Yoga
Yoga is a technique that uses physical postures and controlled breathing to lengthen and strengthen the spine, increase flexibility, calm the mind, improve concentration, and promote patience. Yoga can also contribute to a greater sense of control in more acute states when experiencing cravings, insomnia, agitation, etc. Regular practice is needed to fully experience these benefits.
Featured
Addiction, Recovery and Yoga (www.adyo.org)
In this professionally made documentary film people speak candidly and compellingly about their addictions, working the 12-step program, and how yoga helped them in various ways with their recovery. The film is made by a senior Iyengar Yoga teacher and yoga therapist.
Alphabetical
American Yoga Association (AYA) (www.americanyogassociation.org)
This site provides information on the different types of yoga and guidance on how to choose a qualified teacher. A 15-minute online meditation is planned.
Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the U.S.A.
(himalayaninstitute.org)
This site provides a useful locator for yoga practitioners through the Yoga Teachers Guide. In the “Find a Teacher” section you can specify a zip code to locate yoga classes near you. Searches can also be done by organization name, practitioner name, city or country.
Yoga for Health
(www.evelynzak.com)
A Kripalu yoga instructor working in addiction rehab offers two instructional CD's, one with gentle postures, the second with guided yoga nidra. Yoga nidra is being used to treat post traumatic stress syndrome and insomnia, and has been shown to be effective in helping those recovering from substance use addiction. It helps manage anxiety and through the use of intention allows the practitioner to create new and healthier mind patterns.
Yogaclass.com (yogaclass.com)
Developed by a chiropractor, this site provides online yoga
classes with guided instruction (via RealAudio and Streaming
Video) including breathing, stretching, relaxation, a yoga
workout and chanting.
You can also learn about a type of yoga that focuses on meditation and breath-work described in our Meditation section here.
RESEARCH: Lohman R. “Yoga techniques applicable within drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes.” Therapeutic Communities. 20(1): 61-71, 1999.
This article describes specific yoga techniques used for detoxification and rehabilitation including breath control, relaxation and meditation, postures, diet and chanting. Research results strongly suggest that yoga is a positive motivator for rehabilitation and an aid to detoxification. Yoga used in conjunction with counseling and group work appears to support and further the healing process.
MOBILE APPS
Authentic Yoga with Deepak Chopra and Tara Stiles
Signal Patterns
iOS $1.99Android $1.99
Demonstrated by Tara Stiles and guided by DeepakChopra, this app contains video explanations of individual poses, breathwork, and other yoga practices with customizable routines and a full explanation of Authentic Yoga. It has a community feature to ask questions and connect with other yogis. Authentic Yoga also includes unique yoga video lessons by Tara for everything from building strength and flexibility to relieving stress.
Hatha Yoga — Your portable yoga studio
bendyware, Inc.
iOS $9.99
Provides hours of professionally recorded instruction by the head Hatha Yoga instructor for the Sivananda organization. Stop motion visuals show you how to get into and out of each posture correctly. Features include built-in classes for various skill levels, the ability to customize any class to suit your specific needs, meditation and breathwork (Pranayama ) instruction, the option to play your own music in the background, and the ability to pause for breaks whenever you need to. The app remembers your position so you can resume your practice right where you left off.
Yoga Relax
neilDot
iOS $0.99
Yoga sessions are customizable from 1 to 36 minutes with over 35 Yoga moves. Features include the ability to turn on or off an audio instructor that will tell you when and which Yoga Positions to transition to, detailed information about your current pose, the required steps to put your body in the correct positioning and how to maintain that pose. Choose between 3 meditative background songs to play during your Yoga Session. You can pause your session, skip poses both forward and backward, and view each pose with a detailed text description of the pose and its physical and mental benefits.
