Month 7:Yoga for a Healthy Immune System

•Whole Person Immunity•Lifestyle Prevention•Working with Denial

•Ethics & Creating a Seminar

Questions

• Monthly Observations/Questions• March 22-23 Endocrine System• April 5-6 Bones, Joints• May 3-4 Senses, Ayurveda, Endings

Yoga Business Exercises

• We will develop a holistic business modelover these final 4 months, revisiting eachtask each month;

• Network• Seminar Creation• Brochure Creation• Niche Understanding• Business Guidelines

How to do it All ina Yoga Therapy Session?

• Psychology• Assessment Forms• Breathing• Poses• Meditation• Nutrition• Attitude of Work, Relationships and more?

Don’t do it all.

• Do 1 thing per session• Stick with your strong suit as a newer

Yoga Therapist– If you are good with Practices, do more of

those– If you are good with Psychology, do that.

• Make Your Strong Suit Your Niche

Gain One Step ofSelf Awareness

• By helping a person gain one new insight,the student will have gained somethinginspiring from you.

• Apply that one insight to as manysituations as time and interest permits.

Role of Yoga Lifestyle forStrong Immunity

Yoga Lifestyle for Strong Immunity

• Synergy is the Key concept.• No one practice responsible for immune

system increase – but all practices inunison equal more than when piecemeal.

• Likewise, one lifestyle area out of balancedisrupts the entire person.

Yogic Hygiene

Whole body: skin, sense organs, colonProper restKeeping body clean and rested reduces

burden on immune system

• Oral Health– Supports defenses by eliminating bacteria at a

common source: the mouth– Regular brushing, disposal of brushes when

worn out, soft bristles to protect gums– Flossing prevents halitosis, heart disease,

stomach and bowel issues– Saline rinses and gargles disinfect and

eliminate mucus (containing pathogens)– Gum massage with salt: encourages new cell

growth, prevents receding

• Proper Breathing– Deep breathing promotes parasympathetic

activation, calms systems down– Complete exhalation prevents stale air

accumulation at base of lungs– “Tidal volume” of lungs may be held for long

periods, no longer breathable air– Vigorous exercise promotes complete

exchange of gasses, strengthens lungs, andexpands lung capacity

Nutrition

• Support• High Anti-oxidant foods• Proper balanced nutrition as discussed• Supplements to bolster system according

to a Holistic Nutritionist

Nutrition Detractions

– Tamasic intake demands immune response tocombat poisons created

– Over-eating turns a good meal Tamasic– Fast eating– Eating the same food item to frequently– Unknown food sensitivities

Emotions and Immunity

Mind

SpiritBody

Unconventional Immunity

• Anatomy of an Illness, Dr. Norman Cousins– Story: Unusual blood disorder nearing fatal

numbers, no diagnosis, but after a bout oflaughter, his condition improved – so he startedwatching Comedies and belly laughed to health.

• 1. Will to Live• 2. Vitamin C• 3. Laughter

Laughter—The Natural Cure!

• Laughter has known benefits on immunesystem– Deepens breath– Regulates heart rate and blood pressure– Releases beta-endorphins, dopamine, and

serotonin– Circulates prana and directs it upwards,

energizing the body

• Group laughter yoga practice

Group Laughter Practice

• Notice how you feel right now.

• Belly Laughter exercise

• Notice how you feel after the exercise

• Imagine the power of this for someonewho doesn’t smile or laugh often!

Emotions and Immune System

• Of all systems, immunity is most impactedby stress (external, diet, mental, etc.)

• Chronic stress depresses ability torespond to challenges

• Anxiety wastes resources by keepingnervous system vigilant

• Depression inhibits immune response aswell as one’s ability to employ routines

Working with Emotions

• Define Stress via repeated Emotion• Name your own persistent emotions:

– Work– Home– Personal Struggle (finances, relationships,

health)

Understand Emotions

• Emotion is a unit of mind-body change.• Emotions created by stress need to be

understood.• Once understood, the client may accept a

situation.• This process allows the emotion to fulfill its

purpose and it dissipates.

Gross to Subtle Understanding

• Meaning• Emotional Reaction• Feeling• Sense• Desire - ( un / conscious)• Belief (un / conscious)• Ego (sense of I-ness)• Urge (unbiased)• Source (human-divine)

Yoga Postures for a StrongImmune System

• Reaching arms overhead drain lymph• Spreading fingers and pressing to floor

increases lymph circulation• Side bends and twists purify and wring out

internal organs• Forward bends surrender stress and quiet

immune system (mental aspect)• Backward bends open heart and increase

joy and optimism• Kapalabhati—Breath of Fire

• Gentle flows get lymph flowing naturally• Joint rotations work fluids from/into joints

