Yoga for Mental Wellness
We are fortunate that Yoga has become mainstream.
Contrary to popular belief, Yoga is actually about healing more than it is
about exercise. Yoga is one of many alternative modalities that offer a very
real and cost effective solution to current health care needs. Yoga inspires a
ripple effect of health that starts within each of us. The sign of a healthy
Yoga practice is when the practitioner experiences a sense of flow and harmony.
When there is flow and harmony inwardly the conditions necessary to cultivate a
healthier, more positive relationship with the self and others are created and
supported outwardly, and vice versa. With practice over time the Yoga student’s
life gets better, then their interactions with other people get better, and, as
result, society gets better. At its central core, then, Yoga is a cultivated
lifestyle rooted in relationship.
In itself mental illness can be very isolating. On top of
this, the restraints of stigma can keep individuals hidden creating a container
of fear, anxiety, depression and anger to stew. Learning how to apply effective
and practical techniques to break out of isolation and move into various
degrees of relationship is highly desirable. Today there is an abundance of
information available on alternative treatments. When one becomes interested in
exploring something like Yoga it is easy to become overwhelmed and confused. For
special needs populations navigating this terrain can be even more challenging.
In efforts to clarify and keep things simple I have developed my work through
my nonprofit project DHARA. DHARA accesses
and teaches foundational elements essential to a healthy and safe Yoga healing
practice. Classes nurture sustainable empowerment within a safe environment for
those living in highly stressful, chaotic, and uncomfortable life situations.
I have been studying Yoga for 12 years, teaching for 8
years. As part of my personal healing and training I lived in India and China
studying with master teachers. Before Yoga, I was an early childhood special
education teacher very interested in inclusion models of education that
highlighted resiliency and empowerment. Reflecting on my journey and
integrating my knowledge, I have come to understand Yoga to be about accessing
and working with prana or qi, the vital life force energy which is
in each one of us. It is my personal experience that the body has an innate
wisdom to heal itself when we learn to work with it. Yoga enables serious
students to come out of their shell, to realize the gift that they are, and to
offer that to the world effortlessly.
Knowing that some Yoga can be unsafe and actually
harmful, I utilize my special education background and unique training
experiences to develop curricula that provides clear foundational
practices—something like the “ABC’s” of Yoga healing—to support people in their
recovery and reintegration. The breath is central to a good Yoga practice: the
breath provides an indicator as to our mood at any given time, as well as is an
effective vehicle to begin the shift into a more desired state of mind. In my
classes I teach practical and effective ways to build inner strength through
using easy to apply tools of breath and gentle movement. With practice over
time a greater harmony and joy in life is experienced. As students begin to
fall into a rhythm with their practice I see them begin to return to the rhythm
of their lives. Students begin to more easily show up for themselves and each
other in a way that wasn’t possible before attending classes. Students emerge
more centered, grounded and whole. There is a new enthusiasm—a joy—that simply
is. I suspect with continued practice the ripples of these effects will impact
the larger communities around us all.
Note: Jenna Ritter,
Founder & Senior Teacher at DHARA, teaches low-income adults living with
various emotional and mental health issues self-healing through ancient Indian
and Chinese lifestyle systems adapted to modern-day living situations. Programs
and trainings are also available for service providers www.dharanyc.org. Contact jenna@dharanyc.org for more information on
classes and special workshop offerings.
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