Did you know that many Western Medicine Doctors are prescribing yoga as a form of therapy?

Yoga, when practiced consistently over a period of time, has tremendous healing benefits. There are over 5,000 studies now on the benefits of yoga for all kinds of illness.

Think about all the diseases and health conditions that result from stress to the body and/or mind and that can result in inflammation to the body. For instance, our current auto-immune diseases are a result of stress to the body in one way or another. And, stress combined with poor diet and lifestyle predispose us to a lot of health troubles.

Yoga Nidra is prescribed for a myriad of reasons. What I have learned from those of you who have attended my Yoga Nidra classes and responded to my surveys is that there are answers that you give consistently along with benefits you may not think to be as crucial and valuable but have lasting results.

In my Yoga Nidra surveys, I always ask about the immediate benefits you feel as well as the subsequent benefits. Over the past six months, most of you have told me that physical relaxation AND feelings of calm/peace are the biggest immediate benefits felt; however, less pain AND clarity of thought are also felt.

When I ask my husband why he says YES when I suggest we do a Yoga Nidra and why he sometimes suggests one, he says, “it is calming, it is peaceful, it puts me in a better frame of mind and I think it helps us to get our relationship on the same page again.”

Resources for You

• Dr. Jane Murray at the Sastun Center is one of those who prescribes Yoga Therapy and Yoga Nidra for her patients. Dr. Tramp is also suggesting yoga and breathing for healthy lifestyle changes.
• For more information, I highly recommend Yoga as Medicine, a book by Dr. Timothy McCall, Physician and yoga practitioner. You can also go to Yoga for Healthy Aging. Dr. Baxter Bell, another Physician and yoga practitioner, has weekly blogs and even some short practice channel poses.

June Yoga Nidra Class Survey Results

For those that take my Yoga Nidra class, I ask questions afterward so that I know what is working or not working. Look at the immediate benefits (Question #2) and subsequent benefits (Question #3).

• Q1: 63% have attended Yoga Nidra 2 to 5 times. For 20%, it was the first time.
• Q2: Physical relaxation and feelings of calm/peace were the immediate benefits felt by most attendees. Less pain and clarity of thought were also selected by two and one person, respectively. In addition, one person also responded that her breathing was better from the belly/diaphragm.
• Q3: Improved sleep, reduced anxiety and reduced stress were the subsequent benefits felt most. Feelings of joy/peace, feelings of inner satisfaction, increased focus and less pain were also checked. One person indicated that she had more energy, too.
• Q4: All attendees said they would participate in Yoga Nidra again.

If you have a specific health concern, I would be happy to discuss this with you one-on-one.