Alternative Therapy
Topic: Yoga.
Question(s):
1. Explain what is yoga.
2. Discuss the benefits of practicing Yoga (at least 3).
3. Have you ever practiced yoga?
4. Discuss your experience?
Guidelines:
The answer should be based on the knowledge obtained from the attached called ” YOGA” added to the post Question in word (attached from the Book and online literature/references included.) not just your opinion.
· There are 4 questions in the discussion, you must answer all of them completely
· APA Format Time New Roman 12 font. strictly enforced.
· I am expecting a minimum of 400 words.
References:
Book. “Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Nursing Practice (4th Edition). Author: Karen Lee Fontaine RN MSN- Edition: 4
Approved Online Resources: NOT OLDER THAN 5 years.
· American Yoga Association www.americanyogaassociation.org.
· The Canadian Yoga Institute www.yogacanada.org
· Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society
· National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Yoga for health.
References are used in addition to the book must have:
· Serial/journal articles
· Volume number, in italics.
· Issue number. This is bracketed immediately after the volume number but not italicized.
· Month, season or other designation of publication if there is no volume or issue number.
· Include all page numbers. Ex: 7(1),24 Sergiev, P. V., Dontsova, O. A., & Berezkin, G. V. (2015).
Yoga, part of Ayurvedic medicine, has been practiced for thousands of years in India, where it is a way of life that includes ethical models for behavior and mental and physical exercises aimed at producing spiritual enlightenment. Although yoga developed from Hinduism, it is not a religion but rather a journey of the body, mind, and spirit on a path toward unity. It is a method for life that can complement and enhance any system of religion, or it can be practiced completely apart from religion. The Western approach to yoga tends to be more fitness
oriented, whereas the Eastern approach to yoga is to prepare people for the experience of self-realization. Most Westerners begin yoga with the goal of managing their stress, learning to relax, and increasing their vitality and well-being. After learning yoga, many become more interested in the underlying principles of physical fitness and keeping the mind focused, calm, and clear. Yoga is meant to prepare the body and mind for a useful, dedicated life.
BACKGROUND
The word yoga means to direct and concentrate one’s attention and comes from the Sanskrit word yuj, meaning “to yoke” or “to join.” Yoga was first described by Patanjali, an Indian sage who, thousands of years ago, wrote the Yoga Sutra, which recorded information that had been passed down orally for many years. This text has helped define and shape the modern practice of yoga. Yoga first came to the United States in the 1890s, when Swami Vivekananda became a popular teacher and guide. In the 1960s, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the developer of Transcendental Meditation, became a popular figure for the U.S. “hippie generation,” and interest in it has continued to grow since then (Smith, Hall, & Gibbs, 2013). The various methods of yoga all have the same goal: to attain a state of pure bliss and oneness with the universe. Raja yoga emphasizes control of the intellect to attain enlightenment, accomplished through meditation, concentra- tion, and breath control. Kriya yoga is the practice of quieting the mind through scriptural study, breath control, mantras, and meditation. Karma yoga focuses on service to all beings as the path to enlightenment. Bhakti yoga emphasizes devotion to the divine. Inana yoga’s goal is wisdom and the direct knowledge of the divine. Tantra yoga involves the study of sacred writings and rituals. Mantra yoga is the study of sacred sounds. Kundalini yoga is the study of energy movement along the spine. Iyengar yoga, a form of hatha yoga, strives for perfec- tion in the postures using props such as belts or ropes. Silver yoga and chair yoga are designed to accommodate those with reduced body flexibility such as older people or those with physical challenges. Restorative yoga is usually done in a lying or sitting position, which causes less physical strain. Props such as blan- kets, pillows, towels, balls, or straps support the poses and provide a gentle prolonged stretch. When combined with physical therapy the benefits are improved strength, flexibility, and range of motion for individuals recovering from illness or injury or for those experiencing physical or emotional stress (Ramacharaka, 2012; Smith et al., 2013). Although these many branches of yoga exist, this chapter focuses on hatha yoga as the form of yoga most frequently practiced by Westerners. In this particular type of yoga, the path to enlightenment is through control over the physical body as the key to control of the mind and freedom of the spirit. Physical exercises, breath control, and meditation tone and strengthen the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.
