Combining Ayurveda and Yoga in an innovative way, Dr Vishakha Kumbar’s Yoga classes that completed two years in July, are a boon to those with aches and pains
BHARATI PAWASKAR
Kaveritai (name changed) suffered from arthritis and when all her joints started giving aches and pains, especially her knee, which she was not able to bend or fold. She also limped while walking or climbing steps. She was recommended to do some yogasanas (postures) to relieve her pains. However, at 65, she feared that she may break her bones while twisting and turning her body, which she thought was fragile. But as she enrolled her name in yoga class and began doing yogasanas, gradually her knee pain decreased.
“Now I can fold my leg. I can walk without getting pain in the knee, as it now takes my weight. I lost my weight too, automatically after following diet recommended by my instructor,” she shares. Age did not deter her from doing asanas and the benefits of yoga reflected in the body.
In another case, Smitha K (name changed), a working woman from Ponda was suffering from cervical spondylitis for some years before she joined yoga classes. But within few months she stopped complaining of neck pain all together. Today, it’s been two years that she is continuing the classes. Two more women share similar positive experiences. Are these true tales? “Yes, 100 per cent factual experiences,” says Dr Vishakha Kumbhar who is transforming lives of women and children through her yoga therapies. An Ayurvedic doctor, she is yoga consultant and instructor in Ponda. “We completed two years this July and have over two dozen students, young and elderly,” she shares, adding, “But the situation was different when I began. To spread the word I did a 10-day workshop for kids of age 8 to 9 years and only three kids turned up. In June 2017, I started my class for women, and again only three came. But when I began to advertise, within a month a total of 35 women registered. And here began my journey.”
Yoga remained a subject in her studies of Ayurveda. After her marriage when the couple shifted to Bhopal, she did a postgraduate diploma from Barkatullah University, learning practically and therapeutically for a year. “However, we shifted to Goa in 2016 and I took my first class in July 2017 in Ponda. Now I have to take up one batch in the morning and two in the evening, as the number is growing. People are interested in investing time in their health and turning to alternative therapies in search of pure cures,” maintains Dr Vishakha who offers diet tips along with appropriate yogasanas as therapy.
Dr Vishakha’s yoga classes have a variety of attendants - young kids, busy working women, elderly who have some complaints about health and students who answer SSC or HSSC exams. She has tips for all, “The first thing we stress is to leave bakery items and junk food and eat home cooked good food. Indian food is tasty and has all the ingredients necessary for the body. People who join experience weight loss of at least a kg or two in the first month. All that extra fat which is accumulated in the body gets shed automatically. The body gets a shape.” For working women who have long sitting hours in office, Bhujangasan and Sarpasan is the best, suggests Dr Vishakha, adding, “You just have to invest five to ten minutes each day. But this will say goodbye to neck pain, backache and low backache.”
For children of 10-12 years, Brahmamudra is the best asan which needs only two minutes. Dr Vishakha briefs, “Brahmasan prepares the body for meditation. For children it proves to be a good neck exercise, which cools them down. With Padmasan and Dyanmudra positions, turning neck slowly in the right and then left direction, would reduce the stress in that area. The back and neck gets great relief.”
She suggests some more asanas for concentration and relaxation - while doing Vajrasan (keeping both hands on the knees) or Sukhasan (just folding the legs) and sitting on the floor (or even chair) if one does Bhramari and chants Omkara, it will help in enhancing concentration and refreshing the entire body with the long vibrations while chanting ‘M’. Yogmudra and Padmasan with hands at the backside and touching the forehead on the floor with closed eyes, is the best for relaxation. “Just try it,” smiles Dr Vishakha.
