Yoga-chikitsa (Sanskrit) or Yoga Therapy has never been very easy to define, largely owing to the depth and breadth of the subject. And yet, simply stated, Yoga Therapy could be called a system of health care that helps treat human indispositions as naturally as possible, to alleviate pain and suffering through set of exercises, both physical and mental.

The very popularity of yoga among the common people is due to this, apart from the spiritual and therapeutic aspects. The classical texts of Yoga tell how to improve one’s health by using various techniques of Yoga like Yama, Niyama, Asanas, Kriyas and Pranayamas as well as the Bandhas and Mudras.

One of the classical texts of Yoga, Hatha pradipika explains about the food systems explaining in terms of Pathya and Apathya foods. These are nothing but the agreeable and non agreeable food. This can be applied either for Practitioner or to the common people who wants the healthy life. Because it gives one to aware about selection of the right food. Similarly the Yogasutra of Maharshi Patanjali tells us about the Yamas and Niyamas explain about the cleanliness of the body and mind by both internal and external forms. This helps one to get good physical and mental health.

Yoga has the curative, preventive and Promotive aspects and these are very helpful in the field of Yoga therapy. Therapy by using various techniques of Yoga is based on the various theories like Tridosha theory and Panchakosha theory. These theories are very helpful to understand the various disorders of the Human being. For example the tridosha theory helps to know about which dosha is predominant in a patient and the practice of Yoga helps to bring equilibrium in those doshas. Similarly the Panchakosha theory helps to one to know about the disorder is related to mind or body as it explains about Pranamaya Kosha and Manomaya Kosha etc.

Approach of yoga therapy:

Contrary to modern medical science that tries to identify the pathogenic factor (be it a toxic substance, a micro-organism, or metabolic disorder) then eliminate it, Yoga takes a totally different point of view. It holds that if a person is sick there must be a deeper reason behind it­ which illness doesn’t arise by chance. It is the result of an imbalance, a disruption in the body-mind complex that creates the condition. Here the symptoms, the pathogenic factors, are not the issue. Yoga believes that the root cause lies somewhere else.

How is yoga therapy done?
The six steps of Yoga for overall well being:

Right Posture:
Asanas A set of postures that tone up the muscles and internal organs, revitalize the system, create overall awareness of the body and its function and help tranquilize the mind. They also energize and stimulate the body’s major endocrine glands. And by toning up the internal organs, they also prevent and cure many an illness.

Right Breathing:
Pranayama A set of simple breathing techniques that slowdown and normalizes breathing while simultaneously exercising subtle influences on the entire system.

Right Cleansing :
Kriyas A set of easy and effortless hygienic procedures that draw the attention to the affected areas and buttress the body’s own cleansing mechanisms.

Right Diet :
Balanced Yogic Diet Most, of not all, illnesses are in some way linked to wrong food habits. A slight modification in dietary habits can rehabilitate the entire system.

Right Relaxation:
Shavian A relaxing asana done several times as part of the Yoga program. A process designed to soothe both mind and body. Yoga holds that tension is disease (i.e. a state if unease) and relaxation is health. To this end the whole eightfold path of Yoga is to purify the body mind complex.

Right Mindset:
Meditation is a technique used to stabilize the mind, increase concentration and will power, balance cellular and chakra energy and develop one-pointedness.

General Improvement through Yoga:

The scope of application of yogic practices for health and fitness has been increasing day by day. Yogic practices can be used as physiological and psychological procedures for psychosomatic fitness. Yogic practices are also helpful to get perfect health and fitness and thereby improving the performance in various activities. The functional integration at the level of Spirituo-psychosomatic development can be achieved by the Yoga.

Yoga can provide not only the health of the body but also experiencing the sense of well being of the senses, the mind and the soul simultaneously. All Yogic practices including Yamas, Niyamas, Kriyas - the purificatory procedures, Asanas, Pranayamas and Meditation etc. are prescribed with the purpose of conditioning the body and mind and this to achieve a harmonious development of the human personality.