Evaluation of a Specialized Yoga Program for Persons Admitted to a Complex Continuing Care Hospital: A Pilot Study

Table 4

Yoga philosophy concepts by class.

Class number	Concept	Explanation
1	Witness consciousness and ahimsā (nonviolence); Sūtra 2.35.	Practicing “being with” challenging experiences without pushing them away or clinging to personal narratives. Practicing in a way that is safe and supportive.
2	Satya (truthfulness); Sūtra 2.36.	Honestly examining one’s experience to better understand one’s “starting point” and using yoga practice as a springboard for positive change.
3	Breath awareness to balance the nervous system and calm the mind; Sūtra 1.34.	Pain management through relaxation, training the attention to see tension patterns in the body, and using imagery and visualization.
4	Sthira sukham āsanam; Sūtra 2.46.	Finding a balance between steadiness/stability/effort with ease/joy/relaxation.
5	Ekā gra (one pointed concentration); Sūtra 1.32.	Training attention and concentration by returning to a point of focus repeatedly.
6	Contemplation on the heart; Sūtra 1.36.	The heart as a resource, refuge, and source of inner luminosity.
7	Contemplation of kośas (sheaths/layers).	Five sheaths of the self: physical (annamaya), breath (prāṇāmaya), mind (manomaya), wisdom (vijñānamaya), and joy (ānandamaya). Practicing experiencing parts of the self without identifying with them.
8	Śavasana and the kośas.	Consolidation of all concepts. Cultivation of awareness of the layers of the self and a deeper part that can rest back and witness.