Frequently Asked Questions

Everyone.

From children aged 2 upwards, to senior citizens and everyone in between.

Of course, appropriate precautions have to be taken for each category, depending on age, physical condition, health problems, chronic or acute. Which is why it's recommended to practise under a qualified and experienced teacher, till such time that one gains a level of profiency to be able to safely practise on their own. This applies not just to asanas, but also to shatkarmas (cleansing), pranayama (breath control) and samyamaa (meditation).

One should not practise yoga right after meals, when suffering an acute trauma, infection or condition, immediately after a gym session or aerobics or any other high impact games like tennis, squash, football etc. Leave a few hours gap after any high intensity physical activity and your yoga session.

Yoga is best practised on an empty stomach (at least 4 hours after meals, an hour after consuming fruit), around sunrise and sunset. Having said that, anytime is a good time to practise yoga, provided the should nots mentioned in the earlier paragraph are adhered to.

WRONG!! Yoga most definitely IS an option. In fact, it is a beneficial for any and all chronic conditions, provided you learn under a qualified teacher with the training and experience to handle your specific medical conditions.

Yoga is so vast that there is something of benefit to any and everyone wanting to take it up, whatsoever be their physical and mental state. Bedridden individuals can benefit from pranayama and asanas modified to their particular limitations. Chronic condition patients can benefit from practises specifically conducive to alleviate their symptoms and help them heal. Visually challenged, physically disabled, those with mental limitations and psychological disorders - there are yogic practises for every individual and any disorder.

However, the important thing is to practise under the guidance of a teacher well versed with the contraindications and benefits of each and every practise associated with your specific ailment or condition. It is imperative to closely follow the do's and don'ts associated with each practise, else it can very likely worsen.

Yoga during pregnancy has many many benefits - like increased blood supply to to the developing fetus, supporting optimal physical and mental development, maternal preparedness for labour and delivery, amongst others. But once again - and this cannot be stressed enough - the right guidance is required; a highly experienced and qualified teacher is especially important for prenatal yoga.

The use of props during prenatal yoga practises is very highly recommended.

It is true that we are born knowing how to breathe instinctively, and go on to instinctively learn to sit, walk, talk and do many more things. Yet how many of us require physiotherapy for problems related to incorrect postures, wrong lifting, bad walking and standing styles, and other problems related to such instinctively learnt actions?

Just because we know something instinctively doesn't mean we do it optimally or even correctly. Improper breathing is responsible for a host of common everyday illnesses. Learning to breathe properly is an essential health aid.

Gentle yoga practises, along with pranayama and yog nidra can help you make a speedy recovery and actually shorten your recovery period. So by all means, sign up for a therapy yoga class and see the difference for yourself. But once again, ensure you train under the guidance of a qualified and experienced teacher.

Much of today's common beliefs were, at some point or another, rejected as unacceptable or impossible by the Scientific Community - psychology, the concept of airplanes/ flight, the theory of relativity, and washing hands between patients (yes, germ theory was also rejected at one point!).

There are lot of ways this rejection is framed - quantum woo, implausible theories, superstition, no empirical proof, violating the laws of science, magical thinking. And should incontrovertible proof present itself (especially with alternate healing), there are other ways to reject those too - spontaneous remission, nothing but the placebo effect. (Personally speaking though, if any imaginary effect cures a real illness, I'm all for it!)

Everything that is mainstream science today, was at some point fringe science. So...the final decision? Is yours. Proof of the pudding is in the eating - try it for yourself. Of course, take care to find a qualified and experienced practitioner - quacks can be found in all walks of life and in all manner of wellness and healing!

The good news is there is a definite discernible shift in opinion happening even as we speak. A lot more research is being conducted on the measurable effects of traditional wellness and medicine systems. More of the medical fraternity is opening up to the inherent possibilities of combining mainstream medicine with alternate therapies for best outcomes.