Self-assessments for our own healing and

clarity before moving to helping others– Understand how client feels during

assessment; cultivates humility andimportance of honesty

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Levels of Assessment—Definitions

• Yamas How restrained are your harmful thoughts and actions?• Niyamas How much do you incorporate pure mental and

behavioral habits?• Gunas How are the phases of nature balanced in your life?• Chakras In what condition is your energy anatomy?• Koshas What are the health concerns of each of your five

sheathes?• Klesas What psychological blocks are holding you back?• Physical What concerns you about your anatomical or system

functioning?• Five Paths of Yoga Which practice(s) are you most dominant

in?

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Review Yourself on Each of These Aspects!

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Self-Reflection

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Journaling Exercise

What is “Personal Practice”?

1. What is your view of a personal practice?2. What are you actually doing?3. How do you feel about the amount you

practice?

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Group Review

• Awareness of difference in others’ views• What you “do” may be very little; “practice” is

not measured by time on the mat or cushion– All aspects of life can be areas of practice

• In that light, you may be underestimatingyour amount of practice!

• Practice is living a normal life infused withspiritual attitude

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Focus on Koshas“Feeding All Levels”

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Food/Physical Body

• Gunas (Purusa and PrakritiTamas,Rajas, Sattva)

• Food is fundamental medicine• 21-Day Challenge of no refined food

– Difficulties in eliminating junk food– Realize benefits and changes in all levels– Can not teach about it if you do not do it!

• Food journal for the next month

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Breath/Energy Body• Deep breath is the best daily vitamin

– Nourish every single cell with oxygen

– Remove cellular wastes more effectively

– Improve cognitive and organ functioning

– Relax nervous system to promote healing44

Breathing Self-Diagnosis

• Sit in a personal slumping habit, stayhere as you consider the following…

1. What part(s) of the lungs is moving in this position?2. What part(s) of the lungs are restricted in this position?3. How many seconds are you inhaling?4. How many seconds are you exhaling?5. Do you pause after the inhalation; if yes, for how long?6. Do you pause after the exhalation; if yes, for how long?7. What is the breath quality: choppy, in stages (like an elevator),

fast and then slow, slow and then fast?8. How do you feel emotionally in this breath?• Apply this diagnostic to daily breathing in normal, upright posture

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Mind/Emotional Body

• Intake from Surroundings• Senses and Pratyahara• Reactions due to Belief System• Emotions

– Gunas– Pure vs. positive or negative thinking– Informative, need not veer us from path!

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Intellect/Thought Body

• Vision for one’s life and future• Power of thought on feelings and behavior• Clarity of Mind• Meditation• Sensory Mastery

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Spirit/Bliss Body

• Belief System, similar to Crown Chakra• “Who am I” meditation• Self-realization• Surrender• Receptivity of Peace / Beyond Words

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Belief System Chart

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Enlightening Ignorance createsSelf Realization

• Ignorance, the top Hindrance of the Mind(Klesa, Yoga Sutras II, 5), meansmisapprehension of Reality.

• Reality or life situations are more complexthan they may appear.

• Normal human desires cause cloudy viewsof the actual happening and leads tohuman suffering/stress.

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Ignorance runs Deep

• Try to persuade an old person whobelieves that life should be as it was whenthey were young to shift there thinking to amodern viewpoint and it is like hitting abrick wall.– Have you tried to alter the belief of a young

person if they feel strongly?– People go to war over beliefs.

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Belief Examples

• The ultimate example is to work with yourown beliefs and see if you can shake themfree.

• Below are exercises for yourself andunderstand the beliefs that guide you aswell as the outgrowth of these beliefs.

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I deserve a Treat Example• Culturally accepted belief:• “I deserve a treat as I work hard all day”

– Overwork is rewarded with a “treat”; I dislike hardwork but have to do it, so I give myself a reward aftermy suffering.

– Revised Belief “I work for the betterment of others,and after work I eat healthy to remain in goodcondition to keep serving the next day. My reward isin my love of the work”

• “

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Everyone is Indulging Example• Culturally Accepted Belief:• “Everyone else is indulging, I might as well join.”

– Desire to be accepted through external gratification, “Iwant to belong and be loved by others, even thoughthis activity is not my norm.”

– Limited Belief: I am loved by others if I do what theydo.

– Revised Belief “I accept myself when enjoying thecompany of others, and to remain balanced I makehealthful choices”

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The ‘Should’ Belief

• On Yoga Practice: “I should really do moreyoga poses at home. It is a part of theyoga path.”

• Limited Belief: Following the Ashramprotocol makes me a good Yoga person.

