Dru Yoga fora healthy spine
A healthy spine wants to move. We are built to flex forwardsand backwards, tilt to the left and the right, and to twist freely in bothdirections, all without pain or tension. We should be able to balance our headon the top of the neck in such a way that we’re not placing our neck andshoulder muscles under unduestrain. The head needs to be able toflex and extend freely forwards and back, tilt from side to side, and twistright and left.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for most of us, and thisbecomes evident even at a fairly early age. We spend a lot of our time slumped in chairs, eyes on a computer, tabletor TV, with rounded shoulders and with the weight of our head putting the neckmuscles under strain. Most of the time we don’t notice it – we’re too focusedon our activity. Later we may sufferlower back pain, neck pain, frozen shoulders, or headache as a consequence. Aswe get older, our body starts to lock and fix into this rounded, slumpedposture and resulting pressure on the spinal discs can cause us eventually tolose height and to experience chronic pain. This is if we are lucky and have managed to avoid slipped discs, anacute locked back, a stiff back, lower back pain and arthritis.
There are many clear indications that yoga can help toreduce stress and back pain, and encourage well-being and resilience – even ina short programme of yoga. In acarefully controlled trial conducted at a British university in 2008 a group ofemployees was offered six weeks of Dru Yoga (one 60-minute class per week) by a certified Dru Yoga instructor. The results showed a reduction of stress andan enhancement of well-being in the workplace. The trial was repeated few years later at a British local govt authorityrevealing that yoga reduced perceived stress and back pain and improvedpsychological well-being. Timothy McCall in his Yoga as Medicine lists no fewerthan 75 health conditions that havebeen shown in other scientific studiesto have improved through yoga.
Dru Yoga is a graceful formof yoga, based on flowing movements, breathing and visualisation. Founded on ancient yogatradition, Dru works on body, mind and spirit—improving strength andflexibility, creating core stability, building a heightened feeling ofpositivity, and deeply relaxing and rejuvenating your whole being.
'Dru Yoga should be available in every GP surgery.' Dr HilaryJones
According to Dru Worldwide, in2005, 450 graduates and participants in Dru Yoga Courses all over the worldwere asked about the effects of their Dru Yoga practice.
> 72 % found Dru Yoga reduced back pain
> 93 % experienced improved spine flexibility
> 86% enjoyed increased energy levels
> 89% experienced improved breathing with yoga
> 89% can now reduce and control stresslevels
> 81% have greater confidence andself-empowerment
> 84% benefited from enhanced mood sincepractising Dru Yoga
> 83% felt emotionally balanced
> 91% gained peace of mind by overcomingnegative thinking
