Why Yoga therapy is the best among all the therapies?


 

In recent times importance of yoga therapy has been realised and accepted by many as the best therapy to treat various diseases. In many yoga institutes there is full fledged facility for treatment of many ailments through Yoga therapy.

The word ‘therapy’ means remedy, cure, remedial treatment, method of healing etc.  In any therapy, whether it is Allopathy, Ayurveda, Unani or Homeopathic, treatment in a particular manner is given to the patient to cure disease. 

 Body is the target in any therapy. When heterogeneous elements enter in human body or homogeneous elements get imbalanced, due to which human body feels some sort of discomfort or disorder, the treatment given to heal the disorder is called therapy. 

 The Yoga Therapy is a very modern subject. It is a self-empowering process that not only addresses the illness in a multi-dimensional manner, but also aims to alleviate suffering in a progressive, non-invasive and complementary manner. 

Main aim of Yoga is self realisation or union with the supreme power. Good health is the by product of the yoga. In true sense, yoga is not at all a therapy. The meaning of therapy refers to cure disease but aim of yoga is not to cure disease rather it is overall well being of humans.

Methodology: Yoga therapy, derived from the Yoga tradition of Patanjali and the 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 to manage their condition, reduce symptoms, restore balance, increase vitality, and improve attitude.

                                                                

 

 

In various scriptures of hath Yog such as hathyog pradipika, garayand sanhita, gorakh shatak, shiv sanhita, there are various therapeutic techniques mentioned. By various scientific researches on yogasans, kriyas, bandha, mudra etc., it is found that there are spiritual, emotional, vital, mental, physical, and therapeutic benefits from yoga practice. Thereafter, yoga has been regarded as a therapy to cure disease as a complimentary therapy. 

Importance and Limitation of Yoga Therapy –

• Broken hand can’t be treated by Yoga. Yoga therapy can’t be used to treat diseases such as Aids or cancer. Yoga can greatly help a person by motivation to overcome the fear of death. Yoga can provide energy to fight with disease through counselling. This is also excellent service to humanity. Yoga is primitive and holistic therapy.
• Yoga helps in functional disorder, means if there is problem in functional disorder in physical body, and also effect on emotional, mental, vital level, then Yoga therapy really helps the patient.
• Yoga therapy has no side effect. Therapies other than yoga are based on signs and symptoms. Only the body is the target. They get relief through intake of medicine. Yoga therapy is not based on signs and symptoms. But Yogik approach considers that sigh and symptoms of any disease can be compressed temporarily. According to Yoga, a person is treated not only at physical level but at all levels of panchakosha. It is believed that a person is a combination of Physical body, vital, mental, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, so all the levels are treated one by one in yoga therapy.

Yoga therapy doesn’t use artificial things for treatment. it is based on natural elements in most natural way. However Ayurveda medicines can be used in yoga therapy. 

Modern science view point of human existence: Modern allopathy treats human body if there is any deficiency or malfunction at physical level. The body is treated as if it is a machine. For them human existence is only bodily existence. The term Psychosomatic is now accepted by modern science. Now they believe that besides body, mind is also considered as a part of body. 

Yogic view point of human existence: Panchakosha includes body, pran, mind, intellect and soul – they all are different entities, but closely co-related to each other. According to yoga, disease means if there is any disorder in the integration among panchakoshas at any level, it will reflect on body sooner or later. Human body be treated as a whole unit, not only at physical level. Desired result can’t be achieved till the root cause is removed. So treatment at all levels is known as integrated approach of yoga which is necessary to remove disease from the root. 

Scientific definition of health: Proper functioning and coordination of all systems and organs in the body is called health. Besides this, if there is no deformity in anatomy and no hindrance is felt while performing any action then it is called perfect health. 

Definition of health by WHO, “The state of complete physical, mental, spiritual, intellectual, emotional and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. 

Definition of health according to Ayurveda, “Health means order and balance of Vatt, Kaff & Pitta in the body.” Also balance in all three fires (7 Dhaatu, 5 Panchakosha & 1 Stomach). 

According to Yoga: Health is an absolute integration in the body at all levels, i.e. Physical, Pran, Mind, Intellect and Soul level. 

Physical health means integration in cells, tissues, organs, systems, human body and proper functioning and coordination of all the systems. This means each and every cell of the body functions at its optimal level. 

