“I believe that the kind of therapy that goes on in our classes can ultimately save a lot of money.”Īs we have seen, change is slow to take root in medicine. Yoga Moves MS is meant to empower people to keep moving – and stretching past what they might perceive as their physical limitations. Studies show that those who take an active role in the health and well-being do better managing the outcomes of their illnesses. But they can work well together.Ĭlass fees are “donation only.” Scholarships are provided with funding from Yoga Moves MS, the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and an annual $100 scholarship allowance per student from the National MS Society.Ĭan you envision a time when adaptive yoga would be considered a therapy covered by health insurance? It is not a replacement for physical therapy. I like to think of adaptive yoga as restorative and renewing, beginning again and again. We look at each individual from head-to-toe, toe-to-head, inside and outside. Within our two-hour sessions, we practice meditation we practice traditional yoga poses, facilitated in a chair, standing or on mats we practice visualization techniques, breathing techniques and at the end we have a generous relaxation pose. Unlike regular yoga classes, Yoga Moves MS specialty classes include co-teachers so every student receives extra attention and spotting so that they feel safe in various poses. How is Yoga Moves MS different than traditional yoga? It’s been five years in the making, but in short order, since the book has been published, it’s become something of the bible for adaptive yoga, intended for any body – at any age, living with an illness, limited mobility or simply healing from an injury. It was apparent that there was an underserved need and a gap to fill for a comprehensive user-friendly guide to adaptive yoga. There are not many adaptive yoga instructors out there, but as I learned from traditional yoga instructors and physicians alike, interest is growing. I started by compiling a flip chart, but as I got the project going, I realized I was on to something much bigger. They started asking for some handouts with reminders of what they did during class so that they could take their practice home. “I like to think of adaptive yoga as restorative and renewing, beginning again and again.” Q & A with Mindy EisenbergĮxperience shows that the benefits of yoga dramatically increase with frequent practice and, actually, the book was my students’ idea. From there, she launched headlong into further studies and the quest to improve the quality of life of her students. Though it was too late to help her mother, at the completion of her training as a teacher, Mindy volunteered as a yoga instructor for a MS support group. Mindy’s personal journey towards adaptive yoga began at an early age when her mother was diagnosed with MS in a progressive form which confined her to a wheelchair for more than 25 years. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling autoimmune disease of the central nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord that interrupts the flow of signals and information and often disrupts normal body functions. “They’re inspiring, they’re creative – the most sharing community.” At the urging of her students, Mindy has written Adaptive Yoga Moves Any Body, a practical, step-by-step guide to her methodology and philosophy of healing, gleaned from her years of instruction and learnings from some of the most talented instructors in the country. “It’s a gift to teach yoga to patients with MS,” says Mindy. A step-by-step guide to adaptive yoga methodology and philosophy A hospital administrator by training and a certified yoga therapist, Mindy is the founder and director of the non-profit 501(c)(3) Yoga Moves MS, which provides small group classes for more than 70 students per week through private donations and with the support of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. These are but a few of the health benefits readily associated with the practice of yoga.Īdd the qualities of “playful, empowering, healing, restorative, accessible” and you begin to understand the creative aspects, therapeutic potential and principles of adaptive yoga as it applies to any body, every body and, in particular, those living with multiple sclerosis (MS) and a wide range of neuromuscular conditions.Ī student of yoga for more than 21 years, Mindy Eisenberg has devoted the past 11 years to teaching adaptive yoga to help students overcome the symptoms of MS as well as other physical challenges. New Moves to Improve Life with MS By Vivian Henoch, Editor myJewishDetroit March 31, 2016
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |