Yoga Therapy or Yogapathy

[Guest guest]

Yoga Therapy or yogapathy

 

Yoga Therapy is no different from Yoga. Healing

Thy Self is primarily Yoga Therapy. I wholly agree with Dr Ananda when he says:

‘Modern Yoga therapy seems to have lost touch with the real essence of

Yoga. Yoga aims to help us regain our psycho-physiological balance by removing

the root cause of the disharmony (*dukka samoiga viyogam*-BG). He rightfully

adds: Dwaitam or duality is the main initial cause of the imbalance that may

then manifest through the psycho-somatic stress mechanism through the various

Koshas (aspects of existence) as various disorders depending upon the

propensity of the individual. Thiruvalluvar the great Tamil mystic

says in his Thirukkural, " Look for the disease, look for the primary cause

of it and then treat it " . Similarly sage Vashistha tells Lord Rama in the

Yoga Vaashistha that the essential disease (*sara adhija vyadhi*) is that of

being caught in the vicious birth-rebirth spiral. He also says that this

essential disease can be remedied only by Atma Jnana or the inner

awareness of the higher Self’ (italics mine).

 

I am a dedicated student of this ancient

experiential science of yoga for over forty years and I confirm this wholly

with the confidence based on my students/patients experience and the conviction

based on my own personal experience during the last twenty years.

 

I’ve healed myself of severe hay

fever, heart attack, stroke and several illnesses, as well as helping

student/patients to heal themselves of a range of serious illnesses and in the

process evolve spiritually. There will be several paths to the same goal. Let

me share with you how this truth was revealed to me.

 

It started with me being divinely inspired

in 1988, after two years practice as a Yoga Therapist In Melbourne, Australia ,

that ‘Yoga Therapy was assisting a student-patient to rise above body and

conscious mind, negate ego consciousness and attune to higher a state of

consciousness’. Within ten days of this revelation I received an

unsolicited confirmation from the late Dr B V Reddy of Chennnai, who had heard

of my dedication and commitment to Yoga Therapy, that ‘Yoga Therapy was

helping a student erase ego consciousness and attune to a higher state of

consciousnesses’. I subsequently learnt that may have been the last

letter he wrote before his untimely death.

 

Then I traveled to India, and based myself

in Bangalore. With time on my hands, I joined a pilgrimage to North India,

where at the foothills of the Himalayas at an ancient Shivan temple I was blest

by a Yogini to become a competent Yoga Therapist. Since then she has served me

as a guiding angel.

 

On my return to Bangalore I was intuitively

inspired by the Yogini to assist a lady bedridden for three years with lumbar

spondylitis, to walk again. She was to chant OM and allow it to vibrate at her

lower back. This helped her ‘to rise above her physical body and

conscious mind, negate ego consciousness and attune to a higher state of

consciousness’, wherein her personal deity assured her that she would be

healed before long. The lady was to commence with 27 chants on the first day and

add one more chant for 81 days. Long before the 81 days she walked over half a

mile and climbed a flight of stairs to report her rehabilitation to Dr

Nagarthana, an eminent physician and Yoga Consultant at sVYAS, Bangalore, whom

she had consulted at my request before commencing my program. The Yogini had

given me a practice and program to self heal.

 

 

From Bangalore I proceeded to Pondicherry,

India, to study at the International Centre for Yoga Research and Education

under the late Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Maharaj (Swamiji)

spiritual head of Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga and an authority on Pranayama.

Among other practices he taught me life-giving Mahat Yoga Pranayama and

soul-redeeming Pranava AUM Pranayama, in different ratios, to regenerate,

rejuvenate and rehabilitate from any physical or mental condition, and in the

process evolve spiritually.

 

Swamiji and Meenakshi Amma had great

faith in me as a dedicated student and I was confident that the truth would be

revealed to me in the fullness of my serious practice. After several years of

intense practice, research and experience I have developed his unique practices

into a powerful program to self heal.

 

Normally one breathes only about 20% of the

lung intake, which results, as he rightfully claimed, in being only 20%healthy,

functionally efficient and mentally active. Breathing poorly also results in

respiratory acidosis (and with its neglect circulatory acidosis) with their

resultant disorders.

 

In Mahat Yoga Pranayama one takes in over

70% of the lung intake, when the air breathed-in fills the physical lungs,

while the pranic content in the air breathed in fills the Pranamaya Kosha

(electromagnetic field) which in turn energizes the other four koshas,

including the cells.

 

In Pranava AUM one chants the primal sound

AUM (while breathing in Mahat Yoga Pranayama) and achieves the following:

“A” attunes to the

vibratory sound of physical body, universe and a wakeful state of

consciousness.

“U” attunes to the vibratory

sound of mind, cosmic mind and a dream state of consciousness.

“M” attunes to the vibratory

sound of self consciousness, cosmic consciousness and a deep wakeful stare of

consciousness.

 

“Pranava AUM’ integrates

the body, mind and self consciousness, universe, cosmic mind and cosmic consciousness,

transcends the three states of consciousness and leads to the fourth

state of consciousness, Turiya, beyond conceptualization, the state of causal

silence within, where renewal, repair and self healing take place.

