Yoga
Guided imagery
Relaxation techniques
Biofeedback
Hypnosis

Yoga

Introduction:
The meaning of the world yoga is “union”:the integration of physical, mental, and spiritual energies that enhance health and well-being.First systematically set down in writting by Patanjali in the second century B.C.in theYoga Sutras, 
yoga teaches a basic principle of mind/body unity: If compromised,and if the body is in poor health,mental strength and clarity will be adversely affected. The practices of yoga can counter these ill effects,restoring mental and physical health.

The Eightfold Path(Ashta Yoga):
Classical yoga is organized into eight “limbs”(Sakhas)that provide a complete system of physical,mental,and spiritual health.The eight limbs of yoga are systematically arranged to outline specific lifestyle,hygiene,and detoxification regimes,as well as physical and psychological practices that can lead to a more integrated personal developement.Ultimately,yoga helps prepare one for heightened vitality and spiritual awareness.

The first four limbs serve to bring the mind and body into harmony.A strong emphasis is placed upon the necessity of purification and detoxification of the body,and various practices are encouraged to purify the body and senses, including bowel purification,enemas,nasal cleansing,and cleansing of the eyes.The practices mirror many of the lifestyles changes recommended today by alternative physicians and can be invaluable to maintaining one’s quality of health.The first four limbs are comprised of postures(Asanas) and breathing practices(Pranayama). The remaining four limbs deal with stages of meditation(Samadhi)).

The yogic postures(Asanas) are:

Shavasana,Balasana,Paschimottasana,Bhujangasana,Shalabhasana,Ardha- Matsyendrasana,Sarvangasana,and Ardha Matsyasana.

Guided imagery

Introduction:
“ The imagination is probably a person’s least utilized health resource,”says Martin L.Rossman,M.D.,co-founder of the Academy for Guided Imagery.”It can be used to remember and recreate the past,develop insight into present,influence physical health,enhance creativity and inspiration,and anticipate possible futures”

What is Imagery?
Imagery is simply a flow of thoughts that one can see,hear,feel,smell,or taste in one’s imagination.As an inner representation of experience,as well as fantasy,imagery is a rich,symbolic,and highly personal language.”An image may or may not represent external reality,but it always represent internal reality,”says Dr.Rossman. “It is the laguage of the emotions and the interface between mind and body.”

Perhaps the most common human experience of imagery is worrying.Most people worry sometimes and some people worry constantly,even to the point where they experience butterflies in the stomach,or tightening in the shoulders.Whatever the case,the body is not reacting to external events,but to thoughts or images about these events,even though the worrier may not be consciously aware of them.Other thoughts may be verbal,but what all thoughts have in common is that they exist in the mind,and the body reacts to them.

What are the effects?
Imagery has three main characteristics that lend it great value in medicine and healing:

• It directly affects physiology.
• Through the mental process of association and synthesis,it provides insight and perspective into health.
• It has an intimate relationship with emotions,which are often at the root of many common health conditions. 

Learning to relax is fundamental to self-healing and imagery is a part of almost all relaxation  and stress-reduction techniques.For many people,imagery is the easiest way to learn to relax,and its active nature makes it more comfortable than other methods of relaxation.

Relaxation techniques

Breathing exercises, yoga, qigong, meditation,reiki, guided imagery, hypnosis are useful relaxation techniques.

Regulation of breathing plays an important role in mind/body medicine, because it is capable of bringing about a state of relaxation.Shallow chest breathing and hyperventilation,for example,are part of the body’s response to stress.These dysfunctional breathing patterns can cause increased heart rate,blood vessel constriction,and muscle tension, as well as chains of negative thoughts.

A person who suppresses unpleasant feelings and thoughts may also unknowingly restrict his or her breathing.Thus it is important to express and release these emotions in order to maintain proper breathing.Likewise,proper breathing can help facilitate an emotional release. Many psycho-oriented therapies such as Reichian therapy emphasize emotional release through deliberate alteration of breathing patterns.

Slow,consious,diaphragmatic breathing is apowerful tool for promoting relaxation and awareness.It is an essential component of many therapeutic approaches to the body and mind,and it is utilized in most forms of meditation as well as in the practice of yoga and qigong. 

Biofeedback

Introduction:
Biofeedback is a method of learning how to consciously regulate normally unconscious bodily functions such as-breathing,heart rate,and blood pressure in order to improve overall health.It refers to any process that measures and reports back immediate information about the biological system of the person being monitored so he or she can learn to consciously influence that system.

What are the benefits?
Biofeedback teaches a person how to change and control his or her body’s vital functions through the use of simple electronic devices.Biofeedback is particularly useful for learning to reduce stress,eliminate headaches,control asthamatic attacks,recondition injured muscles,and relieve pain.

Scientists believed that autonomic functions,such as heart rate and pulse,digestion,blood pressure,brain wave,and muscle behaviour,could not be voluntarily controlled.Recently,biofeedback,along with other methods of self-regulation,such as guided imagery,progressive relaxation,and meditation, has found widespread acceptance among physiologists and psychologists alike.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is described as a transcelike state of profound changes in respiration and relaxation on the part of the mind to create positive shifts in behaviour.

Hypnosis has therapeutic applications for both psychological and physical disorders.A physiological shift  can be observed in a hypnotic state,as can greater control of autonomic nervous system functions normally considered to be beyond one’s ability to control,Stress reduction is a common occurrence,as is a lowering of blood pressure rate.

Recently, hypnotherapy has become more widely used as a method for treating a variety of medical conditions.Because,hypnotherapy induces a deep,multilevel relaxation,increases tolerence to adverse stimuli,eases anxiety, and enhances affirmative imagery,it can be adapted to maximize the mind’s contribution to healing,both in and out of the hospital.

Hypnotherapy is used to manage numerous medical and psychological problems.Hypnotic techniques can help a person stop smoking,overcome alcohol and substance abuse,and reduce overeating.Hypnotherapy is also effective in treating stress,sleep disorders.and mental health problems such as,anxiety,fear,phobias,and depression.