May 01, 2012
Yoga As a Religion?
Yoga Journal
Gary Kraftsow was a member of a panel that discussed issues of yoga and religion with Yoga Journal.
When asked if it’s possible to teach the deeper aspects of yoga in a way that doesn’t cross boundaries of ideology and belief, Gary responded, “I think that we can definitely teach a mind-body connection and teach deeper aspects of yoga without any language that would conflict with anyone’s ideology.”
“If you have a deeper initiation into the broader tradition of yoga, then you recognize that what’s relevant for one individual or group isn’t the same as another. If you see what is going to be appropriate for the individual or the group you’re working with, you can adapt and give them what’s going to serve them.”
January 12, 2012
Can Yoga Be Bad for You?
KQED
“It’s not about the postures, it’s about the practitioner.”
— Gary Kraftsow
KQED (NPR affiliate station in Northern California) held a radio show on January 12, 2012
about a recent New York Times Magazine article focused on how yoga can cause serious
injury. The safety of yoga practice was addressed by a panel of speakers including:
- Baxter Bell, director of the Piedmont Yoga Studio’s teacher-training program in Oakland and a board-certified family doctor
- Glenn Black, yoga teacher featured in the New York Times Magazine article
- Jason Crandell, yoga teacher and contributing editor of Yoga Journal
- Kaitlin Quistgaard, editor in chief of Yoga Journal
- Moshe Lewis, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at California Pacific Medical Center, St. Luke’s Campus
Gary Kraftsow, Founder and Director of the American Viniyoga Institute called in to the radio show to discuss his perspectives on the New York Times Magazine article. You can hear Gary’s comments about 40 minutes into the show.
Read “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body” at NYTimes.com »
What distinguishes the Viniyoga approach to asana from other forms of yoga? Read more »
December 12, 2011
Viniyoga for Low Back Pain: New Study Results Released
JAMANetwork.com
Karen Sherman’s first randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of yoga for low back pain was published in 2005 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Her initial study was met by high enthusiasm among Viniyoga teachers and therapists as well as the broader yoga community.
Recently, results from Sherman’s second, larger study using the same study design have been released (Archives of Internal Medicine, December, 2011). In new study, Sherman compared the effectiveness of a 12 week group Viniyoga intervention, a Physical Therapist designed stretching program of similar intensity and a self-care booklet in 226 subjects with moderate level, uncomplicated low back pain. Subjects in both the stretching and Viniyoga groups reported reduced medication use and improved functioning when compared to the subjects who received the self- care booklet.
Sherman reports “we found that physical activity involving stretching, regardless of whether it is achieved using yoga or more conventional exercises has moderate benefits in individuals with moderately impairing low back pain.” Further analyses of the data are planned to examine the mechanisms (physical, mental and emotional) through which Viniyoga influences chronic low back pain.
Are you interested in learning more about how to use research results in your Yoga Therapy practice? Would you like to know how to explain yoga research findings to clients and colleagues? Clare Collins will be offering a 2012 Webinar titled “Viniyoga for Low Back Pain: How Evidence-Based is Our Practice?” For more information about this spring continuing education offering, contact info@viniyoga.com.
Karen J. Sherman; Daniel C. Cherkin; Robert D. Wellman; Andrea J. Cook; Rene J. Hawkes; Kristin Delaney; Richard A. Deyo
A Randomized Trial Comparing Yoga, Stretching, and a Self-care Book for Chronic Low Back Pain
Arch Intern Med, Dec 12/26, 2011; 171: 2019 – 2026.
November 29, 2011
Gary Kraftsow on Yoga Therapy and Evidence Based Medicine
Omega Institute
November 11, 2011
Righting the Balance of Emotional Well-being
Yoga International
“By engaging every aspect of our being, yoga teaches us how to lift ourselves out of depression and move toward a deeper sense of self.”
–Gary Kraftsow, MA, E-RYT 500, Founder and Director American Viniyoga Institute
Gary Kraftsow’s latest article on Viniyoga Therapy appears in the Winter 2011-12 issue of Yoga International. Gary reminds us that “yoga teaches us that we aren’t our feelings or our symptoms but live in multidimensional relationship with them.”
In “Righting the Balance of Emotional Well-being”, he discusses the role of balancing physiology, particularly the autonomic nervous system for managing depression. He also discusses the importance of and tools for stabilizing and uplifting moods, awakening the intellect and building will.
The article features an integrated practice sequence for depression using asana, pranayama, chanting and mantra meditation. It is a great companion tool to the article is Kraftsow’s Viniyoga Therapy for Depression DVD from Pranamaya.com.
October 07, 2011
Top Research Abstract Award at IAYT Symposium on Yoga Research
The Aetna Mind Body Pilot won the Top Research Abstract Award at the International Association of Yoga Therapists’ Symposium on Yoga Research on September 23 – 25, 2011 at Kripalu, Lenox, MA.
Viniyoga and mindfulness at work: 12 week worksite stress reduction programs reduce perceived stress and improve sleep quality and autonomic balance.
Authors: G Kraftsow(1), J Landau(2), C Kusnick(3), K Bobinet(4), K McCabe(5), R
Wolever,(6)
- American Viniyoga Institute
- Well Within Center for Yoga & Health, Madison, WI
- Headlands Consulting
- Health & Wellness Innovation, Aetna Inc.
- eMindful, Inc.
- Duke Integrative Medicine and Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University
School of Medicine
Presenters of the poster session at SYR were Jerry Landau, BSChE, MAc, L.Ac, Well Within, Madison, WI and Catherine Kusnick, M.D., Headlands Consulting, Capistrano, CA. Jerry is an AVI Yoga Therapist graduate and Dr. Kusnick has completed the AVI Viniyoga Teacher Training.
September 07, 2011
Where is Yoga Headed These Days? The Experts Discuss its Evolution, and Future
Gary joins a panel with Seane Corn, Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman at the Omega Institute to discuss the commercialization of yoga.
