The “Yoga in Daily Life” method has given Westerners the opportunity to experience Yoga in its purest original form. The more I practice “Yoga in everyday life” and the less I wonder about how to integrate Yoga into our Western culture. Yoga, and here I want to talk specifically about “Yoga in everyday life”, offers a path to health and harmony. Yoga exercises establish a balance on the physical, mental and social levels. Perfect balance implies perfect health and every method or science that aims for that goal is in harmony with the concept of Yoga.

As I continue to experience the benefits of “Yoga in Everyday Life” and its immense value to our health, the need to let this knowledge permeate my work as a physiotherapist has grown. The comments of many patients who benefited from my physiotherapy care reinforced my belief that the integration of “Yoga in everyday life” has really enriched my therapeutic practice.

• “Now I take the time to practice the exercises and I learned to pay more conscious attention to my body. Thanks to this I can become aware of unnecessary tensions and eliminate them from myself “.
• “I can now relax more easily and it allows me to store more strength.”
• “The ability to be consciously aware of and to influence my breathing has greatly contributed to my well-being.”

The importance of relaxation “Yoga in everyday life”

The ability to relax in Yoga is as important as the correct practice of physical exercises. In each level, the series of exercises begin and end with a short period of relaxation. There is also a brief time of relaxation between exercises.

The deep meaning of relaxation is contained in the fact that during relaxation, the body is given enough time to respond to Yoga exercises. The practitioner can consciously feel the balancing effects of the exercises and develop a finer attention to the bodily functions. Yoga exercises should always be coordinated with the breath and practiced with great care.

In this way, the holistic effects on the body, mind and consciousness are reinforced. Since practicing the “Yoga in Daily Life” method, I value relaxation, breathing, and the conscious realization of movement in my therapy. I have personally discovered how important these three aspects are to the restoration of physical and mental balance and the predominant role they play in our health. The therapeutic application of “Yoga in Daily Life” in different areas of health has become even clearer for me as I continue to meet patients with a wide variety of disorders. During this process, I have learned to constantly re-appreciate the full value and benefits of this method.

“Yoga in everyday life” as an adjunct to physiotherapy

Yoga exercises can be practiced individually at home by many patients. They can be selected and adapted to each person by the therapist. Clear illustrations and written instructions facilitate individual practice. I recommend to many patients the practice of “Yoga in everyday life” exercises following their treatment in physiotherapy. This is ideally suited to developing a daily exercise program when a medical check is no longer required. My patients are for the most part quite willing to practice these exercises because they perceive the positive influence on their health.

“Yoga in everyday life” in respiratory therapy

Yoga exercises are of great importance in respiratory therapy. Western medicine also holds in great esteem the practice of these exercises. As far as I know, most books on respiratory therapy recommend, in one form or another, Yoga exercises for the improvement of respiratory functions.

The “Yoga in Daily Life” exercises are designed to direct inspiration into all areas of the lungs through different physical postures. This encourages the adoption of correct breathing habits and stimulates the general metabolism. Proper breathing is an essential condition for good health, which is why yoga is so important to breathing.

In addition to physical exercises, I recommend to many of my patients the practice of Nadi Shodhan as described by “Yoga in Daily Life”. This specific breathing exercise balances Prana, the vital energy in the body. Nadi Shodhana improves the condition of the respiratory function and induces a very pleasant feeling that derives from the physical and mental balance.

“Yoga in everyday life” against back and joint pain

The progressive method of relaxation, breathing and postural exercises is an appropriate program for patients with joint pain and muscular imbalance due to excessive and repeated efforts. Yoga exercises systematically train all the muscles of the body, alternating between stretching, keeping the postures, relaxation and movement.

Once the medical diagnosis has excluded natural trauma as the source of a problem, one can be sure that the practice of “Yoga in everyday life” will improve muscle balance and joint health.

Poor posture and poor movement habits exert excessive pressure on the spine. The resulting muscle tension is a common cause of back pain, which can also spread to other areas of the body, such as the head, neck, arms and legs. It is for this reason that each Yoga Asana usually involves part of the spine. Exercises that include a slight twisting of the spine specifically relax the deeper layers of the back muscles. These muscles connect the vertebrae along the spine and tend to stay in tension. As these muscles are oblique, they derive a great benefit from light torsion exercises.

Stretches and contractions of muscles should be combined. If a musclet is only stretched, it will stretch and shorten again under pressure if it lacks the necessary force. If a muscle is only strengthened, it loses its flexibility and elasticity, which is manifested by a reduction in mobility.

Strong and flexible muscles provide important protection for the spine and joints. This is why regular practice of Yoga exercises reduces the symptoms of problems in the spine and joints after only a few weeks. The practice of Yoga Asanas offers the range of movements necessary to maintain the good health of muscles, ligaments, cartilage and joint capsules, which is essential for their proper functioning. The ligaments and tissues that surround each joint contract with the tension of the muscles, but soften with stretching. Yoga exercises also increase the production of synovium in the inner layers of the joint capsules, which nourishes the joint.

The psychosomatic effects of “Yoga in everyday life”

Yoga exercises are psychosomatic exercises, which means they influence the body, mind, breathing and consciousness. This greatly improves my work. Many of my patients suffer from pain in the neck, back or head, which is often difficult to manage stress. However, most of them refuse to admit this fact and are moving towards a long-term treatment in physiotherapy. In such cases, Yoga exercises help those patients who would otherwise be unable to progress without an inner change, as these exercises produce an effect both physically and mentally.

“Yoga in everyday life” has allowed me to discover how easily yoga exercises are assimilated and their profound effects on the body and mind. All physical exercises, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques harmonize every function of human existence in the most natural way. In each case, Yoga exercises positively influence the person as a whole. In my experience, these patients who suffer from recurrent stress headaches and backs benefit enormously from the “Yoga in Daily Life” method and enjoy the exercise program immensely.

“Yoga in everyday life” is in itself a comprehensive and comprehensive health system. The results in my own practice reinforce the conclusion that the effects go well beyond the physical level. That’s why I recommend the use of this method to enrich the life of every person who is aware of his health.