Mind, Body & Spirit By; Angela Verrill

Course Introduction Welcome to the introduction to Mind, Body & Spirit 101 We will cover a few different mind, body & spirit outlets of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) This is a 3 week course & each week we will touch on a different part of CAM Each week will be broken down into a new subject; they are yoga, meditation & massage So lets begin our journey to better health

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)? Alternative ways to improve health or help cure a disease without standardized prescription medicine Some examples are: acupuncture ~ massage therapy ~ meditation ~ movement therapies ~ relaxation techniques ~ spinal manipulation ~ Tai chi & more 10 most common CAM practices in 2007 amongst adults were: Natural products ~ deep breathing ~ meditation ~ chiropractic & osteopathic ~ massage ~ yoga ~ diet- based therapies ~ progressive relaxation ~ guided imagery ~ homeopathic treatment

Week 1 Yoga ~101

What is Yoga? Mind & body practice with origins in ancient Indian philosophy Styles of yoga usually combine physical postures, breathing techniques & meditation or relaxation Hatha yoga is most commonly practiced in the United States & Europe Asanas ~ emphasizes postures Pranayama ~ breathing exercises Major styles of hatha yoga: Iyengar ~ Ashtanga ~ Vini ~ Kundalini ~ Bikram yoga

Origin of Yoga

the word yoga comes from ancient Sanskrit Translates to mean “union” (mind, body & soul) Deeply rooted in the philosophy of spiritual enlightenment Adopted as flexibility exercises, used before and after physical activity Hatha yoga comes from “ha” which means sun & “tha” which means moon Roots of yoga go back to the 6 th century b.c. by Hindu philosopher Kapila

Origin of Yoga Cont… Ancient scriptures cite Lord Shiva or Supreme Consciousness as founder of yoga; earliest postures are of Patanjali ~ written collection Yoga Sutras Patanjali ~ creating the whole system of raja yoga which includes raja meditation, pranayama & principles of living Asanas ~ created to cleanse the body, unlock energy paths, & raise level of consciousness Yogi master Swami Rama cites 5 yoga paths: Karma yoga (path of action) ~ bhakti yoga (path of devotion) ~ jnana (path of knowledge) ~ kundalini yoga (path of spiritual awakening) ~ hatha yoga (path of physical balance)

Origin of Yoga Cont… Swami Vivekananda introduced yoga to the United States in 1893 in a presentation to the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago 1970 ~ Swami Rama ~ yogi master from Himalayan Institute to Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kansas; yoga & physiological adaptations to meditation were measured Swami Rama ~ demonstrated incredible control over autonomic functions such as: respiration, heart rate & blood flow ~ bodily functions were able to be controlled in a relaxed state by conscious thought

8 Limbs of Yoga

Yama ~ 1 st ~ ethical standards & sense of integrity, focus on behavior and how we conduct ourselves in life; “ Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” there are 5 Ahimsa ~ nonviolence Satya ~ truthfulness Asetya ~ nonstealing Brahmacharya ~ continence Aparigraha ~ noncovetousness

8 Limbs of Yoga Cont… Niyama ~ 2 nd ~ self-discipline & spiritual observances, regular attendance of temple or church services, grace before meals, personal meditation practices or contemplative walks alone; there are 5 –Saucha ~ cleanliness –Samtosa ~ contentment –Tapas ~ heat; spiritual austerities –Svadhyaya ~ study of sacred scripture & of one’s self –Isvara pranidhana ~ surrender of God

8 Limbs of Yoga Cont… Asana ~ 3 rd ~ body is the temple of spirit, important stage of spiritual growth; habit of discipline & ability to concentrate, necessary for meditation Pranayama ~ 4 th ~ breath control, gain control over respiratory process while recognizing the connection between breath, mind & emotions; translates “life force extension”; belief body is rejuvenated & life extends Pratyahara ~ 5 th ~ withdrawal or sensory transcendence, make an conscious effort of awareness from the outside world & stimuli; direct our attention internally, stepping back to look at ourselves including cravings & habits

8 Limbs of Yoga Cont… Dharana ~ 6 th ~ concentration, dealing with distractions of the mind; learn how to slow the thinking process by concentration on an mental object, energetic center in body, image of deity or silent repetition of sound Dhyana ~ 7 th ~ meditation, uninterrupted flow of concentration, being intensely aware without focus; mind produces little to no thoughts at all

8 Limbs of Yoga Cont… Samadhi ~ 8 th ~ state of ecstasy, meditator merges with their point of focus & transcends the Self in a whole; realization of connection to the Divine, interconnectedness with all living things; “peace of passeth all understanding”, experience of bliss & being at one with the universe

Benefits of Yoga

Improve health status Longevity & homeostasis of mind, body & spirit Decrease stress levels, anxiety & depression Increased muscle strength & flexibility & aerobic activity Hatha yoga – complementary healing for many chronic related health issues & stress management Studies show hatha yoga combined with relaxation techniques effectively help treat chemical & alcohol dependency Help with insomnia Decrease chronic pain

Poses Activity 3mutCQhttps:// 3mutCQ We are going to follow along with the video and try to do some of these yoga poses and breathing exercises Any questions or comments? Great Class, we will meet again next week to cover our next topic, meditation.

References National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). (2014). Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s In a Name? | NCCAM. Retrieved from U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2014). Complementary and Alternative Medicine: MedlinePlus. Retrieved from alternativemedicine.html alternativemedicine.html National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). (2014). Yoga | NCCAM. Retrieved from

References Cont… Carrico, M. (2007). Learn the Eight Limbs of Yoga | Yoga Philosophy | Yoga for Beginners. Retrieved from t~limbs/ t~limbs/ Seaward, Brian L.(2008) MANAGING STRESS 6E VITALBOOKS, 6th Edition. Jones & Bartlett Learning