• Revised Belief: My practice is applied toeach aspect of my life and to mydisposition.

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Belief System Chart

• To assist with the Belief systemunderstanding, we have a chart thatbegins with the external (Gross) andmoves to the internal (subtle).

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Gross to Subtle Understanding

• Meaning / Situation• Emotional Reaction• Feeling• Sense (may be skipped)• Desire - ( un / conscious)• Belief (un / conscious)• Ego (sense of I-ness)• Urge (unbiased)• Source (human-divine)

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Meaning or Situation

• An effective method of examining one’sview of reality is to begin with a specificexample. Not a broad example, like trafficpatterns on Route 99. It is, last Tuesday at5 pm on Route 99, a car swerved in frontof me suddenly.

• Focus on a moment in the story and not ina long, drawn out drama.

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Mistakes with Meaning

• The student tells a 10 minute story aboutan uncomfortable situation and usesblame or other colorful adjectives – evenrelates how this happened in the past.

• You may find it tough to deepen the story.• Pinpoint a moment in time and then move

onto the Emotion step, this takes nolonger than 5 minutes of the session time.

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Name the Emotion of the Story

• By pausing at one key point in the story,ask the person the emotion that wasactivated in them.

• Often, the student will not understand thisquestion or point and they will run on withthe story.

• Repeat, can you name the emotion youfelt as the car swerved?

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Name that Emotion

• An emotion is a unit of mind-body change.• Emotions are ways that the human mind

integrates new information.• When the new information is unwanted,

the emotional intensity increases.• Emotions are messengers that help the

mind integrate the new information.

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Unheard Emotions

• When an emotion persists, it is due to theperson not wishing to listen to the newinformation. This causes a small to largedissonance that is commonly named‘stress’

• This break from reality would beconsidered one manifestation ofIgnorance.

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Emotions

• Be firm with the healthy person who is notin crisis. The client may try to evade thisstep with numerous tactics.

• In the person experiencing a crisis, take avery supportive tact and a gentle or caringapproach.

• Afflict (motivate) the comfortable studentand comfort (sooth) the afflicted.

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Feeling

• A feeling is a more subtle, descriptiveversion of an emotion.

• Anger is a common example of anemotion with an underlying ‘feeling’ thatcould range from hundreds of moreprecise descriptions.

• Naming the feeling further deepens thestudent’s understanding of a situation.

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Feeling

• By naming the feeling, the student movesone step further from externalization of asituation. Things like blame andcompliaints are less common in this stage.

• Also, the student may begin to associateother experiences related to similarfeelings in other situations that show thestudent’s pattern of consciousness.

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Feeling

• In very adept people or when a person isvery centered, they may adjust to changesin reality by noticing emotions at thefeeling level and never have an outwardexpression, but still accept the new event.

• In experienced people like a cook at arestaurant, he simply acknowledges thewaiter who yells since it has happenedmany times before. The yelling is felt butno emotion is needed. 66

Sense

• This stage may not need to be used by allstudents; it is a stage to help when aperson can’t seem to name a feeling or isblocked in some way.

• A sense could also free the person to useanother method of communication; think ofthe many forms of Psychotherapy thatassist people; Art, Theatre, Imagery

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Sense Examples

• “It just made me feel awkward”• I had a dream about it and in the dream…• It reminds me of this interesting past

experience• I see a picture or a color but not sure what

it means.• Again, this step may be skipped by some

people.68

Helpful Desires

• The drive for Self-Realization isconsidered the final desire to beunderstood. This drive is virtuous.

• The other helpful desires is anything thatis virtuous like love, peace, joy, harmony,goodness, service – anything that servesothers; however, these virtuousaspirations must be selfless or withoutattachment to the results.

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Helpful Desires

• No previous outcome is needed – a Doctorwishing to serve a dying patient may striveto prolong the patient’s life, but beaccepting that death may be / willeventually be the result.

• Again, reaching a selfless view meansaligning your mind with reality and is nosimple task.

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Self Motivated Desires

• As soon as one says, “I want” the wishturns into the typical definition of a desireas a wish for pleasure or a wish for thingsas “I” would like them to be.

• The desire is contrary to what may beoccurring in Reality.

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Desire Examples

• I don’t want you to die.• I want to get a new job.• I would like to loose weight soon.• I would like a new (insert favorite thing).• I want you to behave the way I like to you

behave or the way I trained you(!)

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Belief / Value Statement

• The belief statement relates to deeperideal that I hold to be true about life.

• These statement may or may not correctlyexplain reality.

• When these statements incorrectly explainreality, the person feels a dissonance thatis loosely termed separation or stress.

• Once the Belief is revealed, it may beedited!

