Managing and suppressing the manifest symptoms with Yoga techniques is just as good or bad as modern allopathic medicine that focuses primarily on symptomatic management without ever getting close to the real cause of most disorders. In this talk, Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani will explore the need to address the primary cause of the problem followed by symptomatic management without which it could merely be Yogopathy. About the Presenter Yogacharya Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani is Director of the Centre for Yoga Therapy Education and Research (CYTER), and Professor of Yoga therapy at the Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University, Pondicherry (www.sbvu.ac.in). He is also Chairman of the International Centre for Yoga Education and Research at Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry, India (www.icyer.com) and Yoganjali Natyalayam, the premier institute of Yoga and Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam in Pondicherry (www.rishiculture.in). He is son and successor of the internationally acclaimed Yoga team of Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj and Yogacharini Kalaimamani Ammaji, Smt Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani. He is a Gold Medallist in Medical Studies (MBBS) with postgraduate diplomas in both Family Health (PGDFH) as well as Yoga (PGDY) and the Advanced Diploma in Yoga under his illustrious parents in 1991-93. A Fellow of the Indian Academy of Yoga, he has authored 19 DVDs and 23 books on Yoga as well as published more than two hundred papers, compilations and abstracts on Yoga and Yoga research in National and International Journals. His literary works have more than 1450 Citations, with an h–Index of 19 and an i10-Index of 33. In addition, he is a Classical Indian Vocalist, Percussionist, Music Composer and Choreographer of Indian Classical Dance. He is an Honorary International Advisor to the International Association of Yoga Therapists (www.iayt.org), the Australasian Association of Yoga Therapists (www.yogatherapy.org.au), the World Yoga Foundation (www.worldyogafoundation.in) and Gitananda Yoga Associations worldwide (www.rishiculture.in).

1. YOGA THERAPY
or
YOGOPATHY ?
Yogacharya
Dr ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
MBBS, MD (AM), ADY, DSM, DPC, PGDFH, PGDY, FIAY, C-IAYT, DSC (Yoga)
Director CYTER of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth & Chairman ICYER at Ananda
Ashram, Puducherry, South India. yognat@gmail.com

2. www.icyer.com

3. SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH
(Deemed University Accredited with “A” Grade by NAAC)
Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education
and Research (CYTER)
Salutogenesis, our focus!

4. Bridging the experiential wisdom of Yoga with
empirical modern medical science @CYTER of SBV.
Yoga is usually found in Physical Edu
& Sports deptts of universities
We at CYTER, have it in a medical
institution since 2010
– quality of life enhancing benefits
for ~ 70,000 participants
– educating future Yoga therapists
(PGDYT, M.Phil, PhD),
– creating awareness amongst
medical, dental and nursing
students & professionals
– scientifically researching Yoga,
– 110 publications & 9 CMEs.
– IDY celebrations since 2015

5. Salutogenesis, our Focus
• Moving from pathogenesis, the focus on disease
towards salutogenesis, the focus on health!
• CYTER is striding forward on an innovative path of
promoting holistic health for one and all.
Pathogenesis
Salutogenesis
www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter

6. Salutogenesis
• Derivation of Greek + Latin
–Latin: salus = health
–Greek: genesis = source
• In combination = Sources of health

7. Sense of Coherence (SOC)
The heart of Salutogenesis
“a pervasive, long-lasting and dynamic feeling of
confidence that
one’s internal and external environments are
predictable and that
there is a high probability that things will work out
as well as can be expected” (Antonovsky, 1979)
 SOC has strong positive correlations to perceived
health, mental health, and quality of life.

8. 3 components of Sense of Coherence (SOC)
 COMPREHENSIBLE - Cognition
- “My world is understandable”
 MANAGEABLE - Coping Skill
- “My world is manageable”
 MEANINGFUL - Motivation
- “My world has meaning”

9. SALUTOGENESIS versus PATHOGENESIS…
Pathogenesis
• What causes diseases?
• About avoiding problems
•Reactive - absence disease
• Against pain or loss
• Prepares one to live
Salutogenesis
• What causes health?
• About reaching potential
• Proactive - presence health
• For gain or growth
• Discover how to live fully

10. It doesn’t matter how many resources you have.
If you don’t know how to use them,
it will never be enough.

11. To be a competent yoga therapist,
We require intelligence and empathy,
be willing to share,
need to understand our limitations,
realize we are not perfect and
be willing to embark on a continuously
expanding learning curve.
The day we stop learning
is the day we stop living!