 

When the awareness is taken to the

organ/area needing healing, you activate the consciousness of the cells in it,

when you breathe in Mahat Yoga Pranayama you energize the cells, and when you

chant Pranava AUM you make the cells holistic (experience a state of

wellbeing). This experience is progressively extended during the 81 day

program. If the condition is mental, Pranava AUM is allowed to vibrate and

resonate at the Physical, Astral and Causal Energy Bodies (Physical, Astral

& Causal Planes of Existence).

 

To enhance the process of healing,

meditation on Pranava AUM is done at Anahata Chakra, the seat of the soul, and

the session ended with an affirmation.

 

How does this work?

Cosmic Consciousness is the basis of all

causation and creation.

We are Self Consciousness, part and parcel

of Cosmic Consciousness.

In our worldly existence we live in three

states of consciousness - wakeful, dream and deep sleep associated with the

Physical, Astral and Causal planes of Existence.

In order to regenerate, rejuvenate and rehabilitate

and experience good health or evolve spiritually, we have to integrate

the body, mind and self consciousness, the Universe, Cosmic Mind and Cosmic

Consciousness and transcend the three states of consciousness and move into the

state of causal silence within. That is just what Pranava AUM does.

 

This practice is confirmed by Yogananda

Paramahansa when he says that “all created things in this universe

originate in the cosmic vibratory energy of Pranava AUM and it is this cosmic

vibration which creates and sustains all things”. Madukya Upanishad

conveys the same profound truth.

 

From 1999 I have been practicing

intensively the practices I learnt from Swamiji and have developed an 81 day

program (on the lines of the Yogini’s original guidance) which

rehabilitates any condition (within the constraints of one’s karma)

resulting in progressively experiencing good health and spiritual evolution.

 

The program consists of five separate

sessions, and develops one physically, mentally, emotionally, intellectually

and spiritually. Healing takes place naturally.

 

During my daily intense sadhana the Yogini

revealed to me a technique wherein meditating at the Chakras, associated with

the three planes of existence, neutralized emotional traumas and tensions of

this and previous births stored in the Chakras and at the Anahata Chakra, the

seat of the soul. It also enhances their psychic qualities transforming

the personality and character of the student/patient and activates a process of

healing at all three planes of existence. I have rightfully called the

practice/program ‘Chakra Meditation for Healing”.

 

I now offer ‘Chakra Meditation for

Healing’ as a workshop of two hours duration and an 81 day program

consisting of five sessions complementing the prescribed medication.

 

The ‘Chakra Meditation for

Healing’ Workshop

 

The workshop has been recorded in a set of

two CDs and a DVD.

 

If one is seeking a state of wellbeing and

resultant good health the practice of 27 chants of Pranava AUM (learnt at the workshop

or from a CD or DVD) must be practiced daily for 81 days duration, for it takes

that duration of time for both body and mind to accept and benefit from the

practice.

 

If on the other hand if one is combating a

physical or mental condition (serious or otherwise) one should add one more

chant daily to the 27 chants of Pranava AUM for 81 days (so the next day it

will be 28 chants and so on) till 108 chants are reached.

 

The 81 day ‘Chakra Meditation for

Healing’ Program

 

The main difference in this program from

the workshop is that one is taught how to breathe over 70% of the lung capacity

to absorb prana directly over and above the oxygen needed by the body.

 

The breathing is done at the lower, mid, upper

lungs and the complete lungs in the first four sessions. It involves hathenas

to open the rib cage and stretch the lungs, breathing into the frontal, side

and back lobes of each section of the lungs, first separately and then

sequentially, in different ratios to regenerate and rejuvenate and finally

incorporating Pranava AUM and meditating at the major chakras to rehabilitate.

In the fifth session the breathing is done to a deeper rhythm.

 

In the case of a program the main practice

of ‘Chakra Meditation for Healing’ is complemented with two

Complementary Practices.

 

Complementary Practice – Rhythmic

Breath & Meditational Walk (Savitri Pranayama). The tranquillizing and

harmonizing Rhythmic Breath or walk is done once in two/three hours during the

day to create a state of wellbeing during the day.

 

Complementary Practice 2 – Psychic

Sleep or Yoga Nidra. This deeply relaxing practice is done at going to sleep to

relax the body, still the mind, neutralize the traumas and tensions of the day

and experience a refreshing night’s sleep.

 

Both Complementary Practices are taken to

deeper and more subtle levels at each session.

 

Additional Practices are taught, if needed.

There are a range of such practices in the Gitananda Yoga tradition.

 

My experience during the last twenty years

is that this is sufficient to rehabilitate the condition wholly or help in

managing the condition better. If not the program is repeated with the rhythms

being taken to a deeper level. (The taking of the rhythm to a deeper level

means that we start breathing more slow, deep and rhythmic, which was the

ancient secret to good physical and mental health and longevity.)

 

It must be clearly understood that healing

takes place on its own, within the constraints of one’s karma, once we

neutralize the traumas and tensions of this and previous births, the root cause

of internally caused diseases and

develop ourselves physically, emotionally,

mentally and spiritually. This Program does just that!

 

Love

Sri Bala Ratnam, Yoga Therapist

Founder, Vibrational Breath Therapy

(based on Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga)

Breath Therapy Clinic, Postal Address: P O

Box 3331 Wheelers Hill VIC 3150 Australia

Phone: +61 3 9545 0545; Mobile: 0410 252

389

Email address: sribala; Website: www.vbt.com.au (being updated)