TESTIMONIES
Yoga and meditation have lost much of their spiritual aura. More and more people are turning to their therapeutic effects in the cure of diseases. For the past few decades extensive research has shown the positive effects of yoga and meditation upon the human system.
Some thirty years back, medical research highlighted the importance of yoga and meditation and dietary changes in a healthy lifestyle. It was successfully demonstrated that heart disease could be reversed by introducing the practice of yoga and meditation and bringing dietetic changes in food habits. It brought yoga the recognition that would open the way to the vast potential of yoga and meditation as therapies for healing and transformation.
At the outset this course was being offered for those interested in spiritual advancement. With time, there were more and more people joining, in search of a possible cure for some longstanding and chronic disease. Many had medical problems for several years. Some cases were considered incurable. Left with no alternative we had to face the reality of allowing everybody a chance. They had all tried different therapies, traditional or alternative, without success. Meditation and yoga with its intrinsic holistic approach cured the majority of cases. The others experienced significant alleviation of disease conditions.
In almost four decades of practice, we have never met anyone who knows how to breathe properly. Everyone thinks breathing is natural and spontaneous. Why on earth do we need to be taught or to learn how to breathe? It may come as a stunning surprise that 99% of people do not know how to breathe correctly or are aware that they are breathing wrongly.
All were surprised when they were taught to breathe properly. Within one or two weeks of deep yogic breathing, most of their complaints whether headache, migraine, insomnia, stress, etc had disappeared.
To quote one among those who got immediate results: “We were made to understand that the practice of yoga and meditation was more spiritual than anything. However, the discipline involved would go a long way to help improve general well-being, bring peace of mind, food habits would be changed, and lastly, yoga postures could remedy physical ills or unknown defects. We were taught yogic breathing and mantra repetition. Within just one week of daily practice I was already another person…Two weeks later when I had my menses it was perfectly painless. I was amazed…After a decade of atrocious suffering I was pain free. It was a miracle!”
She was one among the many who had been diagnosed with infertility. She had been suffering from severe depression consequent to daily family and social harassment.
In some cases, some specialist doctors had even advised removal of uterus as, according to them, the patients did not have any chances to become mothers. Yoga helped them reestablish homeostasis, regain their health and become happy mothers.
“Within a year of starting yoga we were blessed with a beautiful sturdy baby boy…One year later we were again blessed with a lovely and charming baby girl. Today they are grown up, aged 28 yrs and 26 yrs, and in excellent health…I am in good health up to today and not having any problems. I was so grateful to yoga for having given me back my health… Two of my friends too were blessed with babies. Today their children are grown up, about 22 yrs and 19 yrs old. But for yoga, these two lives would have probably ended in tragedy. Indeed, yoga changed our life and made it worth living and very precious. I wish more people would have the chance I had! How many wasted lives would have been saved!”
There were many other striking cases with amazing results. We have mentioned cases, physical, psychological and mental which cover a wide range of disease conditions. They are some of the thousands who have seen significant changes in their health and life.
To cite, a very serious and advanced case of myelopathy, serious crippling spinal cord disease. The disease could have progressed to quadriplegia, total paralysis below level of the neck. Doctors had advised urgent operative decompression, a very delicate spinal surgery, without any guarantee of success.
Within weeks of doing yoga and meditation his disease process would be arrested. Meditation and yoga have enabled him to lead a normal life these past fourteen years. Let us hear his own words: “Treating doctors who had predicted complete paralysis of the limbs in the near future, were surprised and perplexed to see my condition improving day by day”
“I was examined by a visiting Consultant Neurosurgeon from abroad, Dr P. After going through my medical records and a physical examination, he shook his head and said: “How is it possible? This guy is stronger than me! His physical examination does not at all corroborate the findings in the records. The MRI shows something quite different!”
“My physical activities are as a normal someone can be. I can walk with all ease several kilometers at a stretch. I still enjoy swimming, driving my car or motorcycle. I do a lot of field work. Today I am 52 years old. Junior officers at work find it difficult to keep pace with me in my daily physical activities. ”
There were many cases coming for relief from ‘slip disc’. After having followed several treatment regimens to no avail they had given up hope of ever becoming normal again. A few had been advised surgery. They were scared and preferred to try yoga, having heard about its astounding results.
