Yoga on the Train

Posted on February 22, 2012 by maria

Last night I was sitting on the train reading my notes, when a middle aged man sat next to me. After a while, he asked me what I was reading. I told him it was notes from a lecture I’d attended at British Library on blogging. He cringed saying, “Oh I don’t like the computer, it’s all beyond me. Those of us older ones haven’t got a clue. Youths today know it all. I don’t stand a chance, they’re all better and clever than I’ll ever be.”

I agreed youngsters have a head start with IT from a very young age, but they don’t have the wisdom we gain over the years. “So what do you mean by wisdom he asked.” I explained regardless of whose right or wrong the main thing is getting along with one another in the best way possible is the art and wisdom of Life. To my surprise he quickly grasped my meaning respectfully.

He went on to ask what I do for a living. I told him I am a yoga teacher and author of several books on yoga for special needs. After a few more personal questions about why yoga, he then asked me to give him a freebie of some yoga. I immediately took the opportunity to show him how to do diaphragmatic breathing and alternate nostril breathing. I’m pleased to say he loved it and said he would definitely practice it again!

It was such good timing as we were pulling into my station, so I bide him farewell and wished him well with his yoga practice. I felt such a sense of purpose and joy to have shared yoga on a busy train with this stranger. If only we were able to do yoga with other passengers it would make our journey in life much more enjoyable. Now there’s an interesting idea!

Dedicated to Yoga

Posted on February 15, 2012 by maria

The disabled person has a head start with what it takes to accept yoga into ones life. Simply because we have to love, to trust, and to have faith; and these marvelous human beings have a special need for loving attention. That through yoga – this need can guide their added need for affection to especially dignify the true human right to be Happily Alive in Yoga – having conquered the fear of being isolated and ‘out on a limb’.

Physiologically, the mentally handicapped yoga students have slnce started practicing yoga, gained strength, improved coordination and circulation. Teaching them about their basic anatomy and physiological functions are interested by all members. Plus the discovery and control of their lung capacities with the diaphragm relationship has introduced their minds to delve into an understanding of the beauty and the life inside each one of us.

The following article was printed by four prestigious yoga related publishers. Although it’s a rather long article the reason why I’m posting it is because many people found it heartwarming and informative at the same time.

India’s Yoga for Special Needs

Posted on February 13, 2012 by maria

This article is a synopsis of my returned visit to India in 2006 reviewing yoga for children with special needs with Professor Jeyachandran, who was Director of Special Education, Tamil Nadu.

This previous post gives more details of that visit, involving the people, places and ancient temples I was privileged to visit. And most important observation of the excellent model schools and teacher training colleges – still doing daily yoga, to date 30 years – with remarkable services for the special children and their parents.

Yoga for Special Children in India

Posted on February 12, 2012 by maria

university - specialising in disability and yoga

UPSIDE LOTUS at The Vidya Sudha Sri Ramachandra Centre for Children with Special Needs

My revisit to Chennai (previously called Madras) and meeting up again with Professor P. Jeyachandran after 22 years was a sheer delight. I can honestly say this second visit was even more satisfying than my first. He took me to several places and introduced me to various colleagues, parents and children at university – specialising in disability and yoga – two special schools, two teacher training colleges, special olympics sports and a national institute for multiply disabled people.

Continue reading →

Online Supported Learning

Posted on February 11, 2012 by maria

The YOU & ME Yoga training programme involves teaching practice with students with learning disabilities. In order to gain the expertise and confidence you need Maria Gunstone offers a unique opportunity for you to address your learning needs and send your questions to her for supported learning online.

Press Release

Posted on February 6, 2012 by maria

I actually spent eleven months preparing for what was an Indian adventure – investigating the therapeutic value of yoga for disabled people in seven states of India - Haryaha, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.

In December 1984, I left London for Delhi accompanied by Chris Gunstone who supported me throughout my mission. Consequently I was able to cope with the tremendous amount of travelling involved by his tireless efforts in doing all the necessary haggling with taxi-drivers, rickshaw-drivers, horse-and-carriage drivers, and even rail and air ticket clerks. Chris carried most of our heavy baggage, including the video and equipment, which I would never have managed on my own.

On our return Chris wrote his press release which prompted reviews in local and national papers, and several articles in Yoga and Special Needs magazines.

It also contains unpublished information about how my core yoga group was taken away from me. It can be downloaded here.

The yoga research I made in India

Posted on February 6, 2012 by maria

In India I arranged to go to the established yoga educational and health research institutions dealing with a variety of problems experienced by the disabled, and I also visited various special education institutes for disabled people. In addition I was privileged to meet some of the greatest yoga masters and teachers – quite apart from special educationalists, medical professionals and some remarkable disabled people in ashrams, special schools, homes, hospitals and yoga research institutions.

My investigation in seven states of India resulted in a 50,000 word report and 12-hours video footage of yoga for children with special needs and other disabled people. Just a few examples of this material are: a success story with a spina bifida young child; yoga as a valuable therapy for psychiatric disorders; daily yoga programme in an Ageing Home for the Blind; pilot teaching programmes in an aurally impaired children’s school and in a leprosy hospital for women and children. Extracts of this material will be regularly posted on this blog.

