Cardiac

[Questioner]

I have several students who come privately for yoga for stress management and cardiac disease, or risk (hypertension, high cholesterol, Type A, pitta). Usually, I follow the program recommended by Dr. Dean Ornish and Nishala Joy Devi - a program that is gentle and soothing, and invites slow, steady lifestyle change. Often, this is successful, and gentle yoga and meditations, paired with daily aerobic activity, nutrition changes, etc., become key components supporting students during this time.

However, for some, the gentle, meditative yoga with its slow pace and frequent rest periods is maddening; their pitta nature can’t tolerate the contemplative, restful nature of the practice. And so, I have modified the yoga component, creating a more vigorous practice that is apparently much more deeply satisfying for these students. For them, heart chakra work, breathwork, relaxation, visualization, and spiritual practices are all helpful and critical stops on the road toward healing … but they are only open to these avenues after a rather athletic yoga practice. Only then can they settle down to do their energetic healing work. Clearly, there is no “cookie cutter” “one-yoga-fits-all” practice … each student must be given the practice best suited to their personality and nature; yoga must meet them where they are now. Still, I find it interesting that so many of these Type A’s / pittas refuse to do the practices that are so highly recommended by Ornish and Devi. It seems that first their pitta must be pacified by a fiery practice - only then can they calm down enough to benefit from the other practices.

I am concerned about these students’ desire to do a fairly strenuous practice rather than a gentle one. Is this safe? Part of their life lesson involves learning to slow down and live life at a slower pace - and I do teach them meditation, prayer, time management, prioritizing, relaxation and visualization, etc. - but they can’t or won’t work gently, at least not when they first begin their work with yoga. (I do avoid Shoulderstands for them, placing them in Legs-Up-The-Wall or Legs-On-The-Chair instead, or, later, as bp comes under control, Viparita Karani). i don’t find this topic addressed in the literature. What is your approach with these students? Hamsa

[Mukunda]

My parents grew up on farms in Central California. I learned to ride horses at a young age. Some of them were constantly on the move. They would take off as soon as you had saddled them and gotten upon their back. When a horse is running one cannot pull him immediately to a canter. It is best to match the horse?s pace then gently as he sees your presence is there seeking communion he will begin to match your intention. Gradually the horse will do what you want, once friendship, respect and camaraderie are achieved. So with people in our culture the fast paced yoga is necessary and as the student sees that you know and accept them from where they are that your intention is to be of loving service, then they will gradually allow themselves to be guided by your love and years of sadhana. They have been following the wild horse of our culture and aren?t sure where they are going. If you are clear and are living your teachings, you will get their deepest attention.

Dean and Nischala?s therapy is designed for a kapha student (large overweight with a sedentary lifestyle) with a kapha disorder (clogging of physical and emotional heart). For those people it works well with no adaptations. For all others it will need to be given a more personal adaptation.