Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chief Patron
Shri MK Rajagoplan
Patrons
Prof. Rajaram Pagadala
Chancellor, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth
Prof. KR Sethuraman
Vice Chancellor, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth
Advisory Panel
Prof. N Ananthakrishnan
Prof. KA Narayan
Dr. S Ravichandran
Prof. S Krishnan
Prof. Nirmal Coumare
Prof. AR Srinivasan
Organizing Chairman
Prof. Madanmohan
Organizing Secretary
Treasurer
Mr. S Vasanthan
Core Team
Prof. Arun Chandra Singh
Prof. K Henri Balraj
Prof. Ramesh
Prof. K Jaiganesh
Mrs. Meena Ramanathan
Members
Dr. T Jeneth Berlin Raj
Prof. K Henri Balraj
Dr. Selvakumar
Dr. B Prem
Dr. R Sobana
Dr. Richa Gupta
Mr. Uthiravelu
Mr. Danushapnadesh
Dr. K Ramya
Mr. S Vasanthan
Dr. H Vishnupriya
Mrs. M.Latha
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Photo Gallery 75
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The topic needs to be understood by us all to solve the mysteries about sleep.
I am sure the programme will be well appreciated by the participants. I wish the organizers, all success in
their efforts.
Shri M.K. Rajagopalan,
Chairman
SBECT
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Thanking You,
Prof .S.Krishnan,
DEAN (Admn)
MGMC&RI, Puducherry
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I am so excited to know the incredible work of our yoga consultants and for their time and dedication.
I must congratulate all of you for your dedicated work towards the society and health care.
Dr. S RAVICHANDRAN
DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
MGMCRI
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Programme
8.00 9.00 AM
Registration
9.30 10.30 AM
9.00 9.30 AM
Pretest
1.00 1.30 PM
Lunch
2.30 3.00 PM
1.30 2.30 PM
3.00 3.30 PM
Poster Session
3.30 3.45 PM
High Tea
4.15 4.30 PM
Post test
3.45 4.15 PM
4.30 5.30 PM
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ii.
iii.
The relative importance of these faith-based factors in holistic healing may be debatable. However,
there is no denying that these factors play an important part in the recovery from illnesses.
In 1984, the 37th World Health Assembly adopted a resolution which made the spiritual dimension an
integral part of the WHO Member States strategies for health. The definition of health has been revised
as follows: Health is a dynamic state of complete physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being and
not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (Khayat, 1998).
The definition of spirituality adopted by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC,
1999) is broad and secular: Spirituality is expressed in an individuals search for the ultimate meaning
through participation in religion and/or belief in God, family, naturalism, rationalism, humanism, and the
arts. The concept of spirituality is found in all cultures and societies. All of these factors can influence how
patients and health care professionals perceive health and illness and how they interact with one another.
The World Health Organization-Quality of Life Spirituality, Religion and Personal Beliefs Group
(WHO-QOL SRPB) conducted a study in 18 countries (n = 5087) that showed that spirituality, religion,
and personal beliefs (SRPB) correlated highly with all of the WHO-QOL domains (p<0.01). Women
reported greater feelings of spiritual connection and faith than men. Those with less education reported
greater faith but were less hopeful. It is suggested that SRPB should be more routinely addressed in the
assessment of quality of life (WHO-QOL SRPB Group, 2006). The role of spirituality to explain why
people with epilepsy of comparable severity differ widely in quality of life (QOL) assessment was explored.
The results revealed a significant contribution of spirituality to QOL in epilepsy (Anna, et al., 2006).
A review by Rippentrop, et al, (2005) of spirituality in people with chronic pain concluded that:
yy many people with chronic pain use religious and spiritual beliefs and activities to cope with pain;
yy a relationship between religion/spirituality and various health outcomes has been documented;
CME on Sleep, consciousness and meditation: Neurophysiological correlates 2014
Prof MADANMOHAN
MBBS, MD (Physiology),
PG Diploma in Yoga, MSc Yoga, DSc (Yoga), FIAY
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Abstract
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As famously stated by David Chalmers, there is nothing that we know more intimately than conscious
experience, but there is nothing that is harder to explain. In this presentation, we will begin by identifying
some of the features of consciousness that will allow us to attempt a working definition of consciousness.