12. Bhavanani AB, Sullivan M, Taylor MJ, Wheeler A. Shared Foundations for Practice: The
Language of Yoga Therapy. Yoga Therapy Today 2019. 15 (3): 44-47.
Yoga
Yoga
Therapy
Yoga therapy nests
inside the larger
Yoga & is
therefore
neither separate
from nor greater
than Yoga.
Yoga and Yoga Therapy

13. And not merely the absence of disease.
Physical well-being
Mental well-being
Spiritual well-being
Social well-being
Definition of Health (WHO)
Health is a
dynamic
state of
complete…

14. SWASTH: a dynamic
state of wholesome
wellness
• Dosha (Vata, pitta, kapha)
• Agni (Jatharagni, Bhutagni, dhaatuagni)
• Dhatu (rasa-rakta-asti-mamasa-meda-majja-
sukra, navadushya, dwadasha krama)
Sama (balanced equilibrium)
• Anava (asmita)
• Kannmam (klesha-karma bandha)
• Maayai (tasya hetu avidya)
Malakriya (dynamic elimination)
• Athma (from self to Self)
• Indriya (jnanedriya, karmendriya, et al)
• Mana (chitta-mana-bhuddhi-ahamkara)
Prasanna (tranquil contentment)
Samadoshah samaagnishch
samadhaatu malakriyah
prasanna atmendriya manah
swasth ityabhidheeyate.
- Sushrut Samhita (15:41)
• Acharya Sushrut (~600 BC)
defined health as “a dynamic
balance of the elements and
humors, normal metabolic
activity and efficient
elimination coupled with a
tranquil mind, senses and
contented soul”.
• Yoga is truly the best means
to achieve such a dynamic
state of wholesome health at
all levels of existence.

16. Structural existence
(annamaya)
Functional mechanisms
(pranamaya)
Cellular memory
(manomaya)
Intelligent feedback
(vijnanamaya)
Systemic interactivity
(anandamaya)
Cellular Panchakosha !

17. (Low)
0
0 (Low)
∞
(High)
(High) ∞
Challenges
Skills
Anxiety
Boredom
Increasingchallenges
Increasing skills
Increasing skills
Increasingchallenges
FLOW
Channel

18. • Is modern Yoga Therapy losing touch with the
essence of Yoga?
• Has the unitive spirit of Yoga been misplaced in the
blinding maze of modern marketing and dry,
academic qualifications.
• Instead of seeking to understand the real cause
behind the duhkha experienced by our clients, are
we content in simply managing / suppressing
manifest symptoms.
• Is this really Yoga Therapy?

19. • Yoga aims to help regain our psycho-
physiological balance, by removing the root
cause of the dis-harmony.
• Disassociation from inherent tendencies to
identify with suffering, is Yoga!
duhkha samyoga viyogam yoga samjnitham-
Bhagavad-Gita VI: 23.

20. Yoga Therapy
“without” Yoga
Is no longer
Yoga Therapy!

21. Cause of Disease According to Yoga
• Primary cause
– Dwaitam – duality - dichotomy
• Disease = dis + ease
(Asana-stira sukam and tado dwandwa anabigata)
• Tri Dosha and their imbalance
• Dwadasha Prana and their imbalance
• Yoga Vashistha
- psychosomatic and non psychosomatic disorders
• Somato-psychic disorders

22. According to Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri
• Yoga Chikitsa is the oldest w-holistic concept and
therapy in the world.
• The ‘return of the mind that feels separated from
the Universe in which it exists’.
• Dwaitam, misplaced sense of duality d/t avidya is
root cause of imbalance (adhi), manifesting as
disease (vyadhi) via psycho-somatic mechanisms.
• Depending upon propensity (sabija karma) of the
individual, manifestation of the vyadhi may vary.

23. “The first disease is the
sense of duality, leading to
fear that creates
imbalance of mind leading
to diseases in the body”.
-
Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri
(1907-1993)

24. “Fear arises
from the sense of duality”
- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
& .......... duality leads to stress!!

