Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani's Keynote at the SYTAR 2018, IAYT’s annual membership conference dedicated entirely to professional education, research, practice, and policy issues for yoga therapy. This is the premier conference for the field of yoga therapy. Loving feedback from eminent personalities of the Yoga therapy field included : “The best Keynote of SYTAR’s history.”- Dilip Sarkar “I believe Ananda’s keynote marks an historic and pivotal moment in the evolution of IAYT. Absolutely the highlight of this years event and a genuine and heartfelt standing ovation by a very moved audience. The distinction between yoga Therapy and “yogopathy” was priceless.- Michael Lee “ Dr Ananda Bhavanani was a high light of SYTAR 2018 for me. I hope to hear more from him at future conferences.”- Linda S Varnam “ Yes - he brought the room of 500 yoga therapists to their feet in ovation.” -Lee Majewski “He is the "real thing, being." Wonderful to experience!”- Eleanor Criswell

1. Are We Practicing
Yoga Therapy or Yogopathy ?
Yogacharya
Dr ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
MBBS, MD (AM), ADY, DSM, DPC, PGDFH, PGDY, FIAY, C-IAYT
Director CYTER of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth & Chairman ICYER at Ananda
Ashram, Puducherry, South India. yognat@gmail.com
AB Bhavanani - SYTAR 2018 Keynote

2. www.icyer.com

7. SRI BALAJI VIDYAPEETH
(Deemed University Accredited with “A” Grade by NAAC)
Ranked 72 in NIRF 2018
Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education
and Research (CYTER)
Salutogenesis, our focus!

8. Bridging the experiential wisdom of Yoga with
empirical modern medical science.
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 ~ 45000 patients
– educating future Yoga therapists
(PGDYT, M.Phil, PhD),
– creating awareness amongst
medical, dental and nursing
students & professionals
– scientifically researching Yoga,
– 75 publications & 5 CMEs.
– IDY celebrations since 2015

9. 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.
www.sbvu.ac.in

10. Salutogenesis
• Derivation of Greek + Latin
– Latin:Latin: salussalus = health= health
– Greek:Greek: genesisgenesis = source= source
• In combination = Sources of health

11. Sense of Coherence (SOC)(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.

12. 3 components of Sense of Coherence (3 components of Sense of Coherence (SOCSOC))
 COMPREHENSIBLE - Cognition
- “My world is understandable”
 MANAGEABLE - Coping Skill
- “My world is manageable”
 MEANINGFUL - Motivation
- “My world has meaning”

13. 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

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

15. 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!

16. And not merely the absence of disease.And not merely the absence of disease.
Definition of Health (WHO)Definition of Health (WHO)
Health is a
dynamic
state of
complete…
Health is a
dynamic
state of
complete…

17. SWASTH: a dynamic
state of wholesome
wellness
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.

18. “Yoga therapy is the process of
empowering individuals to
progress toward improved health
and wellbeing through the
application of the teachings and
practices of Yoga”. – IAYT

20. Cellular Panchakosha !

21. (Low)
0
0 (Low)
∞
(High)
(High) ∞Skills
Anxiety
Boredom
Increasing skills
Increasing skills
FLOW
Channel

22. • 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?

23. • 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.

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

25. 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

26. 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.

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

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

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

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

32. A bad case of Nara!

36. • 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

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

39. 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

40. • 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?

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

42. ...... 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

43. • 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

44. Yogic 12-Point System of
Diagnosis and Health Evaluation

45. • 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.

46. • 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.

47. • 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’?

49. How does it work?

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.And not merely the absence of disease.
Definition of Health (WHO)Definition of Health (WHO)
Health is a
dynamic
state of
complete…
Health is a
dynamic
state of
complete…

63. • Yogopathy, is more about "doing" than "being".
• Yoga Chikitsa empowers an individual to
“BE” at ease with themselves,
an integrated state of coherence,
their own Sukha Sthanam
Some final words…….

64. • 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…….

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

66. 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’.

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

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

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

70. Thank You!Thank You!