The highly private and subjective nature of consciousness poses special problems to its study. Several aspects
of consciousness which can be considered as being related to the functions of consciousness have been
easier to study within the neurobiology framework. However other aspects of consciousness which concern
the phenomenological experience or conscious experience have been harder to address in neurobiological
research. The identification of the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) the basic brain system(s)
whose activity correlates directly with the states of conscious experience is regarded as a starting point
to investigate the harder problems of the neurobiology of conscious experience. Broadly, neurobiological
research is aimed at identifying the neural correlates of being conscious, of the background states of
consciousness (such as awake / asleep) and the contents of consciousness. The effects of anesthetics
and neurological conditions of coma and persistent vegetative states have provided insights into the
NCC of being conscious. Neurophysiological techniques have helped in making substantial progress in
understanding the NCC of the background states of consciousness such as sleep and wakefulness. Newer
neuroimaging methods along with neurophysiological approaches are being used to investigate the NCC
of the contents of consciousness. Some of the evidence from such studies for the neural correlates of
consciousness will be presented and discussed.
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After obtaining his MD in Physiology from Karnatak Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli, Karnataka
he pursued PhD from National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore.
He has worked on evaluating the efficacy of mindfulness meditation on aging by assessing sleep,
humoral and autonomic profiles. APPI has bestowed on him Prakrit Mandir Award, a National Award
given for the best work in the area of Yoga. He has presented papers in various International and national
conferences and seminars and has publications in prestigious peer reviewed journals. He gives regular yoga
sessions for general public, students and also therapeutic yoga classes for patients.
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Dr. AMBARISH. V
Abstract
Introduction: Meditation promotes mind and body relaxation, builds internal energy/life force (prana),
develops compassion, love, patience, generosity, forgiveness and enables us to enjoy an indestructible
sense of well-being while engaging in daily activity Meditation is derived from the Latin verb meditari,
meaning to think, contemplate, devise, and ponder. Wilson translates the most famous Vedic mantra
Gayatri thus: We meditate on that desirable light of the divine Savitri, who influences our pious rites.
Several studies have demonstrated that meditation eases many health issues, such as high blood pressure,
depression, and anxiety.
Recently scientists the world over have been looking into how different types of meditation practices
bring about changes in the immune system, both at cellular level and at molecular level. Here we discuss
the outcomes of a few interesting studies addressing the effect of meditation on immunomodulation.
Immune Changes at Cellular level: Daily practice of pranic meditation for as short as 10 weeks
up-regulates the function and metabolism of phagocytes (Fernandes et al. J Altern Complement Med.
2012;18:761-8).
Presence of depressive symptoms in older adults decreases the VZV-responder
cell frequency (VZV-RCF), an immunological marker of shingles risk. Practice of meditation resulted
in improvements in health functioning and immunity to VZV in older adults (Irwin et al. Evid Based
Complement Alternat Med. 2004 ; 1: 223232). Practice of Qigong meditation lowers numbers of total
leukocytes and eosinophils, number and percentage of monocytes, as well as complement C3 concentration
(Manzaneque et al. Med Sci Monit. 2004 ;10 :CR264-70). Natural killer cell activity and number increased
significantly in the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) meditation group infected with the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The control group with same infection did not show any change
(Robinson et al. J Altern Complement Med. 2003 ; 9 : 683-94).
Immune changes at molecular level: Four weeks (20 minutes per day) practice of a type of meditation
called Integrative Body Mind Training (IBMT) increased the salivary immunoglobulin A levels
significantly in the meditatiors indicating a change in the basal immune system and larger acute effects
as duration of meditation increases (Fan et al. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 ;16 :151-5). Thaddeus et
al demonstrated that the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine was reduced after bouts of meditation
(Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2010 ; 35 : 310315).
Breast cancer patients in the meditation group re-established their natural killer cell activity (NKCA)
and cytokine production levels. In contrast, breast cancer patients in the non-meditation group exhibited
continued reductions in NKCA and IFN gamma production with increased IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10
production. (Linda-Witek et al. Brain Behav Immun. 2008 ; 22: 969981).
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B.sc., M.A., C.Y.T., D.N.Y.S., P.G.D.Y., M.sc. (Yoga) P.hd (in progress).