27. Psychosomatics in the Yoga Vashista
• The Yoga Vashista, codified at least 5000 years ago has
so long ago, already understood this psycho-somatic
phenomenon and termed it is Adhija-Vyadhi.
• Perception of duality between ‘Self’ and Universe
leads to mental agitations in Manomaya Kosha,
• Haphazard flow of Prana in Pranamaya,
• Hypo-cellular activity (Ajeeranatvam), hyper-cellular
activity (Ateejeeranatvam) and altered cellular activity
(Kujeeranatvam) in Annamaya.
• According to Yoga disease (Vyadhi) is a manifestation
of imbalnaces at the psyche (Adhi) itself.

28. Mental
Agitations
Haphazard
Flow of
Prana
Unstable
Nadis
Hypo-cellular
activity
(Ajeeranatvam)
Hyper-cellular
activity
(Ateejeeranatvam)
Altered cellular
activity
(Kujeeranatvam)
VYAADHI
Physical
Ailments
Yogic understanding of Psychosomatic Disorders
AADHI
Manomaya
Kosha
Annamaya
Kosha
Pranamaya
Kosha

29. From the Yogic viewpoint of disease, psychosomatic,
disorders progress through four phases.
1. Psychic Phase
 vijnanamaya & manomaya kosha
2. Psychosomatic Phase
 manomaya & pranamaya kosha
3. Somatic Phase
 pranamaya & annamaya kosha
4. Organic Phase
 annamaya kosha

30. NARA*
~ Psychic disassociation ~
* A unique perspective as elucidated by
Yogamaharishi
Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj
www.rishiculture.in

31. A bad case of Nara!

35. • The Pancha Klesha model of Maharishi Patanjali
clearly states that the ‘root’ of all suffering (duhkha)
is AVIDYA (distorted perception of reality).
– tasya hetur avidya –PYS II:24
• Avidya as the root cause enables manifestation of
other kleshas in dormant, attenuated, manifest or
overpowering forms leading to suffering.
- avidya kshetram uttaresham prasupta tanu
vicchinna udaranam- Yoga Darshan II:4

37. Unless we treat the
individual’s underlying
psycho-somatic disassociation
(dwaitham) and misconceived sense
of self identify (avidya-asmita),
we are not practicing
Yoga Chikitsa.

38. YOGA THERAPY MODELS
• Yoga Vasishta (Pancha Kosha) model
• Chaturvyuha model: heya-hetu-hana-upaya
• Klesha / Prana / Chakra models
• Kaivalyadhama model
– Cultivation of correct psychological attitudes
– Reconditioning of the neuro-muscular and neuro-
glandular system
– Appropriate diet and encouraging the natural
processes of elimination

39. • Thiruvalluvar, the Dravidian saint advises us to look
for the disease, trace its root cause, understand the
remedy and then mindfully apply it.
– Noinaadi noimudhal naadi athuthanikkum vaai naadi
vaippach cheyal -Tirukkural 948
• The Vyuha model based on PYS has similar approach.
– Heya : what are the challenges?
– Hethu : what are the causes?
– Hana : what are the goals?
– Upaya : what are the tools?

40. Managing and suppressing
manifest symptoms using Yoga
techniques without trying to find
& correct the ‘underlying’ cause is
better described as
YOGOPATHY!

41. ...... Pathy?
• a combining form occurring in loanwords from
Greek, where it meant “suffering,” “feeling” (
antipathy; sympathy);
• in compound words of modern formation, often
used with the meaning “morbid affection,”
“disease” ( arthropathy; deuteropathy;
neuropathy; psychopathy), and
• hence used also in names of systems or methods
of treating disease ( allopathy; homeopathy;
hydropathy; osteopathy).
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/-pathy

42. • As Yoga therapists, unless we aim to correct the
manifest psycho-somatic disassociation as well as the
underlying ignorant, distorted perception of reality in
the individual, we are not practicing Yoga Chikitsa.
• Yoga Chikitsa is based on salutogenesis
• Yogopathy is based on pathogenesis

43. Yogic 12-Point System of
Diagnosis and Health Evaluation
• The Three Basic QualitiesTriguna
• The Three HumorsTridosha
• Psychological TendenciesTrivasana
• Energy flowsPrana
• Personal DisciplineAbhyasa
• Life StyleJiva Karma
• Quality of ThoughtsChetana
• Quality of SpeechVacha
• Diet and Food HabitsAahara
• Destructive HabitsViparita Buddhi
• Individual Body RatesJiva Vrittis
• Ideals of the IndividualSankalpa

44. • Managing and suppressing manifest symptoms with
Yoga techniques is just as good or bad as modern
Allopathic medicine that focuses primarily on
symptomatic management without considering the
deeper “root” cause.
• How many doctors look at the emotional, social,
spiritual and psychological issues that are often the
primary cause of the problem in their clients?
• Remember, the concept of psychosomatics is not
older than a hundred years in modern medicine.

