Whether it’s a vague feeling that all is not well, or a sense that the body/mind is in armed rebellion against us, or any of the stages in between, living with dis-ease or un-wellness can leave us feeling as though we’re living half a life.
Whether your issue has its roots in the body, the mind or the emotions, living this way can lead to disconnection from, disappointment in, or even a sense of loathing of, ourselves. We may find ourselves trapped in the margins – always, never, everything, nothing. This issue – whatever it is – is something which we fight with, but at the same time we become increasingly defined by.
In the 15th century, a yogic scholar called Svatmarama wrote that the science of yoga ‘is the sanctuary for those suffering every type of pain’ (Hatha Yoga Pradipika, II.10). The International Association of Yoga Therapists describes yoga therapy as ‘the process of empowering individuals to progress towards improved health and wellbeing through the application of the teaching and practice of yoga’.
As a yoga therapist, my practice starts from a place of unconditional positive regard for my client, a belief that instinctively the client knows what is best for them, and from a certainty that they have within them the capacity to heal themselves.