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Belief Examples

• The world is a good place – niceaspiration but a more true belief might be:

• The world is an unpredictable place.

• People deserve to be loved – ideally yes.• But relying on humans for love is external,• I am worthy of love no matter how life

appears is full proof.74

Belief Examples

• I work hard so others will like me isexternal, doing something for a benefit.

• Working for its own sake is safe, I enjoyserving others.

• “I teach yoga to make the world a betterplace by changing others” is a commonthought of Yoga Teachers; “I create aspace for people to practice Yoga” isaccurate.

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Ego/ I Sense

• The personal Ego or “I Sense” iseverything that I think makes me a uniqueindividual.

• All that I identify to be true is who andwhat I think I am.

• That which I consider to be ‘me’ or ‘mine’makes up the ego that separates me fromother beings and separates me from theuniverse.

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Ego/ I Sense

• The ego is needed on the level of self-careand existence.

• Typically, the ego expands its boundariesand causes a separation from reality.

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Urge/Pure I Sense/Pure Awareness

• This stage of the human being transcendsthe ego and touches as closely to thesource of all things. The human being’spure awareness simply experiences life asit is. There is a feeling of unity andcomplete peace.

• A Yoga Therapy student need not namethis state as it has no name but thestudent can be aware of this pure state.

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Source/Pure Reality/Purusa

• Ultimate reality in Yoga Psychology is astate beyond words. Mystics point to thisas the essence of all life.

• The goal of this Belief system chart is toalign the human being’s consciousness tothe source of all things,

• thereby enlightening ignorance.

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Journaling Exercise 1

1. Honestly list your unhealthy habits.– Be aware of your weaknesses

2. What is the belief system that pervades?– Understand the roots of unhealthy actions

3. What positive steps can you take orbeliefs you can incorporate to strengthenyour health on the psychophysical level?

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Journaling Exercise 21. List healthy habits from all aspects of your life.

• Affirm your good behaviors to strengthen existingdiscipline

• We all do some healthful activities• Impossible to do “everything”—feeling inadequate

is counterproductive• Remain positive as you remember all the good

things you do practice• Slowly experiment with new behaviors

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Self-Assessments, Continued

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Yama and Niyama

• Intention• Review subtleties of each—how apply to

healthy lifestyle (psychology andrelationships with self/others)

• Notes from TT manual

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Klesas or Psychological Blocks

• Review Meaning• Breakdown Yama/Niyama Results• Ignorance• Egoism• Attachment• Aversion• Fear

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Self-Reflection of PersonalIssues for Yoga Therapy

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Relaxation on Self-Healing

• See your body as pure light• Tension areas are felt as grey or dull• As you relax, start to turn those grey areas

to white or brightly colored light• Begin the scan in any direction: head to

toe, toe to head, radiating from the heart…• Emphasis is self-mastery of body and

mind vs. prescribed instructions86

Comprehensive LifestyleEducation

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• Health a factor of ongoing lifestyle choices

• Consider whole person health– Nutrition, sleep, exercise, hygiene, emotions

• Most of us have similar weaknesses (lowself-esteem for example)– Empathy is a valuable tool

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• Many understand healthy living, yet struggle topractice– Junk food, sweets, alcohol, and cigarettes are

detrimental, yet our culture consumes them bythe tons!

• Reasons for unhealthy habits lie in addiction,fear, laziness, attachment to pleasure…

• As you visualize positive health, bringawareness to weak/negative tendencies– Tendencies lead to underlying belief (rational

or not); usually linked to extended family

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Anatomy

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Anatomy Self-Assessments

• Apply functional anatomy techniques toassess your own anatomy

• Work in groups to identify the range ofskeletal and muscle structures

• Partner up and review movements, rangeof motion, composition, injuries, etc. for anhonest, comprehensive picture of yourself

• Discuss implications for Yoga Therapists

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Functional Anatomy

• Respecting the body’s natural wisdom• Asanas are not cookie cutters!

– Fit the pose to the body, not the body to thepose

• Where a person is in their pose may beexactly where they need to be

• Risk injury and compromising relationshipif driven by “perfection” in postures

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Bias in Poses

• Influence and past experience color ourfuture practicing/teaching of poses

• Knowledge of poses important, but oneset of instructions is not dogma

• Every body is different! (From previousslide)

• That the practitioner is experiencing theirbody is what counts

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Some Words on Chitta

• The state of one’s mind is revealed in thebody– Our thoughts and attitudes are reflected in our

postures (asanas and off the mat)• Likewise, physical posture and health

reflect on the state of the mind• If you are depressed, you slump forward,

and by slumping the spine forward themind is further drawn away from balance