Yogachemmal Mrs. Meena Ramanathan, is Coordinator-cum-Yoga Therapist
of CYTER, the Centre for Yoga Therapy Education and Research at MGMCRI
(Mahatma Gandhi Medical college & Research Institute). She has completed numerous undergraduate
and post graduate degrees and diplomas in Yoga, science and English and is currently completing her
PhD in Yoga at Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University.
A student of the Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga Paramparya, she has been trained under the expert
guidance of Kalaimamani Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani and Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani.
She has been an integral part of that tradition for over a decade. Mrs. Meena Ramanathan has admirably
trained thousands of students under the auspices of Pondicherry University as Coordinator Yoga courses
in the Community College, as well as faculty of Annamalai University, Manonmaniyam University, MGR
University and Yoganjali Natyalayam. She is coordinator of Outreach Programs of Yoganjali Natyalayam
and is a guest faculty at ACYTER, JIPMER. For the past 5 years, she has been giving practical Yoga
training to staff and students of Pondicherry University.
Mrs. Meena Ramanathan has authored and co-authored a dozen books, and, half a dozen papers
on Yoga in English and Tamil, in various journals. Her books on Thirukkural and Yoga, Applied Yoga,
GherandaSamhita and Primer of Yoga Theory are best sellers. She has received many awards such as Yoga
Rathna, Yoga SevaMaamani, Yoga Chemmal, Bangalore Sundaram Award, Yoga Jyothi, Chellammal
Award, AnnaiSivakami Award and Mahan AravindarAnmigaSudar Award. She has been doing yeomen
service for the past decade for the cause of senior citizens and special children of Pondicherry.
Jnana Mudra: This Gesture of Wisdom is performed by joining the thumb and forefinger together
in a perfect circle. The other three fingers are outstretched in a rigid fashion. Jnana Mudra is placed over
the knees and held with the palm facing upwards. This mudra helps focus the restless mind and enables
us to attain a state of jnana, or discriminatory wisdom. It is an excellent mudra for meditation and
contemplation and can be used at times of study and introspection.
Chin Mudra: This gesture of consciousness helps us to go within and attain a state of elevated
consciousness. From a straight-back sitting position such as Vajrasana, bring both hands up to the chest
level with palms facing forward. Join the tips of your thumbs and index fingers to form a perfect circle.
Keep the other three fingers straight and with their sides joined together in parallel. Place the Chin
Mudra on your thighs with the palm facing down. Contemplate the mudra as it stimulates the mind into
higher states of consciousness.
CME on Sleep, consciousness and meditation: Neurophysiological correlates 2014
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Namaskar Mudra: Sit in any meditative posture. Bring both your hands up to your chest and join
your palms together. Keep your elbows in a lifted position. This mudra is commonly used in many eastern
cultures as a gesture of greeting and peace as it helps us to recognize that the Divine manifests through
all beings.
Anjali Mudra: Sit in any meditative posture. To perform this gesture of salutation, slowly lift both
arms up from the side of your body. At the peak of the stretch bring both your palms together with your
arms high over your head. Hold the mudra with sensitivity and awareness. Contemplate the subtle energies
of the six higher chakras that are located in the higher region of the subtle body.
Kailash Mudra: Sit in any meditative posture. Slowly lift both your hands and perform the Anjali
Mudra. Gently bring the Anjali Mudra down to your head so that your wrists are touching the top of
your head. Make sure that your elbows are kept in line with your shoulders. This mudra forms a beautiful
triangular frame for your face. Try to visualize Mount Kailash in its wonderful snow-coated splendor.
This mudra helps energize the sahasrara chakra, the crown center of psychic energy and is a useful mudra
for contemplation.
Bhairava Mudra: Sit in any meditative posture. Bring your left hand onto your lap with the palm
facing up and then place the right hand on it with the right palm facing upwards also. Sit quietly and
contemplate the mudra. The right hand represents the masculine energy of Shiva and in this mudra that
energy is kept dominant.
Bhairavi Mudra: Sit in any meditative posture. Bring your right hand onto your lap with its palm
facing up and then place your left hand on it with the left palm facing upwards too. Sit quietly and
contemplate the mudra. The left hand represents the feminine energy, and this mudra indicates the
dominance of our creative and artistic energy of Shakti over the masculine energy of Shiva.