Yoga also has an inner dimension that emphasizes its key purpose. Detachment, concentration, and meditation together form a single process toward the development of pure consciousness (Smith et al., 2013). Box 16.1 lists the eight limbs of yoga.
BOX 16.1 The Eight Limbs of Yoga: Guidelines for Living
1. Abstinences (yamas) Nonviolence (ahimsa) Truthfulness (satya) Nonstealing (asteya) Chastity or nonlust (brahmacharya) Nongreed (aparigraha)
2. Personal Disciplines (niyamas) Purity (shauca) Contentment ( samtosa) Self-discipline (tapas) Self-study (svadhyaya) Centering on the divine (ishvara-pranidhana)
3. Body Control (asanas)
4. Breath Control (pranayama)
5. Detachment (pratyahara)
6. Concentration (dharana)
7. Meditation (dhyana)
8. Pure Consciousness (samadhi) right living (abstinence and personal discipline), right care of the body (body control), and enhancement of vital energy (breath control).
Abstinences
Abstinences concern what not to do in life. The first abstinence pertains to nonviolence. Nonviolence means not only not physically hurting others but also having nonviolent words and nonviolent thoughts. Truthfulness, the second abstinence, results in personal integrity and strength of character. Non- stealing, the third abstinence, includes not stealing others’ material belongings as well as not taking credit for things one has not done, not stealing the center of attention, and so forth. The fourth abstinence, chastity or nonlust, means holding people in high esteem and loving and respecting others. The fifth abstinence is nongreed, which means living simply and viewing possessions as tools to use in life. Nongreed leads to the avoidance of jealousy and envy (Gupta & Fox, 2012).
Personal Disciplines
Personal disciplines concern what to do in life. Purity, the first discipline, is achieved through the practice of the five abstinences. The abstinences clear away negative ways of being, leading one straight to purity. Purity also relates to cleanliness and respect for all life. Contentment, the second discipline, means finding happiness with who one is and with what one has. The third discipline, self-discipline, means being able to make a commitment and adhere to it. The fourth discipline, self-study, means studying oneself through introspection. Centering on the divine, the fifth discipline involves devotion. These disciplines work with any religion because individuals are encouraged to focus on how the divine is in them, part of them, and all around them (Gupta & Fox, 2012).
Body Control
Body control, an important part of hatha yoga, is attained through a number of poses or asanas. These body positions are what most Western people think of when they hear the word yoga (see Figure 16.1). These poses help people learn to control their bodies, making them stronger, more flexible, better functioning, and more resistant to disease and other problems. Poses are also meant to facilitate meditation. The poses are frequently classified into the following groups: standing poses, inverted poses, twists, backward-bending poses, forward bends, and poses for restoration. Another way of classifying poses is according to balance, strength, flexibility, and relaxation. The belief in nonviolence also applies to the poses, which means that physical exercise is never done to the point of pain because pain is indicative of doing violence to the body (Lysycia, 2013.)
Breath Control
Breath control teaches people to direct energy or prana for optimal physical and mental benefit. When air is inhaled, so is vital energy that flows into the body to nourish and enliven. The purpose of balancing the breath is to make respiratory rhythm more regular, which in turn has a soothing effect on the entire nervous system. It is the best antecedent to meditation because it focuses attention inward and reduces scattered thinking (Babooa, 2012).
Detachment
The practice of detachment is related to the senses. It is the withdrawal of the senses from everything that stimulates them. The goal of detachment is to gain mastery over external influences. This detachment can occur during breathing exercises, during meditation, and while doing the poses. The process of detachment can also be an effective technique for pain control (Babooa, 2012).
Concentration
Teaching the mind to focus on one thing instead of many is the goal of concentration. Concentration means sustaining attention while quieting the mind and relaxing the breathing. Frequently, people focus on one object such as a candle flame, the figure of a circle, or a single sound. The purpose is to learn to push away many thoughts that usually float around in one’s mind. Concentration works directly on the body, allowing each yoga pose to accomplish the maximum possible benefit (Kabat-Zinn, 2011).
Meditation
Breath control, detachment, and concentration lead to the state of meditation. Meditation occurs when…
