When most people think of yoga they picture the beautiful graceful and flexible people on the cover of magazines or social media posts. Those pictures are not really accurate. Yoga classes are for everybody and every body type. Whether you are an elite athlete, weekend warrior, CEO, teacher, computer geek, nurse, doctor or even if you are retired there is a version of yoga that you will enjoy. You don’t have to be flexible, strong or a vegan to have a yoga practice that will enhance your overall health and wellbeing. Most yoga classes are held in a group setting where everyone moves into the same postures at the same time. Your yoga instructor will keep an eye on you to be sure you are doing the postures, breathing techniques and meditations safely but cannot give any undivided attention to any one student.
Yoga Therapy on the other hand is all about you. We use a multi-disciplinary approach to optimal wellness. There are many modern definitions of Yoga Therapy but this simple one by Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D is my favorite:
“The use of the techniques of Yoga to create, stimulate, and maintain an optimum state of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.”
Yoga Therapy is a complementary remedy to help you with specific health challenges that you may be facing right now. Perhaps you are under massive stress at work or at home (or both!!). Maybe your workouts have caused extreme tightness, swelling or lack of mobility to excel in your sport. Maybe your mental game needs work so you can compete at your peak level of performance. I’ve worked with everyone from highly stressed Mayors, people with cancer, scoliosis, soccer athletes, military with PTSD to those in hospice with ALS. You are uniquely you. Your Yoga Therapy program should be designed specifically to meet your needs.
I will close with two statements that you will always hear me say, “Your issues are in your tissues” and “motion is lotion”. If you don’t get your body moving in some way it will house all the problems that you think you are ignoring. Take some time to listen to your body today… what is it telling you?
Let me know in the comments below.
In peace and power,
Simchah