Yoga Mudra: Sit in any meditative posture. Entwine the fingers of both hands with the fingers of the
right over the left. The right thumb should be at the top of the piled up heap of fingers. Place the Yoga
Mudra on your lap in a relaxed manner and enjoy the calm arising within yourself. Perform deep breathing
and become aware of how this mudra brings about a steady and harmonious balance between the right
and left flows of energy in your subtle body.
Bhumi Sparsha Mudra: Sit in any meditative posture and perform the Jnana Mudra. Place the hands
over the knees and then extend the fingers forward until the tips are touching the ground. This earth
witnessing or earth touching gesture is a gesture of reverence for our planet, the earth that sustains our
race. Ancient yogis were true environmentalists and through the development of reverence for nature,
they upheld the highest ethical principles of conservation.
Mahabhinishkramana Mudra: From a sitting position, bring your left hand close to your navel with
the palm facing upwards. Make your right hand into a clenched fist with your thumb directed straight
upwards and place your right hand on the upturned left palm in front of your navel. This hand gesture
represents the symbol of Lord Shiva, the Lord of evolutionary change. This mudras name means, the
mighty gesture of renunciation. After you have held the mudra for a comfortable period of time, relax
your hands back to your thighs and sit quietly to absorb the higher energies of evolutionary change and
renunciation that will start to flow through your system.
Nasagra Drishti Trataka: In this practice, we gaze open-eyed upon the tip of the nose, an important
concentration point used in the inner practices of Yoga. Sit in Padmasana and do a few rounds of deep
breathing. Open your eyes wide and focus your gaze upon the tip of your nose. Your left eye must catch
the tip of the nose with the same balance and lack of tension as does your right eye. If there is tension,
close your eyes and imagine that you are still gazing at the tip of your nose. Hold this concentration for
15 to 20 seconds and then open your eyes to see if the tip of your nose is actually still in the drishti of
your eyes. Repeat 3 to 9 times at each session until a sense of relaxation is achieved. One should gradually
increase this practice without putting too much strain on the eyes. To relieve any tension practice the eye
cupping technique previously outlined.
If a headache develops, stop the practice session and rest your eyes with palming. It is advisable to
washout your eyes with lukewarm saline solution after the practice if any tension is still felt in the eyes.
Anthara Dharana
Anthara Dharana refers to the various techniques of inner concentration that can be done from
Dharmika Asana (the devotional asana, or Childs Pose):
Kshitijan Kriya: Kshiti means horizon in Sanskrit, but the horizon used for this inner concentration
is the inner-mind horizon. After performing the Dharmika Asana, mentally think of the point where
your head is touching the floor. Directly inside the head between the hemispheric folds of the brain is
a nerve center called Bindu Nadi. Withdraw your concentration into this Bindu and imagine that you are
CME on Sleep, consciousness and meditation: Neurophysiological correlates 2014
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looking into the Eastern sky, just before dawn. Your inner screen or mental horizon is one of velvety,
warm darkness. Then, imagine a full sun rise, with all its colors. Relax in this pleasant inner view, letting
the experience flood through your entire nervous system.
Eka Varna Kriya: This practice elicits inner light experiences. Concentrate at the same Bindu point,
thinking only about your favorite color. Choose the color that you like best from the entire color spectrum.
Imagine that you are completely engulfed in this liquid color, as though you have fallen into an ocean of
colored liquid. Sometimes a swirling sensation of color will develop, and you will be literally sucked into
a point of light in which you may also experience some inner sounds. Do not let these sounds interrupt
your concentration, but become completely lost in the color and sound. This is very healing to the body
and the mind.
Jyotir Darshana: This is the blessing of a view of the inner light. Begin by concentration in Bindu
Nadi, at that point where the head touches the floor in Dharmika Asana. Imagine you are sitting out of
doors in bright sunlight or watching a bright sunrise. Concentrate fully on this idea. If you do so, a pinhole
of light will appear from within the minds eye, the third eye, the Ajna Chakra. Hold this light gently in
your inner gaze. Do not concentrate too hard, or it will go away. Learn to gaze passively, without a desire
to grasp, possess or hold what your mind experiences. Keep the concentration until the light fades or you
feel sufficiently relaxed to discontinue the practice.
