I am about to start teaching yoga to students at a rehabilitation center. They are people who are overcoming addictions to drugs and alcohol. Has anyone ever done this? What are your experiences? Do you have any advice for me?
Makra: I believe it workks I went to a yoga/mediation camp to break my oxy addiction and it worked just keep believing mind over matter.
Kari: I read an interesting foreword to a book by one of the Swamis at BSY..in it he talked about how he began a week long (or thereabouts) yoga program for those on death row (or hard-core criminals)..He talked about how on the first day when he... began to speak about yoga from a makeshift stage his audience jeered and booed and cat called and made fun of his robes and vegetarianism and flung cigarettes at the stage etc...So he decided to start the program with yoga nidra..but nobody would co-operate with him and his audience continually interrupted yoga nidra with giggling laughing and yawns and nudging and talking etc..So the next day when he was due to arrive at the prison in the morning, he called the warden on the phone and told him that he was sorry he could not help the prisoners the previous day and asked to be excused..The warden then told him that his prisoners had never before been so well behaved after the swami left and requested him to come back..So the swami did go back and continued with his yoga nidra program..And at the end of the program the swami pulled out a pack of cigarettes and asked the man who flung the pack at him on the first day to join him on stage for a smoke..The man rushed up to the stage and fell at the swami's feet and apologised for what he did..
I've paraphrased as best as I remember ... :) So perhaps yoga nidra would be a very good start and then a brief break followed by surya namaskaram to introduce asana? I also recommend Watsu although you ask about Yoga - for deep relaxation and emotional stability...
You're doing great work! :) ♥
Florence: Sounds like an excellent idea..best luck with that. sending only positve vibes..
Gayethre: do a lot of vinyasa or continuous movements. their concenytation levels will be poor. slow vinyasa with breathing will help them by not diverting their thoughts to other things. dont do holding poses Subhash: whr r u why u teach only rehab
Praveena: customise yog nidra to have more of self uplifting ,motivating sentences. Kireet: I am a recovering addict and have done rehab. Loosening Exercises help more than asanas. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Anuloma Viloma) helps alot. Meditation is compulsory. Since they are sick, dont insist on keeping the spine erect. Tell them to take the support of the wall. In Yognidra, give autosuggestions like "I have completely given up the urge to use ___drugs/alchol"
Sita Chaitanya: Thanks everybody for your comments. @Subhash - I don't teach only rehab, this is the first time. @Kireet - Thanks. I had planned on doing a lot of anuloma viloma in the beginning. I'm teaching Sivananda style, so my feeling was to teach very gently, holding the postures not as long since they probably feel sick and most likely aren't very limber anyway. I believe they are doing meditation in another class aside from mine. I won't be able to teach yoga nidra, at least not this first bunch until we see how the program develops. They will have completed detox by the time they come to me. Are there any particular asanas you would recommend? What do you mean by loosening exercises?
Gregg: See how long they can do Shouldstand, that will go right to their emotions. Some might come right out of the pose. That struggle to stay in Shoulderstand is what they need. Also, any twists held for as long as they can, ( they are working or twisting in this pose, no slugs.) Twists bring up the emotions.Standing Twists with your feet on the ground. Cook Twists and Shoulderstands and watch the Fireworks! It's all good.
Anne: I did! Standing poses do fight addiction as far as I know. Did a lot of grounding poses, especially Warriors. Forward bendings for surrender. No balancing poses, only frustrates...
Kireet: @Yoga Vidya : By loosening exercises I mean stretching exercises --- making rounds with the toes, revolving hips, rotating the shoulders, neck, surya namaskar, lifting the legs as if running and hitting the knee to the outstretched palm. ...all this to start after warming up by jumping (imitating skipping actually) while at the same time removing the strain from the arms. Asanas -- Bhujangasana, Pavanmuktasana, Yogmudra, Trikonasana, Vrikshasana. I wud suggest not to try any of the specialised Kriyas or specialised Pranayams until supported by experts for de-addiction since these tend to make the addict very sensitive and thus vulnerable to their increased urges and cravings.
Sita Chaitanya: @Gregg: I agree about the shoulderstand, although I think it is better to hold it not so long the first few sessions as they will be just out of detox. Maybe supported shoulderstand even. Mostly my ideas are hunches because I have not person...ally experienced this type of thing. @Anne: Warrior makes sense. @Kireet: The students are in a 90 day facility with support staff, meaning doctors, therapists, physical trainers, and me. The days I don't teach they have the physical trainers. However, I thought the best was to keep it simple so I didn't plan any pranayama besides anuloma viloma and kapalabhati, and the kapalabhati maybe not even the first week or two, because I thought maybe it would not feel good to them and they need to balance some before bringing in all that extra energy. Basically the Sivananda basic series with some variations, but gently done at first. Thank you for sharing with me your ideas and personal experience. Thanks everybody, I appreciate all the suggestions and am considering them all. More ideas are welcome.
Gregg: I taught as a volunteer in a prison weekly for 6 years. They will discard anything "supported" they want a challenge. They want to show the world what they can do. Some might need supports so be ready.
Swami Atma: IMHO you might not do any kumbhaka in pranayama. It might be too potent at first.
Anne: I forgot to mention: since addiction consists of compulsive and obsessive behaviour, everything that calms down the energy is really good to do. I can also recommend Bhramari, to quiet down the buzy, buzy mind. And a long Shavasana, before and after, with long muscle contractions which will make the letting go easier (kind of like being forced into relaxation since it doesn't come easily to addicted people).
Sita Chaitanya: Swami Atma: I had the exact same thought. Right now I'm leaning towards starting with a 2:4:4 ratio, then in a couple weeks going to 2:8:4 and then a few weeks after that 4:16:8. It'll just depend on how they do. @Anne: Thanks, that's a good ...idea. Thanks everybody for your ideas.
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