As an ayurvedic physician, marma therapist or acupuncturist, and homeopath I have worked without-patients since 1991. In my practice I integrate yoga as well. To each of my patients I prescribe yoga as a therapy. Yoga therapies are different and depend on the condition and disease of the patient. However, there is a red thread of yoga therapies which I prescribe to all of my patients. So, I decided to write about the common red thread of yoga therapies, and I hope that many of you who are working without-patients will findit helpful.
To each patient I firstof all prescribe jala neti kriya, one of the techniques of shatkarmas. For the last twenty-six years of my practice I have recognized jala neti kriya as an essential practice for health, which is useful to all patients, no matter which kind of health problem they may have.
I live and practise in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. The climate is most of the year humid, damp and cold, full of rain or snow. So the respiratory diseases, such as cold, bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, allergies of the respiratory system are very common diseases in Slovenia. I prescribe and introduce the practice of jala neti with one litre of warm saline water. Results are more than excellent.
Patients are thankful because their health condition improves progressively. This is a well-known fact. What is specificis that I insist with the correct way to practise the kapalbhati style of breathing while they are drying their nostrils. Doing kapalbhati breathing they are stimulating manipura chakra, which is the centre of the element of agni or fire. If agni is activated then the coldness, cough and the lungs become dry and without phlegm and this is essential for these types of health problems.
Kapalbhati breathing is also stimulating the forehead region, it means cleansing the sinuses of the forehead, which are congested. It causes the feeling as if the world is closed and jammed, and patients have a lot of headaches. Immediately after jala neti these sensations vanish. This is important for patients as it gives them relief. Besides, kapalbhati is stimulating the eyebrow centre and introducing calmness of the mind and emotions. This is important, for such patients have a lot of fear as they do not breathe properly or sufficiently and this causes fear of a next attack, especially in asthmatic patients.
The kapalbhati style of breathing also stimulates the colon and improves the digestive process. According to ayurveda and marma therapy, while the lungs and respiratory systems are working insufficiently, the colon is in deficiency. It means that the patients have poor elimination of waste products. This condition is unhealthy and makes the patients' health condition more difficult. For any respiratory disease it helps to have a clean colon. According to ayurveda and marma therapy, the colon is the seat of the vata humour, which is the vayu or air element, and vayu signifies the psychic condition. Therefore, a clean colon means a clean psychic state. If necessary, I introduce them also to laghoo shankhaprakshalana kriya.
The kapalbhati style of breathing is also stimulating muscles of the lumbar region. It means, if the patient is suffering from lumbago, or chronic pain in the lower back region, it will help to strengthen the muscles of this region, make them strong and give relief to lower back pain.
Definitely, kapalbhati breathing is helpful for patients suffering from depression. Agni is very low in such patients causing fear, a feeling of low energy and they are without willpower. As kapalbhati stimulates manipura chakra and agni, the energy condition improves and willpower returns. Patients feel full of energy and less depressed. It is also useful for nervous, angry and aggressive patients, as they release their agni through the kapalbhati breathing.
I have to mention also patients with hyper or hypo-tension, cardiac and lung disease. To them I recommend jala neti kriya, which is a simple and easy practice for common and non-yogic patients with great benefitsand a sure way to health.
The next practice, which I recommend to my patients is 30 minutes of yogasanas. These asanas are based on the condition and disease of the patient. At the beginning, I explain to them why they should practise yoga from the physiological and psychological aspect. Then they receive the explanation and pictures of the specificasanas. For the firstthree months they practise pawanmuktasana series 1 and fiveasanas from the second part: supta pawanmuktasana, jhulana lurkhasana, supta udarakarshanasana, shava udarakarshanasana and naukasana (please note that patients are not yoga practitioners).
According to marma therapy, through these asanas patients firstlyclean their nadis and eliminate stagnation and blockages of energy from the nadi flows. Secondly they establish a free flowof energy and at the end ensure the regeneration and revitalization of the entire energy system. According to my experience, these asanas are suitable and highly useful for all conditions.
Pawanmuktasana series 1 has huge beneficialinfluencesfor the rheumatic patients, but besides this it is a highly beneficial series for all diseases. According to marma therapy, they are the most beneficialasanas for the entire body, mind and energy systems. Frankly speaking, if we are doing pawanmuktasana series on a regular basis we do not need any other yogasana.
After three months I introduce patients to surya namaskara and shashank bhujangasana and advise them to firstbecome friendly with surya namaskara and then to start with shashank bhujangasana. Later on they practise alternatively on a regular basis one of these two practices and once or twice a week pawanmuktasana 1. The results of these specific asanas are highly beneficialfor all aspects of body, mind and energy systems.
The next practice is nadi shodhana pranayama. At the beginning I recommend to do only 11 rounds and the ratio 1:1. After three months they become more alert, concentrated, with better capacity of the lungs, better and undisturbed nadi flow and of course with peace and calmness of mind. At that time they receive the specificpranayama for a specificcondition.
Next is the pearl of all practices, yoga nidra. Each of my patients does yoga nidra on a regular basis. They love it and appreciate the influenceof yoga nidra in every sense.
Yoga nidra is the awareness of the body, mind and energy condition. I can feel how their awareness is becoming better and better. With the sankalpa they direct it towards their disease. They have self-confidenceand they believe that it will be fruitful and that they will solve their health problems. This belief is the most useful point and it works. The patients are happy and I am satisfiedwith the result. It is the most important target to make them healthy.
As ayurvedic ritucharya or seasonal purification I also recommend to my patients to do the entire shatkarma process for the purification of the mind, body and energy system in autumn or spring.
I integrate the yogic practices with ayurvedic dinacharya or daily routine, with marma therapy or with homeopathic remedies. I can say that the results are very positive. A little bit of asana, pranayama, shatkriya and yoga nidra, and the patient's problems are solved.