By Jenny Park
A new niche in the field of Yoga instruction is working with trauma survivors. Since trauma survivors often experience residual physiological effects from a traumatic experience, body based healing modalities are becoming more and more important for therapists, counselors and other practitioners who work with trauma survivors. The practice of Yoga asanas, breathing exercises and meditation techniques offers healing practitioners a wide range of therapeutic tools for this population.
Trauma survivors often experience a constellation of symptoms that keep the traumatic event constantly cycling in their minds and bodies. Replaying the traumatizing incident over and over in their minds also keeps the body in a constant state of hyper arousal. The body maintains a state of hyper arousal by increasing levels of adrenalin and cortisol in the blood. On a short-term basis, these hormones are tremendously helpful for analyzing, preventing and getting out of dangerous situations. On a long-term basis, high levels of cortisol and adrenalin wear the body down and even negatively impact memory and concentration.
On the other end of the spectrum, a trauma survivor’s primary psychological defense mechanism may be to dissociate or numb out from painful, intrusive memories. Again, in the short-run this defensive strategy may prove beneficial to protecting the trauma victim from additional pain, but in the long run it is maladaptive. Dissociating from painful memories will prevent an individual from integrating and understanding traumatic experiences, which will keep the traumatic memories continually simmering in their body and mind.
The practice of Yoga can be tailored to reducing anxiety and hyper vigilance that is often seen in trauma survivors, or it can be tailored to rectify dissociation, somatization and hypo arousal. Vigorous and activating standing postures will help to break through dissociation and raise energy levels. As an intermediate Yoga practitioner, practicing vigorous standing postures, linked together by the movements of the Sun Salutations, will help to increase the flow of chi or life force energy throughout the entire body. This practice will offset hypo arousal and balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
The psychologically therapeutic aspect of a strong practice of vinyasa linked standing poses is to remember to be aware of the feelings and images that arise as you or your students practice the Yoga asanas. Maintaining Ujjayi breathing will help ground you and support you and/or your students in developing affect regulation. Affect regulation is the ability to allow feelings to arise without pushing them back down under conscious awareness. This is one of the key skills for beginning the healing process of remembering, understanding, integrating, and resolving painful traumatic events.
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By Dr. Rita Khanna
This body lives on the life force, which is not the air you breathe, not oxygen, but bioplasm (the living material through which every form of life manifest itself). This life force is generated in everyone at the time of conception. It is part of the cosmic force. If there were no life force, everything would disintegrate. This life force is known as Prana. Prana is one part of your existence, and mind is the other. If there were no life or mind, you can imagine what would happen to your body. You would not be able to see, even though you have eyes. You would neither be able to speak, hear, breathe, touch, smell, or know – even though you have all the organs.
The physical body is influenced by the human mind. It is the sentiments, the emotions, feelings and objectives, passions, fears, anxieties and worries, in the mind, which create physiological changes in the body. The adrenal, thyroid, and pituitary secretions have a natural flow and order. A thought can, and does, influence the workings of our physical body. Through the practice of Yoga-nidra (psychic sleep), certain Pranayamas, and chanting of Mantra, we have been able to alter and harmonize the pattern of brain waves.
It is a fact, that Yoga is a science of therapy, a science of self improvement, and a way to discipline. However, besides all this, Yoga is a culture; and every nation must have one. A country, with a culture based on Yoga, has eternal existence. It can survive through the vicissitudes of life, the accidents of history, and the ravages of time. In the coming times, Yoga is going to emerge as a mighty world culture; it is going to direct the events of the world’s history, and you have a definite role to play in this. It is up to you to accept this great science with love, with admiration, with hope, and with sincerity.
By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 250
Our eyeball comprises three layers—sclerotic or the outer layer, choroid or the middle layer, and retina or the inner layer. The sclerotic layer is white and opalescent, with a transparent center called the cornea. Light is transmitted to the eye through the cornea. The choroid layer is called the iris, with the pupil in its center. Directly behind the iris lies the crystalline lens, which focuses light passing through it upon the retina. Around this lens lie the ciliary muscles that control its contraction and expansion. The retina, or the inner layer, is like a screen that receives the projected images of external objects.
Sight can be adversely affected by various things, ranging from malnutrition to a recurring cough and cold. Perhaps the three most common defects of eyesight are myopia (short-sightedness), hypermetropia (long-sightedness) and presbyopia (failing eyesight due to age). While in myopia, the image is formed short of the retina, in hypermetropia or presbyopia, the image is formed beyond the retina. These conditions are the result of faulty eye muscle action or imperfect accommodation. Generally, such disorders are corrected by introducing artificial lenses, such as spectacles. These lenses bring the image onto the retina; however, this treats the symptom, not the disorder of imperfect accommodation.
1. Move the eyeballs up and look at the space between the eyebrow-center; then, lower the eyeballs and look at the tip of the nose. Do it effortlessly, in a slow motion, allowing the gaze to go up and down to the maximum level. Don’t move the head. See only by moving the eyeballs. Do it for eight to ten times. The cornea will be seen moving up and down. Then, take rest by closing the eyes for some moments.
