Yoga allows people who have health problems to regain a sense of the power of their body. When a person has an illness, injury or physical problem, there's a tendency to become afraid or unwilling to fully utilize the body. What starts as a behavior to protect the body from injury can become the entire way a person lives, shaping that person's self image. We've all heard of persons lifting impossibly heavy objects to free a child or loved one. Yoga lets us get back in touch with our body, and that allows us to free our thoughts and emotions from the limits we have mistakenly imposed upon ourselves.
Yoga is a gentle form of exercise.
It is not normally aerobic, and does not place a strain on the heart or other organs. A wide variety of yoga positions can be done in bed, sitting down, lying on the floor or standing. Many wheelchair patients are able to use yoga and they find that it frees them from the disabled mentality that may have been holding back their recovery. Yoga classes are available in most communities, some free and others for a small fee. Many adult education services, colleges and universities offer yoga.