“ A healthy spine is a healthy mind” Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
What is Yoga Therapy?
There is no denying that the therapeutic aspects of yoga have been used for thousands of years. The practice assists in the healing of a myriad of conditions from a physiological standpoint as well as emotional, mental, and energetic. Although The International Association of Yoga Therapists ( IAYT) was founded in 1989 by Larry Payne, PhD and my teacher Richard Miller, PhD, the term “yoga therapy” is relatively new to the yoga scene and building momentum. I am blessed and thankful to be considered a pioneer in the field along with my colleagues. IAYT has extremely rigid and inspiring expectations of their accredited schools and instructors. The program consists of 1000 hours of study including anatomy, physiology, philosophy, ayurveda, counseling, the energy body, meditation, breathing practices, nutrition, and much more. Our scope of practice lies within the eight limbs of yoga and our work is to supplement the healing process for our clients in tandem with other modalities of healing such as acupuncture, massage, and of course the western model of medicine.
Why is it so important to have a healthy spine?
First of all, we only have one spine! As we age from time to time our joints begin to wear down either from misalignment, over use, or simply the process of aging as we begin to lose hydration in the joints. These days more and more people are having knee and hip replacement surgeries with wonderful success. And thankfully, spinal surgery has come a long way as well. However, the spine itself cannot be replaced, only corrected through surgery as a worse case scenario, which can have a domino effect in regards to side effects. Of course surgery may be a necessary option, but not always. Yoga Therapy has been scientifically proven to assist and often times actually correct and reverse acute and chronic back pain.
Your spine is your central nervous system linking directly to your brain and all physiological functions of the body. This is not limited to physical movement by any means. Christopher Reeves has a wonderful article on the importance of spine health and states that; “The central nervous system contains the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways that control “fight or flight” response to danger and regulation of bodily functions. These include hormone release, movement of food through the stomach and intestines, and the muscular control to internal organs. The spinal cord is the highway for the communication between the body and the brain.” Energetically speaking, the spine is the highway of kundalini energy also know as the sushumna channel or nadi which allows a flow of energy through the seven major chakras. Imagine your spine as flowing energy like the interstate as you commute, would you rather be stuck in a traffic jam or have your journey be smooth and steady?
The great news is that incorporating a few therapeutic yoga poses, breathing practices, and meditation, you can feel better and live your best life! Stay tuned to this blog with more information on how yoga therapy can heal your life!