– Supine knee to chest, Bridge rolls, Seatedupward Mountain, Seated Back Bend, Cat-Cow flow, Seated Angle-Butterfly flow, SeatedSide Bend, Seated Forward Fold, Cobra andSphinx, Supine Twist, Supine Side Bend

• Vigorous flows speed lymph circulation– Upward Mountain, Halfmoon, Forward Fold,

Downward Dog, Pushup, Half Fish Twist,Cobra/Bow, Upward Bow

• Gravity drives lymph flow in inversions

Break

Dealing with Denial

Working with Denial

• Have you ever been in denial?– Examples: Socially acceptable addiction,

unhealthy relationships, etc.• Did anyone try to talk to you? How did you

react?• What would have helped you see more

clearly?Would anything have worked? Must realize

ourselves that we are in denial.

Extreme Example

• A married person is repeatedly abusedemotionally by their spouse.

• Mindset: Being married is more importantthan not being emotionally abused.

• If this person where your friend, howwould you feel if you saw this person?

• What would say to them?

On Denial

• Deep-seated, unacknowledged stress– Aware of inappropriate situation/behavior as it

happens, shuttle it out of mind; takes energy!– Creating stories to make it okay takes energy– Ignoring inherent cognitive dissonance takes

energy• Pattern of rewriting story and ignoring truth

is stressful to whole system; energywasted on all levels

Intellect Reflects Behavioral Patterns

• Challenge habits in thinking• Seek deeper solutions by treating whole

person– Refrain from evaluating symptom clusters and

surface behaviors, get to the root• Understand intellectual source of choices,

feed intellect new messages– Invokes change and breaking of old patterns

Beliefs Define Immune System

• Understanding intellect offers clues tobeliefs

• Connect to spiritual beliefs by inquiringabout direct experience with:

Peace, community, joy, inspiration, “somethingmore”

• Likely not practicing or deluded– “I have a healthy diet” or “Yes, I do yoga”

Resistance

Resistance

• We will meet resistance whenever weoperate within an attempt to change.

• Watch transference / counter-transference in lay terms: observe your internal

reactions but do not act upon them• Working with the resistance: compassion.• Addressing the resistance: awareness.

Personality Types & Resistance• Perfectionist / Addictions incl. work, sex /

Type A Personality….• Overbaring / Needy / Looking for approval

/ Depressed….• Inquisitive / Rational / Black and White

Thinking / Right and Wrong….• ……

How does resistance show up?

What do we all do when the ‘aversion’ klesais activated?

Resistance appears in multiple ways:

Lateness,Non-payment,No follow through on practice,Refusal to go into areas of discovery,Not answering a question,Not emailing backAnswering a question differently from whatwas asked…

Coping mechanism & resistance

Be Careful to Honor the ResistanceConsider that the person is whole and good

as they are.Tow a middle line – listen to the resistance

and sometimes it opens them to theobvious without YTherapist correcting.

Do not affirm nor reject the resistance

An Example of Resistence

• Any Volunteers?• Any Stories without real names?• If needed, ask about Tiffany’s Oreo Ice

Cream antidote from Meditation for YourLife book.

Questioner Must Accept Denial tobe a Channel of Support

• Ask about the thing they are reacting to– Only ask questions, no statements or no

commentaries• Answering sincere questions as they

explain their reality;• Explanations highlight irrationality and

illuminates the seeds of denial.• Remain curious and non-judgemental, the

slightest judgement shuts down client.

Ways to Remain Detached

• Understand that the client wants to be wellbut is trapped.

• Remember the client must undo their web.• Accept that the client is suffering and allow

the client to feel their pain withoutinterfering.

• Remain loving, kind and supportive.

The Brick Wall

• When a person is not willing to open up ona subject and you can’t remotely accesstheir belief system or they are certain thattheir delusion is realty.

• The avoid you, tell you it’s all OK whenthey are obviously suffering

• Or they just keep complaining and going incircles.

• You are hitting a solid WALL

Glimmer of Light Approach

• Understanding beliefs via the hopeful backdoor approach.

• Find good and expand it.• Find good and honor it.• Find good and get a home practice

started.• Understand their good and make more of

it.

Glimmer of Light Beliefs

• If you follow the belief system in an areawhere the student is positive; you may findthat the beliefs backing the positive trait.

• Often there will no resistance to explaininga positive behaviorial pattern.

• However, there will probably be a ‘klesa-laiden’ belief pattern exposed.

Glimmer of Light Belief Ex

• “I exercise every day, it is very importantto me.”

• Feeling: Great, uplifted, strong• Desire: To keep my figure and look good.• Belief: If I look good, others will love me.• Source: Disconnected.• Resolution: A chance to discuss re-

shaping the belief.

Glimmer of Light Backdoor

• Start a session off with a Yoga practicelike breathing or a few poses. This mayrelax the client and permit insights asneeded.

