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In advanced stages of relaxation, patients should be made to bring back to memory various associations related to different parts of the body and to work out the causes of those associations. This should be done cautiously, even by an experienced therapist, knowing the repercussions of activating associated suppressed memories and thoughts, and that too, only after dealing with oneself with some success.
Most of the cultural asanas described in different books can be used to tackle and correct the postural substrata of the individual and thus bring about a change at the psychological level through propioceptive feedback. The ideal conditions are given in yoga: a balanced, straight spine, especially the neck and head, but usually we'll find a person in either traction attitude of extension attitude. Then we can think of a suitable group of asanas to bring about the correction in the total personality so that it can come back to that balanced condition.
If the muscles are hypotonic then it is better to ask the patient to practise asanas after deep inhalation and holding the breath inside during the maintenance of asanas. On the other hand if the muscles are hypertonic then it is advantageous to exhale and hold the breath out during the practice of asanas. As one cannot hold the breath for a long time one could have a number of breaths, with breath holding either after inspiration or expiration as the case may be.
Sequential practices like surya namaskara and pawanmuktasana have been found to be very useful for those patients who have obsessions and fixations. Changing body positions one after the other helps to break the tendency of the mind to remain fixed at one place. This works effectively if the individual can remain aware of what one is doing and what is happening inside the body and the mind during any sequential technique.
If the patient shows a tendency to go inside, then keeping the eyes open during the whole session of yoga practices proves useful. On the other hand, if one feels that the mind of the patient wanders outside the body, then eeping the eyes closed and feeling the touch of air within the nostrils has proved beneficial.
Cleansing processes are important in the treatment of many functional disorders. It should be remembered that these kriyas have a direct influence on the autonomic nervous system, internal organs, attitude and value system of the patient.
2015
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