Yoga is a very broad subject, with many different varieties, so I’m just going to discuss the very basics of hatha yoga here. And since we’re such big supporters of Dr. Sarno’s approach to treating back pain and other tension-induced symptoms, I’m going to try to show how hatha yoga can be used to treat back pain and TMS. Here goes.

HATHA YOGA

There are 3 main components of hatha yoga:

Asana (physical postures)

Pranayama (breathing exercises)

Meditation

STYLES OF HATHA YOGA

There are many types of hatha yoga, including the popular Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Viniyoga. These all use asana, pranayama, and meditation, but their practice methods are different. Here is a very general description of these three popular styles:

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Iyengar. Developed by B.K.S. Iyengar. Asana practice places heavy emphasis on correct alignment. Props are often used. Students may hold postures for extended periods of time. Students usually spend quite a bit of time learning asanas before they learn pranayama and meditation.

Ashtanga. Developed by Pattabhi Jois. A very athletic style that places heavy emphasis on connecting breath and movement. Students first learn the Primary Series, an unchanging sequence of postures connected to the breath. As it is a very challenging sequence, students may spend quite some time working on Primary Series before moving on to later series.

Viniyoga. Developed by T.K.V. Desikachar. Places heavy emphasis on customizing the practice to the student. Also focuses on linking the breath with the movement, but is generally more gentle than Ashtanga.

These styles (and many others) have their own certification processes as well, which can create some confusion when looking at the names of classes at hatha yoga centers. For example, an Ashtanga teacher can’t officially call himself an Ashtanga teacher unless he’s gone through an official Ashtanga certification process, and can’t call the class an Ashtanga class unless it is taught according to the Ashtanga specifications. But he can teach an “Ashtanga-style” class, usually called “Flow” or “Vinyasa” or “Power Yoga.” Similarly, you may see “Iyengar-style” classes. And many teachers are influenced by several different types of hatha yoga, so they may come up with an entirely different name to describe their style.

(FYI, Kim teaches a Flow style of yoga.)

THE GOAL OF YOGA

The ultimate goal of yoga is awareness. You can call it “enlightenment,” “samadhi,” or whatever you like, but I think it’s best to discuss it in the simplest terms possible.

Yoga teaches you how to pay attention. Through practice, you develop both physical awareness and mental awareness. You start to notice how you think, how you react, what sorts of things upset you, etc. And as you become aware of what upsets you, you also become aware of how you may be hurting others, even unintentionally. This consciousness naturally gives rise to a more compassionate and “life-centered” life, rather than a “self-centered” life. But this transformation takes place over the course of a lifetime of practice, so it can take a little while to really feel the “spiritual” benefits of practice.

ASANA

Yoga provides physical benefits pretty quickly, however. It’s great for improving strength, flexibility, endurance, coordination, and balance. It can improve circulation, digestion, and quality of sleep. Vigorous asana practice can also burn quite a few calories.

It’s best to practice even the easiest of postures with a high level of attention, but many postures are quite challenging and require complete concentration. And since some postures are held for several minutes, yoga can dramatically improve your ability to concentrate.

By placing your body (and mind) in slightly uncomfortable situations for extended periods of time, asana practice improves your non-reactivity. It’s quite common for unpleasant thoughts and feelings to come up while holding a pose. This gives you the chance to simply notice these reactions without judgment. With practice, this awareness carries over into your daily life and greatly reduces feelings of stress.

PRANAYAMA

In the yoga tradition, the breath is the vehicle for “prana,” or life force. Pranayama was designed to balance this life force inside our bodies. On a more tangible level, pranayama can help increase the depth and length of the breath, which can (at least temporarily) induce a relaxation response throughout the body. It also increases awareness of the body as a container for the breath.

Pranayama can be practiced while lying down, sitting, or during asana practice. Introductory pranayama exercises can be very easy, like simply counting the length of the breath. Advanced techniques can include manipulation of the inhalation, retention, and exhalation of the breath.

MEDITATION

There are plenty of meditation methods to choose from (transcendental meditation, vipassana, mantra, et. al.). Being a Zen student, I, of course, think that Zen meditation is best. True meditation is not meant to be a relaxation exercise. True meditation is actually a lot of work. Zen meditation includes thought-labeling and paying very close attention to physical sensations. And of course, this awareness during meditation carries over into daily life.

And as I’ve discussed in the TMS section, awareness is the key to curing tension-induced symptoms. Some people already know that they are very hard-working and responsible and under a lot of pressure. They usually find quick relief from their symptoms when they read Dr. Sarno’s books. Other people have a little harder time figuring out this approach. In those cases, psychotherapy can be very helpful, but I think that a daily “sitting” practice is even more useful. It’s a very handy tool for learning a lot about one’s thought process. But once again, it’s not a quick fix. It’s meant to be a lifelong practice. But I really think it’s worth the time, for both TMS sufferers and asymptomatic people.