It will be 40 years this September that I’ve taught yoga to people with learning disabilities, and I will be celebrating with YOU & ME Yoga events and special offers.
The first of which I’m pleased to offer throughout this Summer to experienced yoga enthusiasts the opportunity to train one day with me in YOU & ME Yoga for just the purchase of a set of the YOU & ME Yoga teaching materials @ £325 (originally £345).
There is no fee for my time teaching you how to effectively use the materials and sharing with you several case studies of clients benefitting from the system (anonymously and with permission). This training offer is available up to the end of Aug 2018, at my studio in Kent; and it can also be arranged online for 3-hour session via FaceTime or Skype, to suit mutual convenience.
NB This offer will give you the teaching materials to develop your practice in line with the YOU & ME Yoga Modular Training Programme as portrayed on the website, with substantial reference to the listed ‘learning outcomes’ from your own teaching experience, in due course.
If you’re interested in this exceptional offer and would like to start teaching YOU & ME Yoga next term, please don’t hesitate to reserve your place, which will be on a first-come-first-served basis.
I look forward to hearing from you and if there are any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me.
“I spent a day with Maria learning the basics about YOU & ME Yoga. It gave a good insight into her yoga programme. Working one-to-one meant we could focus it on my needs and interests as a teacher. Maria is friendly, warm and very knowledgeable.” J.B. Satori Yoga, Sheffield.
"The most comprehensive and useful course materials I have ever received. Very clear, structured and detailed." E.B. BWYoga Tutor, S.N. School Teacher, Yorkshire.
"Excellent materials - very well researched; a wonderful resource for future use. Highly recommended." J.R. BWYoga Teacher, Wakefield.
"The beauty of the YOU & ME system is that it can be adapted to everyone's needs, regardless of their ability.” S.G. Trainer, Distington.
“After learning YOU & ME Yoga, I was able to create an experience for my clients that took them on a journey of self-discovery. The colour coded system and the character of Eddie was something easy to relate to, non-threatening and fun; which is important when dealing with people with autism.” A.L. Occupational Therapist, London.
Now it's Spring and Summertime and time to spring clean after such a bitterly cold Winter. So, as well as spring cleaning my house and getting the chi-energy to vibrantly flow throughout my home, I decided to do a body cleanse and get the prana-energy to freely flow throughout my body. Consequently, I started an online detox course based on Ayurveda* with The Chopra Centre run by Deepak Chopra and Dr Sheila Patel. This course has been a pure delight which has helped me improve my diet and gain more energy and knowledge of this ancient Life Science.
The first session covered the principles of Ayurveda involving the five elements and I was amazed to be reminded of similar information I received back in 1984 when we filmed an interview with the late Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar in his ashram in Pune, India. At that time, I didn’t understand the connection between the body and the five elements and had no idea Mr Iyengar was introducing me to Ayurveda.
I found the film in my archives, edited the relevant section into a 10-minute video with a snippet of his medical yoga class and an interview, along with the transcription, that I am pleased to share memories of this dynamic world-famous man with you.
* Ayurveda is a science of Life. It is ancient wisdom that continues to be one of the world’s most sophisticated and powerful mind-body health systems.
We use colour because it is one of the best mediums through which people
can be motivated to learn. The use of colour in the YOU & ME Yoga system
helps special clients understand that Yoga is a meaningful experience for the whole of
their body.
Hence, the legs are coloured red, hips and lower back orange, waist and mid-back yellow, chest and upper back green, and the arms blue. Indigo and violet colours represent the
mindful aspect of the movements: Indigo deals with coordination and violet the concept of whole body awareness.
Colour assists with the learning process and the selection of a sequence of movementfor the whole body organised to suit the client's needs and abilities.
Variations of the Looseners
If there is restriction in performing any particular Loosener in the usual way, a variation can be used
instead. For example, if
the client has restricted leg movement, a red variation technique can be selected for the client’s ability.
It is necessary to include one of each of the coloured Looseners for a carefully selected and arranged sequence of Whole-Body Joint Looseners. Health and Safety
Before planning a Joint Looseners programme for clients, it is
necessary to be aware of any client’s health condition that could cause any of
the Joint Looseners to be contraindicative. This information is available in
the Whole-Body Joint Looseners and Variations for Special Needs’ PhysioTool.
PhysioTools Provides
and develops software to produce lesson plans and personalised exercise handouts,
at the click of a button. PhysioTools is the world’s largest exercise library with
20,000+ techniques, which can be installed on the computer or use online. It is
used by healthcare and fitness professionals around the world.
Select. Edit. Print. Email.
Simply
select the techniques, edit the text to customize, then print or email the
handout, as appropriate. Whether you choose to install the DVD or prefer using the software online,
PhysioTools has the right exercise product for your clients.