“In 1978…I had badly sprained my back….I had recourse to rubbing balms, deep heat spray or bandaging…I went for physiotherapy, for massage session…I was at a loss. Doctors could not help… I had resigned myself to live with the pain for the rest of my life…”
“I was taught a series of postures, yogic breathing and mantra repetition. My case was already quite complicated and I had to be patient for one or two weeks. …without realizing, one day I woke up and just got up by myself. I did not need to call anyone to help me up…Unknown to me the back pain was gone. I have carried on with the yoga postures which were meant for a lifetime. Since, I never had any health problems.”
To cite another complicated case: “My neighbour had been suffering from slip disc for some time….. He had to be rushed to the doctor who advised surgery the very next day….”
“In this condition there was hardly any posture one can do. He was made to perform some standing postures involving the spine and vertebral column, arm and legs. He did the postures with great difficulty….These few postures helped unblock his system. He did not have to go for any operation the next day or ever….He never had any relapse of his problem.”
We had several cases of psoriasis. Some longstanding, severe cases had developed suicidal tendencies. They are now cured and leading a normal life. One particularly severe case says: “I had been suffering from a serious recurrent skin problem since I was 18yrs old. Ever since my initiation and learning of hatha yoga, I have never had any recurrence of the disease, to date, 20 years already.”
We have treated several cases of hyperhidrosis with the best of results. Among the longstanding cases, we quote one example: “I blushed so intensely that I could feel the blood rushing to my face and at the same time a tension would envelope me culminating with heavy sweating. This phenomenon occurred to me almost everyday and I could do nothing to prevent that from happening…”
Meditation alleviated those severe symptoms immediately and he was cured within weeks: “After each meditation session, I feel very cool and relaxed and with a great sense of pride and well being.” Today he is a successful executive.
This serious case was on heavy medication and had been advised ECT, electroshock therapy, by his psychiatrist. Within one week of meditation he gave up all medication. He was cured of all his disorders and is leading a normal life. To date he has never needed any medication:
“I suffered from poor health, a failing memory, and insomnia alternating with somnambulism or hallucinations. I used to have weird nightmares and disturbed sleep…Now, the future holds much promise. I am totally cured when I could have been a case for a mental hospital. Today I enjoy a thriving health, sound sleep and an improved memory. I have undergone a complete metamorphosis. I am a new man with a new destiny! Had I not discovered meditation and yoga 17 years back, I dread to imagine the pitiable conditions I would have been grovelling in!”
Many cases of severe chronic allergy or longstanding sinusitis were successfully treated. Patients were of different age groups. Although refractive to normal medical treatment, they were cured in relatively short periods, some in just a few weeks:
“One of my cousins aged 12, had recurrent sinusitis. Consequently, he was always ailing and underweight. Visits to pediatricians and ENT doctors did not help…He was taught simple breathing exercises and some simple yoga postures suitable for his young age. In no time he was transformed. His sinus problem was completely cured. He recovered his appetite and put on weight. Within six months he became sturdier than his elder brothers.” Today, he is tall and well built. He has been symptom free these past twenty years.
Cases of insomnia, hallucinations, chronic headache, migraine, depression, some very severe, used to call by scores. After about 1-3 weeks of meditation they experienced complete relief. Many could have ended as burnt-out cases; some had severe delusional attacks, others had developed alcohol and cigarette addiction. Previous medical and psychiatric treatment was of no avail. Prognosis for recovery was extremely poor. With meditation and yoga their disturbed homeostasis was re-established and they were cured within weeks.
Other cases that have been treated through yoga and meditation include, Allergy, Anemia, Arthritis, Asthma, Backache, Bronchiectasis, Bronchitis, Depression, Diabetes mellitus, Epilepsy (some severe, longstanding, uncontrolled and refractive to normal treatment), Fibromyalgia, Frustration, Gastric problems, Hypertension, Hysteria, Lack of self confidence, Loneliness, Mental retardation, Obesity, Phobias, Scoliosis, Stammering, Sinusitis, Tendinitis & Tenosynovitis, Urinary Retention, Varicose Veins, Worry and other stress related conditions, among others.
The potential of yoga and meditation as holistic therapies for reestablishing homeostasis and managing or curing different diseases, even severe or life threatening conditions, appears to be unlimited.
These testimonies confirm meditation and yoga as powerful adjuncts in the holistic management of any disease, not only stress linked conditions as is the trend presently.
As someone who has been witness of these ‘miraculous’ cures states: “I am always keen to recommend yoga and meditation to everyone. It is the best preventive method and has the virtue of keeping you fit, serene and healthy. It is the best blend of spiritual, mental and physical exercise….If only people had more awareness about yoga and meditation and put them into practice, so many complications would have been averted, so many surgical interventions avoided, so much money saved.”