4. Now, reverse the sequence. Move the eye balls on the right upper and then left lower side. After that, move it on the left lower side, and then right upper side, in an oblique direction for eight to ten times. Then, close the eyes and take rest for some time.
8. Now, stretch the right arm forward and keep it parallel to the floor. Keep the index finger vertically pointing up, and fix the eyes on the nail of the finger, or just beyond the nail. Now, see the finger with both eyes. Gradually, bring the finger towards the nose, and keep it there for some time; then take it away from it. You can do like this four to five times. While focusing your attention at the finger, you will find you are not seeing one finger, but two. Hence, in this exercise, eyes become eccentric. One finger will be the main finger, which is real, and the other will be an optical illusion.
NOTE
• Thereafter, bring the right ear up to the right shoulder, and then the left ear to the left shoulder. Repeat this exercise eight to ten times, in total; that is, four to five times each side. Now, relax the neck.
ASANA
Pranayama perfuses the eyes with plenty of blood flow. Pranayamas should be practiced in the mornings, and evenings, on an empty stomach.
• Rub both palms together, quickly, for 10 seconds. This friction creates mild heat. Close the eyes, and gently place the left palm over the left eye and right palm over the right eye. Do not apply pressure with the palms, but just let them gently rest. Breathe in and out slowly to release stress. Repeat this 2-3 times.
• For all eye problems, keep the eyes clean. Splash fresh, clean water on the eyes, 10-15 times, at least twice a day.
The meaning of Ahimsa is absence of the violent nature in our personality. Satya refers to the awareness of what is correct, right, and true – that manifests from within and the ability to express it. The meaning of Asteya is being honest with ourselves, where the true nature of the personality is seen and experienced. Aparigraha means non-attachment. The meaning of Brahmacharya is control over the sexual desire. These five disciplines constitute the Yamas, which are generally translated as ‘moral code of conduct’ by the layman, but actually mean ‘Yogic self-control’.
The fifth cause of depression is guilt feelings. In fact, every human being feels guilt in his life. During our life, we will definitely make mistakes, which will cause us to feel guilt. Depression is mainly experienced between the ages of 20 to 50 years. As we know, the age of 12 to 22 years, is the progressive development stage. In this period, our physical, mental, emotional, and moral development takes place. So, it is obviously the time when the chance of making mistakes is high.
By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 250
The immune system is a collection of cells (such as, B-Cells, T-Cells etc.), chemical messengers (e.g. cytokine), and proteins (such as immunoglobulin) that work together to protect the body from potentially harmful, infectious microorganisms (microscopic life forms), such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
RECOMMENDED POSES
HGH is a substance produced by a gland in the brain, called the pituitary gland. This gland is often called the master gland because it controls many of the other glands in the body. It is about the size of a pea, and it lies above the roof of the mouth, beneath the brain. Growth hormone prompts the liver to make a substance, called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).
The growth plate is the area of growing tissue, near the end of the long bones in children and adolescents. Each long bone has at least two growth plates – one at each end. The growth plate determines the future length and shape of the mature bone. When growth is complete, sometimes during adolescence, the growth plates close, and are replaced by solid bone. Whether a growth plate is still open, or not, can only be known through an X-ray. For those whose growth plates are still open, an increased amount of human growth hormone can lead to height increase. Growth hormone does not only serve to increase children’s height, it also helps transform fat into muscle. It helps to build up and maintain bones, and to maintain other organ functions.
YOGA INCREASES YOUR GROWTH HORMONES OR HGH
• Asanas, recommended for increasing height, are Tadasana, Trikonasana Suryanamaskara, Shavasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Halasana, Paschimottanasana, Dhanurasana, Chakrasana, Sethubandhasana, Vajrasana, Shashankasana, and Usthrasana. They maximize the harmonious interaction of the endocrine hormones, secreted by the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands during the adolescent growth spurt. Minute concentrations of vital endocrine secretions, including growth hormone from the pituitary, calcitonin from the parathyroids, and thyroxin from the thyroid gland, control the rate and extent of physical growth and metabolism.
Supta- vajrasana, which exert a powerful stretching effect upon the vertebro-spinal axis, hips and legs, profoundly influence the nervous and arterial plexuses, supplying and innervating the epiphyseal growth plates of the spine and long bones (femur and tibia). They promote maximal nutrition, and contribute to the development of the skeleton, before fusion of the epiphyses occurs – usually by the 16th year.
carbohydrates, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron.
TECHNIQUE
Asanas, which allow the stagnant pooled blood to drain back to the heart, permitting damaged veins to resume more normal dimensions, and facilitating valvular competence are the:
TECHNIQUE
• Keep the legs elevated as much as possible, to drain the pooled blood from the veins. If you work at a desk, support the legs horizontally rather than down in the usual position.
• Walking is beneficial, as the movements of leg muscles help push the blood upwards. It results in creating muscle pressure and relaxation of the muscles; thereby, the blood circulation and control is well maintained. One should also remember that anything, in excess, is bad. It is good to walk long distances, but those whose body is not efficient, and very fit, should avoid very long walks, as this could also lead to this problem of varicose veins.
By Amruta Kulkarni