Pranava Dhyana
This practice is a one pointed concentration on the form and nada, or sound, of the sacred Pranava
AUM, known as the mantra of all mantras. This can be done from any of the sitting postures but make
sure that your back is erect. It is best to do this after performing a few rounds of conscious deep breathing
so that the mind is in a calm state. Pranava Dhyana harmonizes the body, emotions and mind. In this
practice emphasis is first placed on making the sounds AAA, UUU and MMM separately and then in
combination.
This is followed by the performance of the practice mentally without the audible sound. Sit in Vajrasana
and place the Chin Mudra on your thighs. Breathe in deeply into your lower chest area 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe
out with the sound, Aaaaa, Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out with the sound, Aaaaa. Breathe in 2-3-45-6. Breathe out with the sound, Aaaaa. Now concentrate on the sound, Aaaaa mentally and perform the
same practice 3 times without the audible sound.
Curl your fingers inward to form the Chin Mudra and place it on your thighs. Breathe deeply into your
mid chest region 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out with the sound Ooooo. Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out with
the sound, Ooooo. Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out with the sound, Ooooo. Now concentrate on the
sound, Ooooo, mentally and perform the same practice 3 times without the audible sound. Perform the
Adhi Mudra by clenching your fists with your thumbs in the center and place the mudra on your thighs.
Breathe deeply into your upper chest and clavicle regions 2-3-4-5-6. Now, exhale with the sound,
Mmmm. Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out with the sound, Mmmm. Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe
out with the sound, Mmmm. Now concentrate on the sound mentally and perform the same practice 3
times without the audible sound.
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Meditation can wipe away the days stress, bringing with it inner peace. See how
you can easily learn to practice meditation whenever you need it most.
If stress has you anxious, tense and worried, consider trying meditation.
Spending even a few minutes in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace. Anyone can practice
meditation. Its simple and inexpensive, and it doesnt require any special equipment. And you can practice
meditation wherever you are whether youre out for a walk, riding the bus, waiting at the doctors office
or even in the middle of a difficult business meeting.
Understanding meditation
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation originally was meant to help deepen
understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. These days, meditation is commonly used for
relaxation and stress reduction.
Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation produces a deep
state of relaxation and a tranquil mind. During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the
stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process may result
in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.
Benefits of meditation
Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional wellbeing and your overall health. And these benefits dont end when your meditation session ends. Meditation
can help carry you more calmly through your day and may improve certain medical conditions.
Meditation and emotional well-being
When you meditate, you clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes
to your stress.
The emotional benefits of meditation can include:
yy Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
yy Building skills to manage your stress
yy Increasing self-awareness
yy Focusing on the present
yy Reducing negative emotions
Meditation and illness
Meditation might also be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened
by stress.
yy
yy
yy
yy
yy
yy
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encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.
Elements of meditation
Different types of meditation may include different features to help you meditate. These may vary
depending on whose guidance you follow or whos teaching a class. Some of the most common
features in meditation include:
Focused attention. Focusing your attention is generally one of the most important elements of
meditation. Focusing your attention is what helps free your mind from the many distractions that
cause stress and worry. You can focus your attention on such things as a specific object, an image,
a mantra, or even your breathing.
Relaxed breathing. This technique involves deep, even-paced breathing using the diaphragm muscle
to expand your lungs. The purpose is to slow your breathing, take in more oxygen, and reduce the
use of shoulder, neck and upper chest muscles while breathing so that you breathe more efficiently.
A quiet setting. If youre a beginner, practicing meditation may be easier if youre in a quiet spot with
few distractions, including no television, radios or cellphones. As you get more skilled at meditation,
you may be able to do it anywhere, especially in high-stress situations where you benefit the most
from meditation, such as a traffic jam, a stressful work meeting or a long line at the grocery store.
A comfortable position. You can practice meditation whether youre sitting, lying down, walking,
or in other positions or activities. Just try to be comfortable so that you can get the most out of
your meditation.
