After watching the documentary in class about the recovering alcoholics and drug addicts and reading the articles about how yoga is used in the 12-step recovery program; I realized how much of a useful tool yoga can be to managing addiction.
Meditation is the key element in yoga that bridges yoga to recovering addicts. Meditation allows people to clear their mind and relax, be at peace with themselves, control their thoughts and their desires to relapse.
In the article, Helping the "United States of Addiction" Recover, the author gives 4 steps needed to have freedom from addiction:
1. A Spiritual Path
2. Community Support
3. Yoga Meditation
4. Conscious Diet
I believe that practicing yoga gives you all of these 4 steps. Of course people who are in recovery should also continue following the 12-step program along with practicing yoga. Yoga becomes a spiritual practice because you connect with your body on a deeper level as well as a higher power. They members in the studio and in your class are your community support. The instructors are always there to guide and support you through each challenging pose. Meditation is an essential element in yoga. By meditating properly, we also control our breath and are conscious of each inhale and exhale. Breathing is a cleansing process that can detoxify the body. Then the conscious diet, not everyone that does yoga is on a diet but the concept of yoga is to be healthy and treat your body with honor and respect. It is natural for you to eat healthier when you are physically active and notice your body becoming leaner and stronger.
I never really thought about how much of an impact yoga has to recovering addicts but yoga is in fact medicinal and it can cure many illnesses if practiced regularly and whole heartedly.
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