Week 1: - Yoga Therapy Venn Diagram- Western- Focuses on illness- Quantitative, scientifically-validated approaches- Illness happens to people and should be treated with medicine- Wellness is the absence of disease- Yoga & Ayurveda- Focuses on the wholeness- Qualitative, self-awareness- Symptoms of illness can be decreased or prevented with behavioral and social change- Yoga therapy combines both- Quantitative: measures numerical data- Qualitative: measures the quality of experience and mindfulness Week 2: - Samsk*ras: habit-patterns- Often unconscious- Modern science might call these neuropathways- The more we do something, the more habitual it becomes- Think of the ruts in a dirt road; as cars drive over them, they become more & more ingrained into the earth- Vrttis : whirlpool (of the mind) or fluctuation- Not all bad, but too many = chaotic mind- Some mental activity is required to make decisionsWeek 3: - Homeostasis: the ability of an organism to maintain stability internally despite constantly changing external stimuli- Western version of sattva- Static vs Dynamic sana (Postures)- Static postures: hold in one place (isometric contraction)- Usually 30 seconds or more- Excellent for building focus & stamina- Dynamic postures: move in & out of pose with the breath 5-6 times, using full range of motion- Link the breath- Better choice if you’ve had impingeness issues- Can be easier to incorporate & focus on the breath- 3 Gunas- Tamas: slow, heavy, lethargic- Fear interprets experience- Allows one to rest- Sattva: calm, grounded, balanced- Truth interprets experience- Allows proper discrimination- Rajas: fiery, overactive, aggressive- Desire interprets experience- Great motivator to accomplish things in the world- Are the gunas more permanent or do they fluctuate?- The gunas fluctuate, as we experience a new day everyday.Week 4: - 3 Doshas- Vata: - Body: light frame, variable appetite, dry skin, variable digestion- Mind: aggravated by wind, cold, irregular routine, learns quickly, forgets quickly, nervous energy- Pitta: - Body: medium, muscular frame, strong appetite, dislikes skipping meals, warm, reddish or freckled skin, strong digestion- Mind: aggravated by heat, alcohol, stress, smoke, spicy food, sharp memory, motivated, competitive- Kapha: - Body: large frame, usually low-grade hungry, soft/oily skin, slow but steady digestion- Mind: aggravated by cold, overeating, too little variety, slow learning but never forgets, steady, compassionate, grounded- Are doshas more permanent or do they fluctuate?- Doshas are more permanent, as they characterize who we are.Week 5: - Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic Nervous System- Sympathetic: fight or flight response- Concerned with increasing alertness, metabolic rate, muscular abilities- Parasympathetic: rest and digest response- Concerned with relaxation, food processing, creating energy reserves- Vagus Nerve- 10th cranial nerve- Oversees key bodily functions, like mood, immune response, digestion, heart rate- Brings info from your inner organs to the brain- Controls our “fight or flight” adrenaline response to stress & danger - Ways to stimulate your vagus nerve- Washing your face with cold water- Meditation- Humming- Slow, rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing- Balancing the gut microbiome- Speaking - Heart Rate Variability: allows bodies to relax more quickly after an adrenaline rush and/or perceived threat- What approach/style of yoga is beneficial for most digestive ailments?- Poses that relax the abdomen, gentle/lying poses benefit most digestive ailments.Week 6: - Bhramari (bee breath): bee-like buzzing sound produced during exhalation- Yoga Poses using the wall- 5 Kleshas (barriers to contentment)1. Ignorance (aviyada)a. Root of all suffering, and thus the root cause of all of the Kleshasb. Causes us to search for contentment in the material world2. Ego (asmita)a. A created self (materials) override personal values & soulful Selfb. Creates a sense of separateness3. Desire/Attachment (raga)a. Must be aware that pleasurable/material things come & gob. Clinging too tightly to them is what causes suffering4. Aversion (dvesa)a. Running away from unpleasant thingsb. Negative form of attraction5. Fear (Abhinivesa)a. A fear of deathb. Embracing this means accepting that we will all eventually pass awayc. Must accept aging processTwo types of breathing: Ujayii (ocean breath) and Bhramari (bee breath)2nd Semester- 5 Koshas: constituents of human experience–beyond just mental & physical1. Annamayakoshaa. Physical body & all of its systemsb. Imbalance in one of these will eventually lead to imbalance in the others; they do not exist independentlyc. Pranamayakosha (faster breathing) & manomayakosha (alertness, anxiety)is the reaction to sympathetic reaction activated in the annamayakosha2. Pranamayaa. The breath; “life force energy” brought into the body by way of the breathb. Not limited to oxygen exchangei. Body’s ability to absorb water & nutrients & get rid of wasteii. When in balance, we feel a sense of vitality; when out of balance, we feel drained3. Manomayaa. Where information is collected from the five senses4. Vijnanamayaa. Wisdomi. Ability to judge what is trueii. Faith, trust, righteousness, virtueiii. Ability to use your intellect to make decisions & judgements in alignment with your values5. Anandamayaa. Blissb. Stay curious- What areas to strengthen or lengthen (stretch) for better back health - Key breathing practices - kapalabhati (breath of fire) - sama-vrtti (box breath) - extended exhales and ujjayi breath - dirgha (three part breath) - Prakrti & Purusha - Prakrti : the manifest world, our senses & all the thoughts about those things- Purusha : self, unchanging, not subject to external fluctuations- What is karma and how to “remove the gunk” - Tapas (fiery heat of self-motivation) through things like asana, breathwork, meditation- Taps practices were believed to burn off impurities clouding the mind- Bring awareness of your body & mind in the present moment- What is tapas?- Fiery heat of self