30/08/2019
Yoga - A Ray of Hope for people with disabilities
The experience of disability is often worsened by a lack of flexibility and mobility. The less mobile they become, the more withdrawn and socially isolated they can become. This leaves them less inclined to engage in the kinds of physical activity that would help them maintain their flexibility. So they can get into a vicious circle in which their disability worsens…Yoga offers a gentle – but powerful means of maintaining & improving flexibility and mobility… It can transform the lives of people with disabilities.
Yoga is an ancient Indian practice which involves moving the body and training the mind to achieve balance and well-being. With Yoga, we can extend our healthy, productive years far beyond the accepted norm and, at the same time, improve the quality of our lives. Research has shown that the practice of yoga as a lifestyle enhances overall health and prevents and reverses disease.
Yoga can be equally beneficial for individuals with disabilities or chronic health conditions through both the physical postures and breathwork. Yoga asanas can be performed while seated in a chair or wheelchair. .. with time, the effects of breathwork brings a state of calm and renewal in one's life. A number of studies concluded that Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY), a sequence of specific breathing techniques (ujjayi or loud breathing, Bhastrika or Bellows Breath, and Sudarshan Kriya, a powerful, rhythmic breathing technique) can alleviate anxiety, depression, everyday stress, post-traumatic stress, and stress-related medical illnesses. Special needs experts agree that yoga activities make a positive impact on individuals with special needs. Yoga is empowering as it meets the individuals at their current level of functioning and moves forward towards meeting achievable goals; the limits of individuals are accepted, and with the help of the specialized instructor, they work through those struggles. These activities improve mobility, strength, and digestion for individuals with disability like cerebral palsy. Specialised yoga instructors will cradle individuals with cerebral palsy and move their arms and legs to help them relax. The instructors will also help them to touch their feel to the floor or lift their heads for a few seconds.
Specialised yoga instructors can also help those with disabilities such as Down syndrome, autism, ADHD, or learning disabilities. Yoga is often a slow and meditative process, so it helps these individuals slow down and increase attention and focus. Parents of children with autism, ADHD, or anxiety indicate that yoga helps their children calm themselves down and creates better focus and following directions. Like in west, Yoga activities should take place in specialized centers and then be utilized in schools, all with the end goal of promoting wellness and improved functioning even outside the classroom.
Yoga begins by working with the body on a structural level, helping to align the vertebrae, increase flexibility, and strengthen muscles and connective tissue. At the same time, internal organs are toned and rejuvenated; the epidermal, digestive, lymphatic, cardiovascular, and pulmonary systems are purified of toxins and waste matter; the nervous and endocrine systems are balanced and toned; and brain cells are nourished and stimulated. The end result is increased mental clarity, emotional stability, and a greater sense of overall well-being.
Since yoga works on so many different levels, it has great potential as an effective therapy for chronic diseases and conditions that do not respond well to conventional treatment methods. For this reason, children with Down Syndrome and other developmental disabilities who practice Yoga often surprise their parents and teachers with their quick mastery of basic motor, communicative, and cognitive skills. Yoga poses (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama) can help to bring children with autism out of their shell and into the world of social interaction and gain new motor, communication and social skills. The same Yoga routine can help children with learning disabilities develop greater concentration, balance, and composure in their daily lives. Since breath is deeply connected to the emotions, teaching yogic breathing exercises (pranayama) is an ideal way to start working with children who have attention deficit disorder. Alternate nostril breathing will be of particular benefit to children with ADHD because of its ability to calm the mind and to balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
Everyone suffering from any disability gains some level of benefit through Yogic postures and breathing exercises.. The only requirements are proper instructions and regular practice under the supervision of Specialised Yoga Instructors.
Dr Roopa Vohra
