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For years, there has been a raging debate regarding
holistic and alternative approaches to health and healing versus more
conventional western, or allopathic approaches to medicine. Although many
people feel strongly about one approach or the other, many are confused as
to what holistic and alternative medicine is.
Holistic and alternative medicine is currently defined as
"non-traditional" systems of health care; such as acupuncture, homeopathy,
chiropractic, herbal medicine and yes, even yoga. Holistic and alternative
medicine centers on a cooperative relationship between a person and "healer"
leading towards optimal attainment of physical, mental, emotional, social
and spiritual aspects of health. Holistic and alternative medicine looks at
the whole person; including scrutiny of physical, nutritional,
environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values. Holistic
and alternative practitioners, including yoga teachers, emphasize education
and responsibility to achieve balance and well-being..
In contrast, allopathic or western medicine has
traditionally emphasized a strong doctor-driven relationship that focuses
upon accepted science, differential diagnosis, prescriptive medicines,
regular checkups, and when necessary, surgery in order to attain healing. In
this model, ill persons are often encouraged to comply with physician
directives without challenge.
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To begin and stay motivated in your yoga practice, it is
essential that you understand the method how yoga works upon
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Evaluate this yoga
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I am "into" yoga and have been seriously practicing and teaching for over
a quarter-century. But don't get me wrong. I strongly believe in allopathic
western oriented medicine. I believe in regular medical examinations, taking
prescriptive medicines, and even when necessary, undergoing surgery. In
fact, having had MS for the past nine years has afforded me deep
appreciation of all western medicine has to offer.
On the other hand, I also profoundly value what I have
learned about taking personal responsibility from my yoga practice. To me,
yoga comes nothing close to resembling a religion; but is instead a series
of exercises designed to accommodate my body's changing flexibility,
strength, and endurance as it presents itself at any given moment. What I
love about this approach, as a teacher is that it adapts to meet the
specific needs of individuals and has nothing to do with competition or even
"trying" to do yoga.
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Find the natural solutions to health disorders. Re-engineer
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This approach to yoga therefore becomes a microcosm of
life. If my body's not feeling right, I find myself wanting to make
appropriate changes in life-style or become more proactive in
physician-assisted intervention in order to improve my health. I find myself
wanting to do additional research and wanting to explore additional options
to become more involved in my health-care management.
Fortunately, the relationship between allopathic
physicians and patients is in transition. As such, attitudes toward yoga
that helps teach a person to become proactive and self-responsible are
quickly becoming recognized as another component of conventional medicine.
It teaches me how to be proactive. That is, I learn how
to pay attention to the messages my body is giving me and how to do
something different when what I'm doing doesn't feel right. In other words,
when I'm doing a series of yoga exercises and if I'm doing something that
feels uncomfortable or might lead to injury, I'll do it differently. Yoga
teaches me to make changes in my life in order to maximize benefit and to
minimize liability. |