Once seen as a fad and a fitness tool, now the healing power of yoga is internationally recognised. People young and old are taking to the mat for its various therapeutic benefits. Mat, mantra, meditation are the basic ingredients for YogaVahini. It is the only training centre in India that offers yoga training accredited by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).
The institute saw its first batch of graduates this February. The graduates have undergone three years of rigorous training in the art and science of personalised yoga therapy,the principles of which is drawn from the teachings of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar.
It all started in 2010 when Saraswathi Vasudevan and her husband Sundar founded YogaVahini to teach yoga, provide therapy and conduct research.It has centres in Chennai and Hyderabad.
Vasudevan recounts, “It was my first day at work and instead of showing me my desk, my senior asked me to learn yoga and that’s how I treaded on the mat for the first time.” She got trained under TKV Desikachar. The yoga aficionado holds a Master’s in Nutrition and Psychology and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Yoga.
Yoga Sadhana, Yoga Acharya and Yoga Vaidya are YogaVahini’s signature training programmes. Asana and pranayama done as part of Yoga Sadhana help in making one aware of the body and its sensations and emotions. It is cultivated through the nava rasas (nine emotions) that makes one aware of one’s psychological triggers. Yoga Acharya is the programme for the trainers. Apart from imparting yoga principles, each teacher should teach a group for free. Yoga Acharya graduate Naveen Vasudevan, 33, says, “I joined YogaVahini to explore the asanas. Yoga brings out the best in everyone.” Yoga Vaidya prepares a student to teach personalised therapies to people with chronic or acute health conditions. The course also includes ayurveda. Saraswathi says pranayama works best for people with severe illness.
Computer Science graduate Lakshmy Narendra had to quit her job to be with her family. She started frequenting various fitness classes and enrolled herself in Yoga Vaidya programme. She says, “We recommend fun-filled activities such as ice cream yoga or pranayama games for children with autism.”
Yoga also plays a very important role in rehabilitation. Saraswathi explains, “Once my master asked me to recite a passage daily. Later, I realised he had given me a chanting mantra to calm my mind and better the situation.” Chanting mantras helps in getting sound sleep.