Therapeutic Yoga, Meditation &healing
Meditation is offering your genuine presence to yourself in every moment.
Therapeutic yoga and meditation are inherently holistic approaches, simultaneously working on the body and mind. Various yoga practices and meditation systematically strengthen different systems in the body. ATOM s programmes are designed for those who want to experience the strength and depth of yoga and meditation.
Therapeutic Yoga is a particularly effective practice for those recovering from, or living with, injury or illness. Therapeutic Yoga combines restorative yoga (supported postures), gentle yoga, breathwork, hands-on healing, and guided meditation techniques in such a way that it is an excellent choice for those who need something gentle yet effective for bringing the body into balance and reducing stress. Therapeutic Yoga is a deeply meditative experience – it provides the opportunity to step away from the busy-ness of the outside world and access the deeper wisdom that resides within us.
Therapeutic yoga is an adaptation of yoga that applies yogic principles and methods to heal various human ailments. It is a blend of restorative yoga, gentle yoga, breath work, meditation and chakra stimulation. Therapeutic yoga is preventive as well as restorative. It is among the most effective complementary therapies for various illnesses and diseases according to many medical studies.
What Diseases Does Therapeutic Yoga Focuses On?
Here is the list of common ailments that are benefited by specific therapeutic programs. This list is not exhaustive, but merely indicative:
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Depression
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Back pain
- Hip pain
- Shoulder injury
- Athletic injuries
- Heart diseases
- Migraines
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Sciatica
- Psychological disorders
- Post Cancer Effects
- Somatic dysfunctions
- Aids/HIV+
- Insomnia
- Menstrual disorders
- Infertility
- Osteoporosis
- Sinusitis
- Post Traumatic Syndrome
- Stress
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
- Mindfulness meditation encourages the practitioner to observe wandering thoughts as they drift through the mind. The intention is not to get involved with the thoughts or to judge them, but simply to be aware of each mental note as it arises.
- Through mindfulness meditation, you can see how your thoughts and feelings tend to move in particular patterns. Over time, you can become more aware of the human tendency to quickly judge an experience as good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant. With practice, an inner balance develops.
- In some schools of meditation, students practice a combination of concentration and mindfulness. Many disciplines call for stillness — to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the teacher.
Benefits of meditation
If relaxation is not the goal of meditation, it is often a result. In the 1970s, Herbert Benson, MD, a researcher at Harvard University Medical School, coined the term “relaxation response" after conducting research on people who practiced transcendental meditation. The relaxation response, in Benson`s words, is “an opposite, involuntary response that causes a reduction in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.”
Since then, studies on the relaxation response have documented the following short-term benefits to the nervous system:
- Lower blood pressure
- Improved blood circulation
- Lower heart rate
- Less perspiration
- Slower respiratory rate
- Less anxiety
- Lower blood cortisol levels
- More feelings of well-being
- Less stress
- Deeper relaxation
Contemporary researchers are now exploring whether a consistent meditation practice yields long-term benefits, and noting positive effects on brain and immune function among meditators. Yet it`s worth repeating that the purpose of meditation is not to achieve benefits. To put it as an Eastern philosopher may say, the goal of meditation is no goal. It`s simply to be present.
In Buddhist philosophy, the ultimate benefit of meditation is liberation of the mind from attachment to things it cannot control, such as external circumstances or strong internal emotions. The liberated or “enlightened” practitioner no longer needlessly follows desires or clings to experiences, but instead maintains a calm mind and sense of inner harmony.
When yoga and meditation are combined, the benefits increase. Daily yoga and meditation can help those recovering from addiction to overcome unpleasant feelings and sensations, release anger and resentment, increase positive thoughts, and become less reactive to destructive thoughts. All of these benefits contribute to establishing a healthy mind and body, which is the foundation of a successful recovery.