Yoga Therapy cultivates body/mind integration and a sense of harmony with life. It promotes the innate healing resources of the body, helping restore the proper functioning of the various bodily systems. 

Yoga therapy is applicable to a great variety of conditions, including anxiety, low back pain, arthritis, hypertension, heart conditions, hyperventilation, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

The goal in yoga is to restore the body-mind to its fundamental state of well-being, ease and alertness. Yoga can heal, strengthen, stretch and relax the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, digestive, glandular and nervous systems.

Yoga Therapy consists of a combination of:

Physical postures: Simple yoga postures gently stretch and strengthen muscles, improving mobility, flexibility, respiration, circulation, digestion and elimination. These consist of both simple movements and held postures, which promote a general sense of health and well being. These postures train the practitioner on stability, alignment, motor sequencing, strength and mental focus.  There is coordinated action between muscles and joints creating muscle tone and control, mental focus and breath control. This maintenance of postural position and breath works with the autonomic nervous system.  Postures can work on muscles, ligaments, joints, internal organs and smooth muscle glands.  

Breathing techniques: Yoga breathing exercises can be practiced anywhere and at any time. Awareness of the breath is central to all forms of yoga and promotes calmness, helping to focus the mind, and relieving stress and mental fatigue.

Relaxation methods: Learning how to relax is a central element of Yoga Therapy. Relaxation is the body’s way of recharging, and helps to ease physical and mental tension. Relaxation techniques encourage us to step back and look objectively at our habitual patterns of behavior, helping us to cope better with situations that put our body and mind under strain.

Yoga Therapy starts with very simple exercises. You can begin to practice yoga and benefit right away, even if you have never done yoga before. Commencing with stretching and breathing exercises, students gradually progress in stages to a working knowledge of yoga postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and relaxation practices. Yoga Therapy retains the ancient principles of yoga, and works holistically at all levels of the mind and body

Yoga serves the body in the following ways:

* Relax and refresh after daily activities

* Enhance quality of life and improvement of relationships

* Increase attention and focus in children and adults

* Improve in personal and professional productivity

* Reduce stress and stress-related problems

* Stabilize mental and emotional challenges - depression, anxiety, etc.

* Alleviate a wide range of physical ailments - back pain, arthritis, etc.

* Help in the recovery from illness - post surgery, injuries, etc.

* Maintain vitality from youth through old age

* Support women through many life changes, including PMS, pregnancy, and menopause

Some of the physical benefits of yoga include: 

*Increased strength *Increased flexibility *Decreased pulse rate *Decreased blood pressure 

*Decreased respiratory rate, increased respiratory efficiency *Normalized or improved endocrine, gastrointestinal and excretory functions

*Improved posture *Improved joint range of motion *Normalized weight *Improved sleep *Increased immunity

*Decreased pain *Improved balance

Some of the mental and emotional benefits include: 

*Improved cognitive function and concentration *Improved learning efficiency *Improved memory

*Stress relief *More energy *Ability to relax at will

Yoga is able to integrate new levels of functionality resulting in a more balanced and positive lifestyle.