A recent international yoga therapy symposium featuring five internationally certified yoga therapists has stressed the importance of yoga as part of integrative medicine and resolved to foster closer East-West collaboration on yogic healing.
The event was organised by the Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education and Research (CYTER) of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth on its MGMCRI campus in collaboration with Loyala Marymount University (California), Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (Chennai), ICYER at Ananda Ashram, Yoganjali Natyalayam and the Pondicherry Yogasana Association.
“This is the beginning of an integrative tradition between the east and the west that will have great ramifications for the international yoga community,” said Larry Payne, yoga expert in the U.S.
More than 65 participants from the U.S., Czech Republic, the U.K., the Netherlands and India participated in the two-day event with invited faculty, including Lori Rubenstein Fazzio and Shanna Hughes of the Loyola Marymount University, the U.S., Sarada Sreedevi Amma, the International Consultant Clinical/ Counselling Psychologist and Yogacharya S Sridharan, Trustee, KYM, Chennai.
According to Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, CYTER deputy director, modern medical advancements provide rationale for integration of various traditional healing techniques such as yoga to promote healing, health, and longevity.
The limitations of modern medicine in managing stress induced psychosomatic, chronic illnesses add to the growing relevance of yoga and hence a holistic integration of both systems enables best quality of patient care.
Nodal centre
CYTER has positioned itself as a nodal centre to train medical educators and administrators for setting up such integrative health centres in our country.
“There are many centres where you can get a yoga degree, attend a yoga therapy session or find yoga research being undertaken. However, to have all three happening in one place is surely innovative. This centre combines the best of the East with that of the West,” said Joseph le Page, Integrative Yoga Therapy, the U.S.
Monike Walraven of the Netherlands noted how a demonstrable model of integrative medicine had been evolved at MGMCRI where doctors of different disciplines prescribe yoga therapy for their patients and yoga therapists visit the palliative department and mental health unit regularly.
CYTER coordinates delivery of yoga therapy and lifestyle consultations as part of the various health check-up packages at the hospital. Four batches of students have graduated from the PG Diploma in Yoga Therapy (PGDYT) and these 22 students are the among the first Yoga Therapists graduating from a modern medical university. The CYTER also offers certificate programmes in Yoga Therapy as well as the M.Phil and Ph.D in Yoga Therapy programmes.
CYTER faculty for the symposium included Prof. Madanmohan, Meena Ramanathan, G Dayanidy and Shvetika Kaul. The sessions were chaired by experts such as Kaliarathnam, N Ardhanari and Yogacharini Cathy Davis of the U.K.
Topics covered included, “Educating Yoga Therapists as Lifestyle Management experts”, “Managing Chronic Pain Through Yoga”, “Yoga and mental health of sexually abused women” and "Diagnostic tools of Yoga Therapy-the CYTER model" as well as a hands-on session on clinical yoga therapy.