45. • When Yoga therapists also merely focus on treating
manifest symptoms without remedying the ‘root’
cause, I prefer to call it YOGOPATHY!
• Eg. Using just Shavasana or other techniques to
manage hypertension without addressing the
primary cause.
• Such symptomatic management with yogic
techniques is merely Yogopathy.

46. • Another common example is of different asanas to
relive musculoskeletal issues without looking for the
real cause of the patient’s condition.
• When we do this, how are we any different than the
modern doctors who prescribe drugs or exercise for
these patients?
• Where is the real Yoga in this type of therapy?
• Where is the effort to find and deal with the primary
cause?
• Is it enough to work on ‘just’ the ‘body’?

48. How does it work?

49. © www.indeedcare.com/blog/tag/yoga-therapy

50. PRINCIPLES OF YOGA THERAPY
• Become aware of your body, emotions & mind
• Improve your dietary habits
• Relax yourself consciously
• Let your breathing be calm and deep
• Let your mind focus inwardly
• Improve flow of Healing Prana
• Fortify yourself against omnipresent stressors.
• Increase your self-reliance and self-confidence
• Facilitate natural emanation of waste.
• Self responsibility for health and happiness.

51. Yoga places great importance on a proper and healthy
lifestyle whose main components are:
ACHAR – healthy physical activities & exercise
VICHAR – right thoughts and right attitude towards
life that are vital for wellbeing.
AHAR – healthy, nourishing diet with adequate intake
of fresh water; balanced intake of fresh food, green
salads, sprouts, unrefined cereals & fresh fruits.
Sattwic diet, prepared & served with love & affection.
VIHAR – proper recreational activities to relax body
and mind are essential for good health.
VYAVAHAR – healthy relationships for social health

54. E = mc2

55. E = mc2 Power of the mind!

56. SELF
LOVE
UNDERSTANDINGWILL
EGO
FEELINGS
THOUGHTS
BRAIN
ENDOCRINE
SYSTEM
CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM
IMMUNE
SYSTEM
BODY
Psycho Transpersonal Level
Psycho Developmental Level
Psycho Biological Level
Psycho Informative Level
Physiological Level

57. And not merely the absence of disease.
Physical well-being
Mental well-being
Spiritual well-being
Social well-being
Definition of Health (WHO)
Health is a
dynamic
state of
complete…

63. The defining pathway is YOGA
x Bhoga Marga
x Preya Marga
x Dukham
x Pathogenesis
x Dis-ease
x Illness
x Devolution
x Disassociation
x Dwaitam
 Yoga marga
 Shreya Marga
 Sukham
 Salutogenesis
 Ease
 Wellness
 Evolution
 Union
 A-Dwaitam
* Image courtesy Dr Meena Ramanathan, CYTER

64. • Yogopathy, is more about
“DO-ing" than “BE-ing".
• Yoga Chikitsa EMPOWERS the individual to
“BE” at ease with themselves,
an integrated state of coherence,
their own Sukha Sthanam
Some final words…….

65. • The need of the hour is for a symbiotic relationship
between Yoga and modern science.
• Living, human bridges combining the best of both
worlds need to be cultivated.
• Iti iti………….. The way forward!
Some final words…….

66. We need to focus on
wholesomeness
&
salutogenesis
and move consciously
from
duhkham to sukham….

69. We, as Yoga therapists, must make a
sincere & determined attempt to
strengthen that one important link in
the
“Chain of Yoga”
- the link of our own personal,
‘every moment sadhana’.

70. This is our dharma,
our responsibility as a
Yoga Therapist.

71. And we truly only become human,
when we live our dharma!

72. May we all be blessed to do so!
Hari om tat sat

73. Gratitude
is the
highest
attitude.

74. SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH
(Deemed University Accredited with
“A” Grade by NAAC and Ranked 72 in NIRF 2018 )
www.sbvu.ac.in/cyter