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A CME-cum-Workshop on Yoga & Lifestyle Disorders was held at MGMC&RI, Pondicherry on 22 November
2013. This event was organized by Department of Physiology and Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education and Research (CYTER),
MGMC&RI, Pondicherry. More than 250 medical and paramedical professionals and students as well as Yoga practitioners
and enthusiasts took part in the one day CME that gave participants an overview of the role Yoga can play in lifestyle disorders
by inculcating a healthy lifestyle. In his lead talk on Healing & Yoga in Integrative Therapy, Prof K.R. Sethuraman, ViceChancellor, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth mentioned that yoga therapy uses the ancient principles of yoga to enhance health and
wellness at all levels of a person: physical, emotional, and spiritual. It is based on a holistic approach to an individual, because
in order to acquire true health, all aspects of a person must be addressed in toto. He suggested that Yoga therapy is a good
choice for people with specific health concerns, who want to acquire tools specific to their condition to improve wellness. He
also said that when done correctly, yoga is rewarding and intrinsically motivating. It can be used by those who wish to slow
aging and improve their health and those who desire to develop a fulfilling personal yoga practice. He stressed on the need for
integration of the traditional healing methods with modern medicine and said that Yoga therapy often enhances the benefits
gained from modern medical treatments, while also reducing unwanted side-effects.
The organizing chairman Prof Madanmohan who is head, department of Physiology and Director CYTER at MGMCRI
said, Lifestyle is the way people live and this has immense influence on the status of health or disease. Since ones lifestyle
is developed early in life, it is advisable to cultivate healthy lifestyle in early childhood. He also explained the improvement
of physiological functions through regular practice of Yoga. The eminent Yoga expert, Yogacharya S. Sridharan of the
Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandriam, Chennai said Yoga has a well laid out path of discipline structured to address all the
dimensions of the human system, i.e. annamaya (body), prANamaya (breath), manomaya (mind), vigyanamaya (ego/intellect)
and anandamaya (emotion). He explained the Panca kAla ParAyanam, which literally means the activities to be filled with in
the five parts of the day. Here a day is divided into 5 parts and the activities are assigned to each part such as Abhigamanam,
UpAdAnam, Ijya, SvAdhyaya and Yoga. Dr. Latha Satish, a well known psychologist and Yoga expert gave a talk on Yoga as
the original mind body medicine and said that the origin and roots of the mind-body link, its interactions and implication
for medicine can be traced to the Indian cultural heritage ie Veda-s and particularly the philosophy and practice of yoga as
elucidated by Maharishi Patanjali. She explained that the mind which is characterized by the three gunas, can be agitated and
consequences of this can be felt at body, breath, thought level. A panel discussion on Yoga & psychosomatic disorders was held
in the afternoon session and this was chaired by Dr. Eshwaran, H.O.D Dept. of Psychiatry MGMCRI who also elaborated
the clinical spectrum of somatoform disorders. The panelists in the session were, Yogacharini Cathy Davis of the UK, Dr.
Latha Satish, Yogacharya S Sridharan and Dr. Madanmohan. Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani and Mrs. Meena Ramanathan
conducted forenoon and afternoon interactive sessions on Yoga practices for healthy living. This included simple warm ups
(jathis and surya namaskar), breath body movement coordination practices (kriyas), static stretching postures (asana), breathing
techniques (pranayama), relaxation and chanting.
Modern medical advancements provide the rationale for the integration of various traditional healing techniques including
Yoga to promote healing, health, and longevity. It is imperative that advances in medicine include the wholistic approach of
Yoga to face the current challenges in health care. Under the dynamic leadership of the Chancellor Shri M.K. Rajagopalan,
authorities of SBVU had set up CYTER in 2010 and many activities have been going on since then. A scientifically sound
Yoga therapy programme is imparted through the Yoga Therapy OPD that is functioning from 9 am to 1pm from MondayFriday. Consultations are offered by Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Deputy Director (Yoga) and Mrs Meena Ramanathan,
Coordinator and Yoga Therapist and qualified Yoga instructors are imparting the schedules. Individualized and group Yoga
therapy sessions are being conducted for various medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal and
psychiatric disorders with excellent feedback from participants. More than 3000 patients have benefited from Yoga Therapy
consultations and sessions since 2010. Numerous pilot studies have been completed and major research studies are being
planned under guidance of Dr. Madanmohan, Professor and Head, Department of Physiology, MGMC & RI. The Phase-II
of CYTER was inaugurated during the CME and a new logo for the centre was unveiled.
CME on Sleep, consciousness and meditation: Neurophysiological correlates 2014
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CME-cum-Workshop on
YOGA AND LIFESTYLE DISORDERS
22nd November, 2013