Yoga and depression

Its said that Yoga must not be done when one is depressed or not in a good mood then how can patients having chronic depression use yoga for their benefit?
One of our Facebook friends asked this question and received the following replies. Do you have anything to add to this?


Calista: I think quite the contrary - especially when I'm feeling down and out, I do some yoga and my body, mind & spirit are lifted by the end of my session.

Eileen: I think that it the best time to do yoga...I always feel better after yoga practise...whether I feel down or not in a good mood or even feeling good at the start...I ALWAYS FEEL BETTER, LIGHTER in my heart and able to get on with whatever I have to do...♥

Solveig: a must not is NOT A DO NOT in any case. so u(with ur teacher, the inner or the physical one can decide on this......and a made decission is also something which can change again).....i do suggest yoga pracitce can be the way to go through depression to get done with it.....which might be hard but effective.......u can integrate the depressive aspects step by step and then transform them......won't be sunday sunny walk...but hopefully a trial which is worth starting.......my humble opinion on this.....love and OM.


Gonzalez: Just do something. Even if someone is depressed. the worst thing that that person can do is get lazy or sleep because that will only decay the situation.

Saraswati: A lot of things are said out there. It's good not to listen to everything and do our own thing, use our own discernement.
discernement=discrimination

Erna: In fact, yoga is the better way as a therapy for depression ;)

Ravi: Depression is nothing but heaps and piles of ignorance stored in you. You can never feel happy unless you remove it. If you are referring to yoga meditation, yes it is not possible to concentrate your mind. The way out is to perform asanas and Pranayama under the guidance of a teacher only until you feel better. It is important to realize that yoga is not all about meditation only!


Sita Chaitanya: Depression is anger not faced or not recognized.

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Replies

  • If you are facing the issue of depression, then yoga is only your best friend. Doing the yoga is best way to decrease the depression from the body in a natural way. If you start the yoga and practice for 15 to 20 minutes, then it will help you in taking over the depression. For learning the yoga pose you can join the Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh where you will learn the yoga poses which helps you in making your health.

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  • It is true that depression is anger that has turned inwards.

    I have depression from time to time. I find both the asanas and meditation is very beneficial and centring. If I'm not doing yoga, I am more prone to going down. Even if one has trouble focussing, it is good to keep the routine. Good healthful routines can be healing. The practice of being still is very valuable to me, even if my thoughts are everywhere.
    • Oh best of luck Lark with the depression. There is a really good book I highly recommend which helped me a lot in this area called "Honor Your Anger" by Beverly Engel. You can get it on amazon.com. I found it to be life changing because it helped me to understand how I stored and dealt with (or didn't deal with) my own anger, and also how to understand other people's anger management issues. Really I found that most of my anger disappeared once I faced that it was there and that it is not anti-yogic to face your own issues, on the contrary I think it is following the yama of satya to face what is truly part of you and come to understand it, coinciding your thoughts, words and deeds.
      • Thanks Sita. I agree about acknowledging the anger is there. It is far better than letting it turn to depression.

        I think many people avoid the issue of anger.

        I appreciate the book recommendation.
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