Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Lesson 1: Yoga
Introduction (15 minutes)

- Introduce myself to class

- Have students introduce themselves

o Have them answer: “What do you know about complementary and alternative

medicine?” to gauge interest and prior knowledge on the subject

- Go over the syllabus:

o Course description

o All objectives

o Layout of the sessions

Class Discussion (5 minutes)

- “What do you know about yoga?”

- “Has anybody practiced yoga before?”

History of Yoga (15 minutes)

(Basavaraddi, 2015)

- Yoga has been around for thousands of years

o Dated back to the beginning of civilization

- Hindu deity Shiva is recognized as the “founder” of yoga, and the first practitioner, or

yogi
 - Between 500 BC and 800 A.D., yoga became a global practice

o Mahavir’s Five great vows and Buddha’s eightfold path both spread the

practice of yoga around India

- While yoga began as a Hindu practice, it quickly became detached from religion

altogether, and instead focused on teaching everybody the path to inner peace and

wellbeing

- There are four main types of yoga, each of which has its own ways to create a balance

and sense of total peace and harmony

o Karma yoga – uses the body

o Bhakti yoga – uses emotions

o Gyana yoga – uses the mind

o Kriya yoga – uses our energy

Benefits of Yoga (10 minutes)

(Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2021)

(Mayo Clinic Staff, 2020)

- Improves strength and balance

- Helps manage pain and arthritis

- Benefits our heart by lowering blood pressure

- Improves our sleep by teaching us relaxation techniques

- Hatha yoga in particular can help manage stress and anxiety

o Combination of postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques

Guided Yoga Session (30 minutes)

- Guest instructor: Michelle Hancock, ERYT 500

o Seattle-based yoga instructor at One River Yoga

o Career began in 1997

o Has accumulated more than 500 hours of yoga certification training

- She will introduce herself and give a background on her profession

- She will then guide the class for 30 minutes on proper poses, breathwork, and

relaxation practices

Closing Discussion (15 minutes)

- Ask class “what is something you learned today?”

- Discuss different applications of yoga

o Physical benefits

o Mental benefits

o Health management

- Question/Answer period with myself and guest instructor

 References

Basavaraddi, I. (2015, April 23). Yoga: Its origin, history, and development. Ministry of External

Affairs, Government of India. https://mea.gov.in/in-focus-article.htm?25096%2FYoga

%2BIts%2BOrigin%2BHistory%2Band%2BDevelopment.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2021). 9 benefits of yoga.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-benefits-of-yoga.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2020, December 29). Yoga: Fight stress and find serenity. Mayo Clinic.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-

20044733.