“All suffering is similar. Whether we’re suffering from relationship trauma or low-back pain it wears on our consciousness in a similar way.”

- Tiffany Cruikshank, founder of Yoga Medicine

Through the years, more and more medical practitioners and wellness experts are recommending Yoga as therapy for all sorts of ailments - physical, and even emotional. But how can Yoga therapy really help you overcome these? And what is the difference between Yoga Therapy and “normal” Yoga?

Yoga Therapy uses the ancient science of the practise to enhance health and wellness in all levels of an individual: physical, emotional, even spiritual.

At Aruna Yoga, a class would also work towards the same, but is more general in nature. For yoga therapy, teachers are mandated to take more time for the needs of an individual - classes are intentionally smaller for this purpose.

As therapy, your Yoga practise will designedly take you down a path to personal healing and balance in whatever area of life you may need, through the awakening of your body, mind, and spirit. It is perfect for those who desire healing, but also those who would like to maintain good health, prevent disease, and ease into ageing with elegance.

Another aspect of yoga therapy may be likened to psychotherapy, as this includes mental and emotional exercises to help you deal will life-changing or traumatic experiences and anxiety, for these have also been proven to affect us in a physical manner.

If at this point, you are still sitting on the fence about whether Yoga Therapy is for you, here are some more key distinguishers for this therapeutic practise:

• It is your own, personal therapy programme. Whether your goal is to relieve chronic pain, aid sleep and decrease insomnia, enhance recovery from injury, reduce anxiety, or maintain your health and good energy, each therapy session is made to answer your need - whatever that may be.  
  

• It is more targeted than a classes. Though we offer different practise styles already at the studio, yoga therapy such as Chair Yoga can (and will!) target specific conditions such as back pain, more thoroughly. Your teacher or therapist will always guide you to adjust your poses or breathwork to address your body, mind, and spirit’s specific need. Rest assured that you will get the full benefits from each therapy session.
  

• It grows your awareness of self. Offered in individual sessions to small classes, your teacher or therapist will guide you through all the subtleties of your body’s response to each pose of stretching, strengthening, and relaxing. This stimulates your body and mind into a faster progression of healing, bringing you above each pain and releasing your spirit to true rest.

Are you ready for healing? Aruna Yoga will be starting a special Meditation Class on the 4th of October, and a Chair Yoga Class on the 8th of November. Take this opportunity to meet your pain, whether physical or emotional, and ready yourself to be set free. We are so excited for the breakthroughs that are coming. Namaste.