Yoga Therapy: A Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Yoga and Ayurveda for Health and Fitness

by A.G. Mohan, Indra Mohan, Ganesh Mohan

Most people think of yoga as a solitary activity that is inherently therapeutic. While that is generally true, yoga poses and breathing practices can also be prescribed for specific health problems—often in combination with dietary advice taken from Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine. Yoga Therapy is an essential guide for yoga teachers, advanced practitioners, and anyone who wants to make therapeutic use of yoga. A. G. and Indra Mohan prescribe postures, breathing techniques, and basic Ayurvedic principles for a variety of common health problems, including asthma, back pain, constipation, hip pain, knee pain, menstrual problems, and scoliosis.

Yoga Therapy is one of the few books that shows yoga teachers how to put together appropriate yoga sequences and breathing techniques for their students. Mohan details how to correctly move into, hold, and move out of poses, how to breathe during practice to achieve specific results, and how to customize a yoga practice by creating sequences of yoga poses for a particular person.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help

232 pages, Paperback

First published December 14, 2004

About the author

A. G. Mohan (born 1945) is a renowned Indian yoga teacher, author, and co-founder of Svastha Yoga & Ayurveda. Mohan is a longtime disciple of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888-1989). Krishnamacharya, best known as the "father of modern yoga," was a legendary yoga master, ayurvedic healer, and scholar of the last century who modernized the practice of yoga and whose students dramatically popularized yoga in the West.

Mohan co-founded the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India, and was its Honorary Secretary from its inception, in 1976, to 1989. Mohan was also the convener of Sri Krishnamacharya’s centenary celebrations.

Reviews

[Tracy Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one's a little bit of a misnomer. It's really a guide to yoga practice, versus yoga therapy. But still worth a read.

[أمل يعقوب Amal Yaqoob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yoga Therapy by A.G. Mohan is an excellent and straightforward guide for yoga teachers who are either just beginning their teaching journey or already have some experience. The book beautifully combines all aspects of yoga in a concise and practical way, covering key areas such as asanas, pranayama, and Ayurveda. Its simplicity and clarity make it an invaluable resource for understanding and teaching the holistic essence of yoga.

While I found the content insightful and well-organized, I believe the title could have been more reflective of its true nature as a guidebook rather than a therapy-focused text. Regardless, this book serves as a must-read for any yoga teacher looking to deepen their practice and teaching approach.

[Pragya Bhatt · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book very superficial. Most yoga practitioners and teachers would have come across all the information provided in this book in the course of their practice. Even the case studies weren't as detailed as I'd expect them to be. I guess I was expecting more from a student of T Krishnamacharya.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough and detailed. Very useful if you are interested in taking that step towards yoga therapy and ayurveda.

[Aida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a yoga teacher myself and believing the therapeutic side of it, I found this book a bit “dry” and theoretical.

[Virginie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Dans ce livre nous avons mis l'accent sur le fait que la pratique correcte d'asanas nous donne plus de force, de souplesse, d'alignement corporel, un bon fonctionnement des systèmes du corps et une stabilité mentale.... Afin de bénéficier du meilleur dans la pratique de l'asana, rappelez-vous qu'il est essentiel que vous soyez attentif à votre respiration et que votre esprit demeure vigilant. Travaillez autant de l'intérieur que de l'extérieur."