So Much "Yoga" Out There. What will Work for Me?
With so much yoga going on out there, it's easy to get confused as to the right style or approach for your needs. Everyone seems to be an expert, and the streets are so saturated with yoga classes any more that it's easy to write off entirely. After all, what's the difference between yoga, pilates, zumba, or aerobic classes?
Yoga is an ancient (5000+ yr old) philosophical and practical system. It's tools and practices are various, from physical postures, to breath work, to meditation, visualizations, chanting and more. But at it's essence, yoga was designed to assist us to emerge from our experience of suffering and separateness to a place of being; a return to wholeness, which is our true nature.
To assist you in making a decision on the type of approach to yoga would suit you best, it is helpful to know that yoga is generally taught in three different ways: group classes, (these can take the form of large classes that serve the general public, or in public or private group classes with enrolment limited to people with specific needs), private sessions, or Yoga Therapy. Despite the approach, teachers are responsible to ensure that the tools of yoga being used appropriately apply to and benefit the students in front of them. Thus, depending on your needs and goals, one approach may be more valuable on your journey than the others.
Yoga is an ancient (5000+ yr old) philosophical and practical system. It's tools and practices are various, from physical postures, to breath work, to meditation, visualizations, chanting and more. But at it's essence, yoga was designed to assist us to emerge from our experience of suffering and separateness to a place of being; a return to wholeness, which is our true nature.
To assist you in making a decision on the type of approach to yoga would suit you best, it is helpful to know that yoga is generally taught in three different ways: group classes, (these can take the form of large classes that serve the general public, or in public or private group classes with enrolment limited to people with specific needs), private sessions, or Yoga Therapy. Despite the approach, teachers are responsible to ensure that the tools of yoga being used appropriately apply to and benefit the students in front of them. Thus, depending on your needs and goals, one approach may be more valuable on your journey than the others.
Is a Yoga-Based Therapy Really the Right Approach for Me?
When the body and mind are focused together through the breath, rest ensues and an environment ripe for healing is created.
Yoga Therapy is a complementary system that seeks to address the wellness of an individual holistically. It has a unique anatomy, physiology, psychology, and methodology of examination for diagnosis, and a precise method of leveraging the tools and techniques of yoga to bring about a focused and comprehensive therapeutic effect. To practice yoga therapy, the therapist must have significant training in addition to just being a yoga teacher since, while yoga therapy uses the tools of yoga, it is a very different practice.
Yoga Therapy addresses the individual on five layers, that according to the yogic system, pervade our existence: the panca maya-s ("five all pervading") are the annamaya (physical body), pranamaya (energetic/breath body), manomaya (psycho-emotional body), vijyanamaya (wisdom body) and anandamaya (the bliss body -- that which is closest to real nature, truth). To address the individual holistically on each layer, Yoga Therapy uses the tools of yoga as appropriate to the individual needs of the student, including but not limited to asana (physical postures), pranayama (breath practices), mudras (therapeutic gestures), meditation, body awareness and relaxation techniques.
In addition to the development and refinement of customized practices for the student, a yoga therapy session with Stephanie can consist of any of the following approaches, depending on the student's current needs and goals during that particular session, and what the student wants to learn:
Yoga Therapy is for you if you wish to take the lead on your own healing path. While a good therapist will assist the student by continuing to find ways to inspire them, the student has the biggest responsibility within the Yoga Therapy process. They must do their regular practice (homework!) on their own and provide essential feedback on the process and progress to the therapist so that the therapist can ensure there is the opportunity for progression towards the student's goals.
Yoga Therapy is a complementary system that seeks to address the wellness of an individual holistically. It has a unique anatomy, physiology, psychology, and methodology of examination for diagnosis, and a precise method of leveraging the tools and techniques of yoga to bring about a focused and comprehensive therapeutic effect. To practice yoga therapy, the therapist must have significant training in addition to just being a yoga teacher since, while yoga therapy uses the tools of yoga, it is a very different practice.
Yoga Therapy addresses the individual on five layers, that according to the yogic system, pervade our existence: the panca maya-s ("five all pervading") are the annamaya (physical body), pranamaya (energetic/breath body), manomaya (psycho-emotional body), vijyanamaya (wisdom body) and anandamaya (the bliss body -- that which is closest to real nature, truth). To address the individual holistically on each layer, Yoga Therapy uses the tools of yoga as appropriate to the individual needs of the student, including but not limited to asana (physical postures), pranayama (breath practices), mudras (therapeutic gestures), meditation, body awareness and relaxation techniques.
In addition to the development and refinement of customized practices for the student, a yoga therapy session with Stephanie can consist of any of the following approaches, depending on the student's current needs and goals during that particular session, and what the student wants to learn:
- Experiential taught session of postures, breath work, visualizations, meditation, chanting, and/or other techniques
- Yoga Nidra (guided deep relaxation)
- Thai Yoga Massage techniques
- Yoga Tune Up Therapy Ball Massage techniques
- Diet & lifestyle counselling based on the principles of Yoga & Ayurveda
Yoga Therapy is for you if you wish to take the lead on your own healing path. While a good therapist will assist the student by continuing to find ways to inspire them, the student has the biggest responsibility within the Yoga Therapy process. They must do their regular practice (homework!) on their own and provide essential feedback on the process and progress to the therapist so that the therapist can ensure there is the opportunity for progression towards the student's goals.