The highlight of my research was meeting Dr Jeyachandran the Director of Special Education for children and teacher-training programmes. Who established the national syllabus for teaching yoga to special educators of disabled children. Since January 1985 in India Yoga has been a part of the special education curriculum and children have been practising basic yoga techniques, chanting, breathing and relaxation techniques. The outreaching yoga programme proved benefical not only for the disabled children, but also for their teachers and parents. No complicated or highly specialised training had been necessary to enable special educators and parents to practice yoga with the children.

On meeting Dr Jeyachandran, to both our surprise we learned that even though we were at opposite ends of the earth, we had both introduced yoga to people with severe learning difficulties at around the same time (1978). We had also found the same yoga techniques of up to 20 postures suitable for students with SLD.

We were also working along similar lines of training special needs staff and parents to practice yoga with their charges. This confirmed my confidence in my own beliefs and work.

More details of my research in India into yoga programmes for teaching children with severe learning difficulties can be found in this article Research in India

My report of my investigations into the therapeutic value of yoga for disabled people in India with 50 photographs is published in ‘The Origin of the YOU & ME Yoga System’ which is on offer here.

Pioneered yoga classes

Posted on January 30, 2012 by maria

My first real experience of yoga happened to me after a traumatic car accident many years ago. Through diligent practice of yoga, I recovered from mutiple injuries beyond medical expectation. This made such a strong effect on me that I quickly came to appreciate how wonderful yoga can be when used for therapic purposes. It is my own experience which gives me every reason to believe that miracles can be achieved through yoga! In th is article which appeared in the well known “Yoga Today” magazine in 1984 (my name was Maria Bullard at that time) I talk about my experiences on how regular yoga practice helped me to restore my health.

Later I went on to share the benefit of yoga practice with many other disabled people over several years with great results. This article from Glad (a journal for disabled people) describes what has been made possible with the yoga system I teach.

In the next post I will write about the results of my work in India investigating the therapeutic value of yoga for disabled people.

Yoga for Special Needs’ Research and Experience

Posted on January 6, 2012 by maria

From research and experience I found that no one Posture (asana) has a specific therapeutic effect without a general tone-up of the whole bodily system. With this in mind, the Whole-Body-Movementsystem was formulated. The basis of the YOU & ME Yoga system – colour coding of the body and Postures – enables trainers to teach appropriate yoga techniques to their clients with learning difficulties and special needs. This is done by reference to the seven coloured areas of the body and twenty appropriately coloured Postures – from which individual sequences of Whole-Body-Movement are determined. The techniques are organised to suit the needs and abilities of the individual. Each sequence contains Postures to ensure that the whole body is being toned while the client is made aware of each part.

The aim of Whole-Body-Movement is to treat the whole person and not just a particular part in isolation. This is done by acknowledging the area of the body needing most attention, identifying the colour associated with that area and selecting a Main Posture in the same colour. Then, one of each of the six remaining coloured Postures is chosen to complete a sequence of Whole-Body-Movement. The value of practising Whole-Body-Movement is that it helps clients gain awareness of their feelings and bodily sensations, which leads to a greater sense of being in control.

Disabled people have unusual individual needs, and practice of Yoga Postures will vary from one client to another. Clients who have a normal range of movement can usually do the Postures in the normal way. In addition, clients with a limited range of movement can also practise some modified techniques as shown in ‘YOU & ME Yoga Postures and Variations for Special Needs’. However, prior to practice of any yoga postures or variations of them, it is necessary to understand the clients’ abilities, to be aware of what they must not do, and to establish a good relationship with them. This all adds to the inclusive spirit that exists within the YOU & ME Yoga System. Practice is aimed at improving general health, span of attention, motor coordination and social interaction.

The suitability of yoga techniques for people with special needs have been worked out with careful consideration. This includes simple yet effective techniques involving the Joint Looseners for establishing the range of joint movements and the related Yoga Postures for safe practice. These 42 techniques do not require too much balance or physical effort and have been found adequate in dealing with a wide range of problems. Apart from being simple to grasp and relatively easy to perform, they lend themselves well to adaptation. It has also been found that using simple techniques allows the teacher to be more effective.

YOU & ME Joint Looseners and Variations for Special Needs (with 247 variations) and the YOU & ME Yoga Postures and Variations for Special Needs (with 462 variations) are now on offer here.

Teaching Special Needs Yoga

Posted on January 4, 2012 by maria

You CAN teach Yoga to people with learning difficulties or disabilities, you might just need some confidence building and a little more know how and we have the knowledge and skills to help you!

Whether it is help with understanding types of learning disabilities and approaches to assist teaching and learning processes, safe suitable techniques that you can use with individuals and groups of mixed abilities. Or perhaps you would like to make contact with other like-minded people and even get your presence on our website. The aim is to build a community network for yoga teachers to reach out and touch the lives of persons less able to benefit from Yoga.

Starting a new class with students with special needs: Do you have an individual or group with mixed abilities whom you’d like some guidance/ideas/feedback on? Maria Gunstone is offering contact training and online consultation, masterclasses. In addition to the YOU & ME Yoga user-friendly teaching materials with the option of personalised supported learning. For details contact Maria Gunstone, author and tutor of YOU & ME Yoga.