Yoga as complementary therapy

According to yoga, man is in perfect health and homeostasis at his subtle levels of existence (Causal and bliss body). All diseases are classified as Adhija (stress born diseases) and Anadhija vyadhis (non-stress born diseases - infections, injuries etc.) Yoga is the remedy for stress-born, whereas medicines or surgery along with yoga is the remedy for non-stress-born diseases. The problem of stress begins in the mind. Stress is defined as extremely speeded up rate of flow of thoughts in the mind. This percolates into physical body as disturbed autonomic, endocrine and immune responses. A common holistic module of practices called Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy (IAYT) that is used in the management of stress born ailments include:

1. Physical practices - Yogasanas, Cleansing techniques (Kriyas - Dhouti and Neti) and simple vegetarian wholesome diet

2. Pranayama

3. Meditation (Dharana, Dhyana), and devotional practices

4. Life style modification - moral norms of don'ts (Yama) and do's (Niyama), Analysis of the nature of happiness (Jnana yoga), emotion culture by replacing violent negative emotions of fear, tension, depression, etc. by soft emotions of divine love, sympathy, pardon etc. (Bhakti yoga), and the trick of working without stresses (Karma yoga).

Yoga In Rehabilitation

Yoga has been shown to be an adjunct in the rehabilitation of drug abusers, alcoholics, schizophrenics, congenitally blind, emotionally and socially traumatized girls from remand homes and inmates of jails. Children with mild and moderate degree of mental retardation improved in IQ after IAYT for one Year.

 Table 1. Yoga as a complimentary therapy

Table 2. Yoga for Promotion of Positive Health