Pran: This is the most vital force in our body, which is responsible to carry out all the functions, it should be free flowing throughout the body.

Mind: Mind is influenced by Sat-Raj-Tam. Function of mind is Decision making, planning, short term memory, immediate decision, imagination, desire etc. All the factors of mind are free from the impurities, and work under the control of higher authority i.e. Intellect. 

Intellectual health: when our intellect is free from the influence of false ego and takes decision independently.

When all the above are perfectly coordinated with each other in the human body, it is known as perfect health or Samadhi. 

Samadhi is the opposite of vyadhi. Samadhi means absolute integration and vyadhi means dis-integration. 

Disease: Disease is mainly referred disorder (of structure or function) in human being. 

Scientific definition of disease: improper functioning and lack of coordination of all systems and organs in the body is called disease. Besides this, there might have deformity in anatomy or  any hindrance felt while performing any action is called disease. 

Disease according to Yoga: All diseases are rooted in the mind before manifesting. According to Surtra 30 of Samadhi of Patanjali Yogsutra, it is a kind of antaraya and chitta vikshep. Chitta is a place where our chetna reflects, such as intellect, mind, ego, senses. Any type of disintegration between mind, intellect, ego or senses is known as vyadhi. 

Reasons for rising of disease at physical body, Pran, Mind, Intellect, Soul-

Intellect: If our intellect is mature and cooperatively purified, if there is maturity to accept the truth, then the intellect has good chance to get influenced. According to Yoga, if intellect is mature at the time of decision making, it may have positive as well as negative effects. 

Mind: The root cause of disease is Mind. Like and dislike or Raga and Dwesh, are the main factors. Symptoms of disease are irritation, hunger, restlessness etc. these signs can not be noticed easily. At this level, the root cause of disease begins, it is called Aadhi. It will not reflect in our medical test. 

Pran: If there is problem at mind level, the nadis of prana get disturbed. Then come the position of sleeplessness. And chronic sleeplessness causes physical symptoms. Due to disturbance of pran, all the vessels of the body get contracted. Then stagnation occur and heterogeneous elements enter into the body. 

Body: When the Mind and the pran both are disturbed, then the symptoms of disease reflect on body. The root is in mind, but it reflects on body after long time. The very first symptom of disease is disturbance of digestive system. Ajirnatva (disturbed-digestion) Ujirnitva (non-digestion and production of toxins) Atijirnatva (no proper digestion)stagnation and congestion. 

Modern Medical Science 

Allopathic treatment targets Physical macro body or Annamayakosha only. 

Allopathic treatments such as bypass, lever transplant, kidney transplant etc. are very costly.
Allopathic treatment is just a process to heal a diseased person, it cannot longer individual’s life.

Conclusion: Through comparative study, we come to a conclusion that allopathic can not be avoided. Through Yog practice human life can be more healthy and prosperous and a healthy society can be built. Yoga is preventive, yet it can not replace medicines. 

 

Principle of Yogic Treatment- 

A 3,000 year old tradition, yoga, is now regarded in the Western world as a holistic approach to health and is classified by the National Institutes of Health as a form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). 

Every treatment has a basic concept. Yogic treatment principles are mainly based on Astangyoga, Panchakosha and Yogic Diet. Through these, the body becomes so strong that no disease can attack on us. Yogic Treatment has some basic principles, that are explained as follows: 

1. Principle of all-round check-up:
   In this principle, all five koshas are examined. There might have problem in any one of them but we have to check all the koshas. Pancha Koshas (The Five Sheaths) are following:                                                                                • Annamaya Kosha – Physical Sheath
   • Pranamaya Kosha – Energy Sheath
   • Manomaya Kosha – Mind Sheath
   • Vignanamaya Kosha – Sheath of Intellect
   • Anandamaya Kosha – Sheath of Eternal Bliss 

Correlation of the Pancha Koshas with the three Sharira (Body): 

• Sthula Sharira – Annamaya Kosha
• Sukshma Sharira – Pranamaya, Manomaya and Vignanamaya Koshas 
• Karana Sharira – Anandamaya Kosha 

It should be ensured that that all the sheaths are in proper coordination with each other. The disease may effect any one of the kosha, but during treatment, we need to check and treat all the koshas together for better result. 

