I have a friend who was severely injured in a car accident. She has pins in her arm and leg and is VERY limited in what she is able to physically do. Additionally, she lost her husband in the accident and is grieving. She mentioned to another friend that she misses yoga. I would like to offer her some yoga sessions in her home (I am a yoga teacher). Any suggestions for a practice with her?

I would talk to her MD and/or PT and find out what movements are safe for her first, and then design some simple movements based on that info. Pranayama and guided meditation could be emphasized instead of the physical postures until she regains her mobility.

With a limited mobility you will have to get very creative and figure out how to adapt the poses to meet her needs. But even simple movements linked with breath and awareness will be helpful for her. You may also be able to do some restorative poses with her, using props to support her. Two books to look at would be Lasater's Relax and Renew and Iyengar's Yoga, the Path to Holistic Health

In Chinese Medicine the lungs are the organs related to sadness and grief, so if you wanted to help her release her grief you could focus on chest opening poses and pranayama.

Post edited by: Timothy, at: 11/07/2007 13:38

Namaste'
A good source to prep for this kind of yoga therapy is Amy Weintraub's Yoga for Depression'. Much care must be taken to ease into this. Amy discusses 'release of grief from the tissues' which helps us understand how to better deal with out students' (patients') dilemmas.

Hats off to you for reaching out to help.

Consulting with this person's direct phusician, with her consent of course, would be my starting point to discuss the correct physical therapeutic approach.


I do hope this is helpful to you
Ross Butterworth, RYT

I have many friends who constantly injure themselves (albeit not in such a way as a car accident) and it is interesting to know that if there is a way I can help them, it is through yoga! Thanks for suggesting the idea to me.

My heart goes out to your friend. From a physical stand point, I can offer no suggestion on how to practice yoga. However, from a spiritual one, perhaps the best thing right now is meditative yoga. While the moves will come with time as the physical heals, perhaps the most important--inner peace, resolve and spiritual health--can begin to heal.

I wish your friend all the very best. My she find some solace and a little refuge in meditation and yoga.