Yoga
Many aspects of Tibetan medicine have grown more and more popular in the West, where many people are using the traditional techniques and therapies to supplement more modern treatments. The practice of yoga and meditation in particular have seen wide spread popularity world wide in recent years. Although many people see yoga as the newest exercise craze, yoga is actually a long-held practice that has been a central part of Tibetan medicine for thousands of years.
Tibetan medicine has a long tradition of using natural therapies to cure illness and promote overall health. It was (and still is) believed that the best way to promote health and well-being was to maintain balance in one's life and to commit to healthy practices. Tibetan doctors have long recommended people to eat healthy and balanced diets, exercise regularly and meditate daily in order to prevent sickness of the body and mind. Yoga was seen as an effective way to combine the recommended practice of meditation with exercising and strengthening the body. Practicing yoga regularly was considered one of the best ways to keep the body healthy. When a person did become ill, Tibetan doctors would prescribe using specific yoga poses to quicken the recovery process.
When engaging in Tibetan yoga, it is best to maintain complete focus and hold each pose for at least ten seconds, and up to several minutes if possible. It is also important to not push yourself too hard in order to avoid injury. Instead, focus on breathing steadily and relaxing the body.
Effective Tibetan yoga poses for promoting health and healing include the shooting bow, the half moon, the child pose, the cobra, the locust, the lion, the sun salutation, the tree, the scorpion and the half spinal twist.