2. Principle of body check-up: 

First, check what is the problem body suffering from. If any medicine is already prescribed or not. How old is the disease, its intensity, which body part is mainly affected. If any surgery is done before. All the above information is essential to proceed further for therapy. After getting the complete information, a yogic treatment be started. 

3. Know the intention of the patient: 

Being a yoga therapist, we should know or try to find out the intention of the patient and his perception of Yoga, if he is really interested to take yoga therapy, or he is just passing his time. Also try to find out his perception towards life. 

4. Principle of Gross to subtle: 

First, check the Sthool body, Annamaya Kosha, then check the subtle body. Even if the problem exists in the manomaya kosha, we first need to check annamaya kosha and see in which body part does pain exist. 

5. Principle of easy to complicate: 

If a patient is suffering from a disease, to give him the yoga therapy, begin with mild stretches and movement of body parts. Then gradually proceed to complex poses after getting flexibility of body parts. 

6. Effect of Subtle Practice: 

Meditation is considered as subtle practice in yoga which balances and coordinates the Manomayakosha, pranmayakosha and vigyanmayakosha and leads us to the Annandmayakosha. Meditation practice has deep and long term effect on our body. Through meditation, mind gets balanced. 

7. Principle of Diet: 

The diet should be digestive, light, boiled, clean & hygienic. We should not take contra diet e.g milk and curd together. Natural and seasonal fruits and vegetables should be including in the diet. The diet must include food that develops satva guna in the body e.g. Joe, Bajra, Brown rice, Ragi, Cow milk & Ghee, Butter, honey, Sunth, Gud etc. We should avoid Rajsik and Tamsik food to the possible extent, such as oily, spicy, processed food, packaged food, stale, non-veg, onion- garlic, tea, coffee etc. Yogic diet includes consumption of cow-milk, vegetables, meal before sun- set, light food in evening, one time food, fasting once in a week, or once in a fortnight, fasting on water /fruit/milk only. Artificial sweetener or other products should be avoided. 

8. Principle of Medicine: 

It should be ensured that after starting yoga therapy, there should not emerges need for new allopathic medicine by the patient. It should also be ensured that we don’t immediately stop taking already prescribed medicine, but gradually it can be reduced. 

9. Bowel should be clear: 

Our busy and modern lifestyles may be responsible for most cases of constipation. Not eating enough fibre or drinking enough water, not getting enough exercise, and not taking the time to respond to an unmistakable urge to go to the bathroom cause constipation. Persistent, chronic constipation may also be a symptom of more serious conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, colorectal cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, depression, or an under active thyroid gland. It is important to ensure that a patient is not suffering from any bowel problem. 

10. Principle of Nutrient food: 

Nutrients means the supply of the essential nutrients in right amount and proportion. Nutrients include water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. The food we intake should be full of nutrients.

11. Proper Rest & Sleep: 

Proper rest can boost your immune system and get you feel better. Sleep helps your body to fight infections that cause you to get sick in a more effective manner. Proper rest is the secret of good health. It must be ensured that the patient is not suffering from sleep deprivation. Acidity and headache are the symptoms of lack of rest. 

12. Discipline in life: 

Discipline brings stability and structure into a person’s life. Self discipline is vital for overcoming eating disorders, addictions, smoking, drinking and other negative habits. It is also an important requirement for studying and learning, for developing any skill, and for success in self improvement, spiritual growth and meditation. The diseased should be motivated to make his life more disciplined to avoid invitation of unwanted diseases. Discipline is the secret of healthy life. 

Conclusion: 

Many people seek complementary therapies like yoga to address mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Therapeutic yoga involves using specific yoga postures and practices to treat various health conditions. It includes instruction in yogic practices to help alleviate physical, emotional, and spiritual pain or limitations. By practicing yoga, individuals can improve their muscular strength, flexibility, respiratory and cardiovascular function. It also aids in addiction recovery, stress reduction, anxiety and depression management, chronic pain relief, better sleep patterns, and overall well-being. 

In yogic treatment, it is important to recognize and cater to each individual’s unique needs. Yoga empowers individuals to become their own healers, finding healing from within rather than relying on external sources. The state of mind plays a significant role in the healing process. Positive mind-states can accelerate healing, while negative mind-states may prolong it.

 

— Dimpal Singh