Therapeutic Yoga, as the name suggests, helps in offering therapeutic relief from ailments, injuries and even addictions. Especially, in the modern world that is filled with stress, Therapeutic Yoga is the ultimate meditative experience that can help you bringing your body and mind back to normalcy. It helps you shut down the toxic thoughts and emotions of your mundane life and offer comfort. Therapeutic Yoga helps us explore the real person buried inside our bodies and attain self-awareness. In this article, we shall discuss about this form of Yoga in detail and also learn the Therapeutic Yoga sequence.
What Is Therapeutic Yoga?
Therapeutic Yoga is a set of Yoga postures and breathing techniques that can help in offering recovery from certain health conditions. It can also help in alleviating both physical and mental trauma, suffering and pain. Therapeutic Yoga is often recommended for people who are suffering from chronic pain due to illness or injuries and also attain mental relaxation.
Principles Of Therapeutic Yoga:
The following are some of the basic principles of Yoga Therapy or Therapeutic Yoga:
- Behind every pain, there is a root cause. One need to observe the cause of pain rather than the pain to prevent it from occurring again.
- Most diseases are caused due to the pain from separation. As per Yoga therapy, one needs to first connect with themselves and the larger aspect of the world to cure pain.
- Different people respond differently to treatments. Two people suffering from the same ailment may respond differently to the same postures and techniques.
Therapeutic Yoga Asanas With Steps:
Here are The Best Therapeutic Yoga Asanas and Benefits.
1. Apanasana:
How to Do:
- To do this, lie on your back and bring your knees towards your chest.
- Put your hands on your knees and while you inhale, push your knees away.
- While exhaling, bring your knees back to your chest.
- Do this about six times to get the best result.
Benefits:
- It will warm up your back and make you feel relaxed.
[Read: How to Practice Triyoga Correctly]
2. Hip Circles:
How to Do:
- To do the hip circles, you have to lie on your back again.
- As you inhale, let your knees come out wide and then move your legs in a circular motion.
- Draw your knees close to your chest as you exhale.
- Keep doing this about four to six times in both right and left directions.
Benefits:
- It will help in warming up your hips and your upper body.
3. Supta Eka Padangustasana:
How to Do:
- For this pose, you need to take your left knee and allow your foot to touch the floor.
- Keep your knee bent and grab your hand behind your right knee.
- Now inhale and stretch your right legs up.
- As you exhale, bend your knees and bring them down.
- You should repeat this step for about six to ten times and the switch sides.
Benefits:
- This pose will warm up your hamstrings.
4. Upside Down Pigeon:
How to Do:
- For the upside-down pigeon pose, take your left foot on the floor and keep it a foot away from your body.
- Take your right leg towards the chest and cross the right knee over your left knee.
- Keep both your feet flexed now.
- Now take your left foot closer to your body till you can reach the back of your left thigh.
- Now take your hands to pull yourself deeper.
Benefits:
- This helps in stretching your hamstrings, thighs
- It strengthens the spinal cord and lower back
5. Supine Crescent Pose:
How to Do:
- For this one, you must lie flat on the floor and bring your feet together.
- Stretch your arms behind you and bring your left foot to meet the right foot.
- Now take your right arm to the side and bring your left arm to the right.
- Breathe for thirty seconds to one minute and then repeat to the other side.
Benefits:
- Helps in stretching the spine
- Strengthens muscles in thighs and hamstrings
[Read: Zen Yoga for Beginners]
6. Jathara Parvitti Pose:
How to Do:
- For this pose, move your hips to the right side of your mat while lying down.
- Extend your left leg and place the right foot on the floor and stretch your arms towards the other side.
- When you exhale, allow your right knee to fall towards the left side.
- When you inhale, lift your right knee for about two inches.
- When you exhale, release it down.
Benefits:
- This helps in alleviating back pain
- It strengthens the spinal cord
7. Bridge Pose:
How to Do:
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent.
- Balance your weight on your feet and lift your body off the floor.
- Inhale and exhale as you do this.
Benefits:
- Helps in getting relief from sciatica
- Strengthens lower back
8. Cobra Pose:
How to Do:
- For the cobra pose, you must lie flat on your back and press your palms on the floor.
- Now push the upper part of your body off the floor while keeping the rest of your body on the mat.
- Hold for five breaths and then release.
Benefits:
- It stimulates digestion
- Strengthens muscles in neck and spine
[Read: How Acro Yoga Can Benefit Your Life]
9. Locust Pose:
How to Do:
- For this pose, you must first lie flat on the mat and raise your head to look forward as you inhale.
- Lift your upper spine and at the same time lift your legs with the help of your inner thighs.
- Hold for one minute and release.
Benefits:
- Strengthens spinal cord
- Stretches shoulder and neck muscles
Therapeutic Benefits Of Yoga:
The following are some of the best benefits of practising Therapeutic Yoga regularly:
- Helps in treating stress
- Removes the thoughts of anxiety and depression
- Aids in controlling extreme mood swings
- Offers body-mind relaxation
- Strengthens muscles to recover from injuries and pain
- Improves self-confidence
Precautionary Measures and Contraindications:
If you are suffering from pain and have injuries, it’s important to read these precautions carefully before attempting Therapeutic Yoga:
- People with pain in particular areas must avoid asanas which stress the muscles even more
- You need to take each asana slowly to avoid further damage
- All asanas must be performed strictly under the supervision of an instructor
- People who suffer from strokes and vertigo must avoid asanas that include inversions.
We hope this article helped you gain an understanding of therapeutic yoga sequence that can promote faster recovery from pain. Therapeutic Yoga is recommended by many doctors to help the patients shed their worries, anxieties and prevent them from falling prey to depression. Many leading hospitals are regularly conducting Therapeutic Yoga sessions to offer the best of both worlds – Allopathy and Yoga. Combining the modern medicine with the ancient Indian techniques can certainly show visible improvements in the patient’s health.
