Overview of Yoga

Yoga is complex. Its long and rich history extends back 5000 years to ancient India. Therefore to explore the totality of yoga within this chapter is impossible. Additional resources are provided at the end of this chapter in Appendix 1 for further exploration of yoga’s history, philosophy, and practice. More information on yoga can be found in Chapter 7.

Yoga, in the traditional sense, is a spiritual way of life that extends well beyond the complicated poses and breath work. The traditional practice of yoga is actually a rigorous spiritual discipline composed of a vast array of physical and mental exercises, in addition to philosophical, moral, and even nutritional practices, all aimed at self-transformation by union of the mind, body, and spirit. As such, yoga truly embodies a holistic approach to life and health. It takes even the most dedicated a lifetime to master. For the most part, however, since its introduction to the West in the late 1880s, yoga has undergone a metamorphosis into a more physically based “fitness yoga.” Many purists, however, still see this Westernized yoga form as an opportunity for exploring the deeper side of yoga and the spiritual aspects of life.⁹

Yoga is complex even to define. The word yoga has several translations and comes from the root “yug” (to join), or “yoke” (to bind together). Essentially, yoga describes a method of discipline or means of uniting the body to the mind. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) classifies yoga as a mind-body therapy, defining it as “yoga—this combination of breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation, practiced for over 5000 years, calms the nervous system and balances body, mind, and spirit. It is thought to prevent specific diseases and maladies by keeping the energy meridians open and life energy flowing.”⁵ Yoga, like other mind-body therapies, is centered on development and/or enhancement of physical, psychological, and spiritual health.¹⁰ Yoga’s belief system that strongly claims mind, body, and spirit are interwoven is manifested and realized through the dedicated practice of yoga.⁹

Yoga Practice

What is commonly referred to as “yoga” in the West is actually Hatha yoga, one of dozens of types of Hindu yoga practiced around the world today. Hatha yoga is the “yoga of activity,” with a higher focus on physical postures, deep breathing exercises, and meditation in contrast to other forms of yoga, which may focus more on ethics, meditation, or diet. Because it is one of the types of yoga one can experience, its tangibility has made it the most popular form of yoga practiced in the West and the most practical therapeutically. All styles of yoga, however, are said to lead down the same path, that being toward spiritual enlightenment through self-transformation.⁹

The traditional path of Hatha yoga is said to involve eight components, or limbs, to attain a person’s full potential and live a purposeful life.⁹ These components are a prescription for self-discipline, and they direct attention towards one’s body, mind, and overall health. These eight paths include (1) moral precepts, (2) personal behavior concepts, (3) physical postures (most familiar to Westerners), (4) conscious regulation of the breath, (5) focus of the senses inward, (6) concentration, (7) meditation, and (8) ecstasy. Each path is meant to lead to the next. Although to mention these paths of the traditional Hatha practice is important, the focus for this client should center on the more physical and mental aspects for which Hatha yoga is known and that the client would most likely encounter. Several elements in Hatha yoga exist, which include physical postures (asanas), breathwork (pranayama), withdrawal (pratayahara), concentration (dharana), and meditation (dhyana).

The physical postures, called asanas, are designed to purify, cleanse, and gain mastery over the physical body to allow the body to prepare for meditation or stillness.¹¹ In the yogic view, a strong, flexible, and conditioned body is necessary as a foundation for the higher spiritual pursuits. Although not typically considered an aerobic exercise, these yogic postures are meant to help the client develop strength, flexibility, and endurance in muscles and improve circulation and alignment in spine.⁹

More than 200 actual asanas exist, each with its own purpose, which creates a system designed to seek out every muscle, joint, and ligament and exercise it.⁹ Within a pose, certain muscles are meant to be flexed, others stretched, which enables relaxation and improved flexibility. Procedures exist for entering, holding, and emerging from each pose, along with specific sequences of poses. Movements are typically slow and coordinated with controlled breathing so that full inhalation is achieved upon entering the pose. The pose and breath are held briefly and then released simultaneously so that the starting point is reached at full exhalation. Every pose has a counterpose to balance its effects.

Typically every practice uses a variety of poses; most involve the muscles of the back and abdomen (Figure 8-1). Standing poses are designed for centering and alignment (Figure 8-2). Seated poses are designed to be more calming than the standing poses (Figure 8-3). Forward bends, with flexion in the hips, rather than the spine, can be done seated, standing (Figure 8-4), supine, twisting, balancing, or inverted. Balancing postures are designed to develop the body’s coordination and strength (see Figure 8-2). Twisting poses help activate the spine, internal organs, and muscles (Figure 8-5). Backbends are meant to strengthen the extensor muscles, stretch the flexor muscles, and stimulate the entire nervous system (Figure 8-6). Inversion postures are said to strengthen the cardiovascular system and obviously reverse the effects of gravity (see Figure 8-4).

Figure 8-1 Bridge posture illustrating the use of the back and abdomen. Reproduced with permission of Joel Stern.

Figure 8-2 Standing pose for alignment and balance. Reproduced with permission of Joel Stern.

Figure 8-3 Seated pose for meditation and stillness: lotus. Reproduced with permission of Joel Stern.

Figure 8-4 Forward bending at the hips: downward dog. Reproduced with permission of Joel Stern.

Figure 8-5 Twisting posture. Reproduced with permission of Joel Stern.

Figure 8-6 Extensor posture: cobra. Reproduced with permission of Joel Stern.

Many various styles of Hatha yoga exist, each approaching the asana practice in a particular way (Table 8-1). Some use faster, flowing asana movements, such as Ashtanga, whereas others, such as Iyengar, use poses held for longer durations with attention to detail. Iyengar is one of the most popular styles in the West and uses props to accommodate special needs of the yoga instructor Viniyoga is another popular form, which allows poses to be customized to the individual; thus it is good for students with physical limitations.

Table 8-1 Different Schools of Hatha Yoga Commonly Practiced in the United States

Generally associated with the asanas is breath control, a practice called “pranayama,” which also can be used as an isolated practice. The pranayamic breath is meant to be deep, rhythmic breathing through the nose during inhalation and exhalation. Pranayama is designed to gain conscious control of one of the most basic and largely unconscious bodily functions and allows realization of the connection between the breath, mind, and emotions.⁹ In the yogic view, if the breath is calm and controlled, so can be the mind.⁴

Two other limbs of the yogic practice, pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) and dharana (concentration), are important skills that increase attention and awareness. Practicing these two paths is said to place a person in “the zone” and helps bring awareness to positioning and posture. These are also important practices that allow people to sense and understand the limitations of their bodies.⁹ These practices allow someone to draw attention inward, learn to recognize habitual thought patterns, and become aware of the body and its rhythms. The practice of meditation, or dhyana, results in uninterrupted concentration aimed at quieting the mind and body. It commonly is used as a practice apart from the other yogic practices.⁹