Common Mistake with theGlimmer of Light Approach

• Yoga practices are the glimmer of lighttemptation for Yoga Therapists. Yogapractices make people feel good and canbe used as a way to uplift folks for goodreasons.

• MISTAKE is to turn Yoga Therapy into aprivate Yoga class and not open the forumfor any insights.

Glimmer of Light Summary

• Listen firmly.• Continue to understand the mentality of

the resistance.• If a Brick wall is there, ask about the

positive things and understand those andincrease those positive traits.

• Clarify drive for positive practices at theBelief level.

5 Little Ones instead of 1 Biggie

• When dealing with someone who hassome major problems that are out of yourscope (Clinical Depression for example),you may address smaller stress issues inlieu of the depression issue. Work on non-charged subjects like diet; or minorstresses at work. You can then utilize theBelief system chart on the small ones.

.

5 Little Ones instead of Biggie

• The Same mind produced stressors.• The roots of the small stressors will inform

student about the essence of the bigstressors.

• Overcoming a small stress may alsocreate a positive momentum.

• Once 5 small stressors are improved,student may feel much better.

Group Exercise• One member volunteers something they

think is okay for themselves but not clients– Examples: 3 cups of coffee/day, staying up

really late, missing breakfast, etc.– Be honest, face your denial.

Ethics Yoga Therapy Ethics

• Ethics Discussion

• Scope of Practice Review

• Niche Team Building

Yoga Therapy Ethics

• Scope of Yoga Therapy Practice– See YT as process of Self Realization– View Client as a Student who learns how to

manage their stress and health practices– Examine Stress in all areas of a person’s life.– Rely on Medical Practitioners for Diagnosis

Yoga Therapy Networking Ethics

• Each Yoga Center is a Community– Keep referrals in-house, see client at host

studio– To move a student to another location, have

permission from own – however, this is notrecommended.

– Think of supporting the host organization andnot just your own practice.

Yoga Teachers working atMultiple Locations

• Offer Seminars at as many locations aspossible

• Do not market your seminar at Studio A toclasses at Studio B or C.

• Owners may say it is “OK” but this breaksthe community barriers.

• Market everywhere else!

Leading Seminars

Seminar Honesty

• When offering Seminars, be clear that yourecommend Private Sessions upfront tostudents in attendance.

• “This seminar will give you tools for xyzNiche topic and some of you may wish tohave Yoga Therapy sessions to furtherpersonalize a program.”

• State this at outset just one time, havebrochures available but no other pressure.

Seminar Inspiration

• At the end of your seminar have a takehome that offers students some relevantform of action that they plan to implement.

*Further Yoga Classes, buy a pass now. *Commit to a Home Practice of sorts,

create some accountability. *Do some Yoga Therapy *Other personally motivated choice.

Niche Discovery Exercise

• What is your special approach to Yoga?If you have a Niche, do this to expand it.

1.What Yoga and ??? topic motivates you?2.What other skills do you have that can bemerged with a seminar topic?3.What personal issue have you overcome?4.What group of folks do you think really needsYoga?

Yoga Therapy Niche Partial List

• Parents and Kids, Work-Life Balance• Fitness & Nutrition• Stress Issues for One Target Audience• Baby Boomers, Healthy Aging• Under Privileged Groups• Depression and Anxiety• Prevention – Young Folks becoming Holistic• Weight Issues/Body Image issues• Pre and Post Natal• Relationship Issues

Yoga Therapy Clients

Seminars Yoga Classes

Why lead Seminars?

• Helps Students Expand their Yoga• Introduce ideas from the Yoga Tradition• Meet New Students• Increase your own knowledge• Inspire past students to continue their

program• Good for Yoga Studio energy• Inexpensive trial for student

Themed Yoga Class for XYZ

• Shorter, less expensive• Easier to prepare• Helps your Niche clients without a private

session• Gives clients more information• Creates community to motivate health• A Safe Invite for Potential Clients to see if

Yoga practices would help them.

Naming a Seminar

• Title Your Theme; ask others for feedback.Be:

• simple,• concise,• clear• address an issue.

Read Nationally AdvertisedSeminars to Learn

• Notice if they are honest• Notice if the are playing on weakness• See if they are clear, concise and simple.

Title Examples

• Yoga for Family Stress is misleading; Itcould mean yoga poses for family stres.Yoga Psychology for Family Stress

• Yoga to Lose Weight; again, could meanposes only to burn calories.

Yoga Lifestyle for Healthy Weight.

