Yoga Therapy for the Mentally Challenged

Yoga therapy for the mentally challenged is useful for these children.



In fact, they work effectively in all these categories of slow learners. Yoga therapy’s integrated approach is a great way to make progress with these kids.



For this reason, we include Yoga poses, breathing exercises, meditation and chanting as therapeutic tools.

The Yoga poses include

1. Yoga poses which enhance flow of blood to the brain and stimulate the brain cells: Inverted poses such as Viparitakarani, Shoulder Stand, Fish Pose, Plough pose, alternating with standing poses like Hands to Feet pose, Triangle pose, etc. help in better flow of blood to the head.
   
   
   
   When done alternately with standing poses the changes in the blood flow help stimulate the brain cells by releasing the blockages in the Nadis to enable free flow of Prana.
2. Yoga poses that improve concentration: Balancing poses like the Tree pose, Scorpion pose, Half Moon pose and the Headstand. Kids must be assisted by a parent or Yoga teacher to maintain in all poses for a while. This is to derive maximum benefit from the asanas.
3. Postures to increase physical flexibility: Surya Namaskars done with coordinated breathing.
4. Back bending poses: Yoga poses like Cobra pose, Camel pose, Wheel pose are help enhance their levels of self confidence and also body posture.

Breathing exercises are extremely helpful quick tools for quicker results. For this reason a number of different breathing exercises in the name of animals help make it interesting for them to do. This is more so when they are upset or wish to sit for their studies or just before bedtime. Dog breathing, Rabbit breathing, Lion breathing, Tiger breathing, Cat stretch, all these are familiar names and enjoyable breathing exercises.

It is tough to teach these kids meditation, even though it is the most crucial aspect of Yoga for better brain functioning. For this reason incantations of Aaah, Uuuh, Mmm, and Om besides loud chanting of longer mantras help bestow the same effect in these kids.