Sensational Titles

• Be Uplifting in titles• Be Honest• Beware of ‘sensational’ promises such as

“Get Rid of Your Back Pain” or “Earn moreMoney via Karma Yoga” or “Find TrueLove via Yoga Psychology”

Seminar Lay-Out

• Introduction, need to engage• Instruction for Program• Philosophical Steps or Essence of Talk• Action Step I (unique to program)• Yoga Practices Related to Step I• Yoga Practices Part II• Personal Summary of Lesson’s Learned• Home Practice Inspirational Conclusion

Write Take Home Goal forSeminar

• Write Your Objective for the Seminarbefore planning;

• Yoga for Weight Loss Objectives:– Be aware of foods consumed, honesty– Explain Junk Food vs. Whole Foods– Give simple recipesOR– Be aware of personal body image– Offer Body Image Exercise via Yoga Asana

Seminar Objectives

• Reasonable• 1. Achievable in a seminar format.• 2. Use one to four max objectives• 3. Address Objective in multiple ways:

– For ex; discussion, lecture, practices

Opening Lecture

• Communicate briefly the lay-out of theseminar and the objectives:

• Today our goal is food awareness and wewill do a food diary, body awarenessexercise and yoga poses with specialqueues.

• Pause and then use the EASI speechformula.

Brainstorm Seminar

• Title Your Seminar• List Philosophy that you would use• List Exercises for program• List Learning Objectives• List Home Practice Objectives• Share with small group• Work on this for Homework

Speech Making Formula Review EASI Speech MakingFormula

EASI Formula•Exemplify•Amplify•Simplify•Inspire•Keep lecture up but not longer than 15minutes per segment to keep studentsactively involved in processing.

Exemplify

• Avoid using personal life examples.• Stories: news, fables, observations• Citing Health Research or Philosophy.• Metaphor; Daily life example.• Inspirational Success Case• Historical Perspective• Quote from Well-Known Source.

Amplify

• Relate the Example to all types of people:• For example: if you were discussing

Asana benefits:• Yoga poses can be adapted – poses for

fitness, PreNatal poses, poses formeditation, poses for stretching, strengthfor overall wellbeing, for the elderly and forkids.

Simplify

• Summarize your basic message into oneor a few points:

• Yoga teaches that all people need to workon cultivating their consciousness,however, each person’s program isunique!

• This is the area to list one of previouslymentioned Objectives – but only one.

Inspire

• In a normal speech this type of step is themost difficult and may need to be partlyextemporaneous.

• In a Yoga-based seminar, you may inspireby giving the group an activity thatexpresses the message of the openinglecture.

• Now, let’s try a few exercises…

Inspire with an activity

• Begin an activity.• Fill out a form together;• Create a discussion;• Do a certain type of Yoga practice• Small Group Discussion exercise• Chanting or other group activity

Seminar Time Schedule

• Divide your sheet into 3 or 4 blocks toorganize it.

• Intro time; 5 to 10 minutes, presentobjectives.

• Opening Lecture 10 – 15 minutes• Exercise related to lecture 10-15 minutes• 3 more segments unless a longer yoga

practice is relevant.

Seminar Time Blocks

• Title each Block with your Objective• Be creative in each block• Make sure final time block includes home

study or recap;– What was learned?– What is your action plan?

Seminar Homework

• For Month 8, work up seminar but keepnotes to one page of writing.

• Feel free to consult with a friend or studybuddy.

• Write up EASI lecture formula for first 15minutes.

Group Processing

• Brainstorm seminar• Share and listen to others• Ask one another for suggestions

Example: Yoga for Weigh Loss

• Theme: Establish a Healthy Routine• Philsophy: Koshas, Many levels of

Nutrition• Exercises:

– Feed Spirit and Intellect– Understand Emotions– Energy and Breath via Yoga Practices– Proper nutrition habits

End of Month 7 Extra Material Below

Prana Vayus Assessment

• 5 levels of Prana can isolate an issue;– Prana – Heart to Throat, Respiration– Apana – Navel to Soles, Elimination– Samana – Navel to Heart, Digestion– Udana – Throat to Head, Thoughts– Vyana – Pervasive Circulation, Muscles

Autoimmunity

Why Autoimmunity?

• Why would the body fight itself?• Stress can be a co-factor for Autoimmunity• Yoga Therapy touching on each aspect of

lifestyle can synergistically overcome thebody’s imbalances in thinking that conflictwith positive living.

Autoimmunity

• Why is body attacking itself?– Past abuses, unhealed pain sit in

mind/intellect/spirit• Dictate one’s thoughts/beliefs and approach to life

– Mind perceives a battle, nerves on alert whenno danger present

– Body is armed, but no enemy—attacks itself– Often seen in Type A personalities

Overcoming this Mentality

• Emphasize importance of doing less– Learn to explore how little you do in terms of

movement, breathwork, etc.– Still spending time but using it instead to learn

what gentleness feels like• Not fighting your body into a

pose/breath/practice– Gentleness cultivates inner safety, immune

system relaxes instead of assaulting the body