Voucher
By
using this voucher code: MGPX66 you can get 10% discount off any PhysioTools product,
including the colour-coded Whole-Body Joint Looseners
and Variations for Special Needs module with 706 line drawings: Go to Link: http://eepurl.com/bfG6Yb
My
health frequently reminds me not to push myself physically and I have found a
lot of salvation through my yoga practice. I start my practice in bed in the
mornings on waking by focusing on my breathing allowing the ebbing-and-flowing
of the breath to come and go freely. I am sure that it is this powerful practice
that has kept me from getting bogged down with the innumerable obstacles and
challenges and helped me to keep my concentration on developing the YOU &
ME yoga system over all these years.
Yoga
has been a major part of my life, which started when I was twenty following a
serious car accident. Since then my life has evolved through different
aspects of yoga as follows:
1.
Improving my health through regular practise of Hatha (physical posture) Yoga
to increase flexibility and stamina.
2.
Recognising healing taking place in my body through conscious relaxation
techniques by becoming still, aware and revitalised. (Yoga Nidra.)
3.
Supporting my mental and emotional needs through Pranayama (breath control) and
increasing my vitality and ability to focus and to be calm with a sense of
harmony within.
4.
Overcoming amnesia through constant remembering and mindfulness techniques
improving my ability to concentrate introspectively. (Pratyahara – withdrawing
the five physical senses, and Dharana – concentration.)
5.
Building my confidence through teaching Yoga. (Karma yoga – cause and effect.)
6.
Applying selflessness and humanity through sharing my benefits of practice with
other disabled people and their carers. (Bhakti – yoga of love).
7.
Developing awareness of my thinking through ‘Science of Mind’. (Raja yoga is
the yoga of the mind.)
8.
Broadening my education and social skills through my Travelling Churchill
Fellowship in India. (Meeting the great Yoga Masters.)
9.
Intellectual development through writing about my investigations in India, inspired
by the enthusiasm and guidance of Beatrice Hope Alexander (personal advisor).
10.
Acquiring analytical skills through synthesizing my yoga knowledge and
experience into the comprehensive YOU & ME Yoga programmes for students,
trainers and tutor trainers. This motivated me to endure my mission, even
though it unexpectedly took several years to accomplish. (Jnana – yoga of
knowledge; Dhyana – contemplation.)
11.
Attunement with my environment and experience being one with the universe
through meditation. (Laya – yoga of merging of the Mind.)
12.
Developing a training network in order to develop professional relationships
among those who practise YOU & ME Yoga. (Bhavna – yoga of thinking, feeling
and reasoning to reach the final aim). I am sure there will be those who will shine
through to train the future Tutors of Trainers, which will mean the YOU &
ME system shall reign beyond my mission this lifetime! Then I should like to
think I shall reach a state of contentment. (Samadhi – Bliss ecstasy).
Extracted from 'The Origin of the YOU & ME Yoga System'
Maria Gunstone
If
you would like to train with me in YOU & ME Yoga or
require consultation, please contact:
maria@youandmeyoga.com
The YOU & ME Yoga system of sound colour and Whole-Body-Movement is a very effective yoga system for persons with learning disabilities. Evidence shows that staff and parents can practice this regularly together for mutual benefit and progress. To acquire further yoga knowledge, skills and confidence to teach this clientele Maria Gunstone welcomes you to address your learning needs andsend her your questions for guidance and support. Training and teaching materials readily available: http://www.youandmeyoga.com/overview/
I met Professor Thomas, who was wearing a vivid yellow bow tie. Out of the blue He mentioned, "Life is very different these days." I enquired if He was referring to the IT evolution. "Not just IT, it's everything. Life as it is now isn't any better or worse, it's just so different." I courageously announced that I am digitalising my books for IT platforms and He asked, "Are you an author too, have you written more than five books like me?" I replied "I have written seven books on the subject of Yoga for disabled people." He revealed his recent book was on the History of Radiography. "Not as appealing as Yoga", he added. He then further explained his personal interest was because he had a 29 years old son with Down's Syndrome. I casually commented about there's not so many Down's syndrome babies beingborn these days. When instantly He raged about the expulsion of them before birth is outrageous and such an appalling lose to humanity! In earnest I replied, "Down's syndrome people are the nicest people I know. For they have the natural human qualities of inspiring, endearing affection. Furthermore, they take to Yoga like 'ducks to water' with their flexible bodies and ability to be 'in the present moment' more so than most of us." The professor nodded and grinned in agreement. This conversation inspired me to write about Down's Syndrome and Yoga.
The hallmark of people born with Down's syndrome is that they have: characteristic facial appearances, hyper-mobile joints,a variety of associated medical conditions, some degree of intellectual disability and variable self-care skills. Up to the last decade or so, this condition occurred in every 700 births, more often in boys than girls. Most of the people with Down's syndrome I know are good-natured with a good sense of rhythm, however some do have a stubborn personality. Congenital heart disease is present in approximately half born with Down's syndrome. In which case, care is needed with techniques requiring lying on the backand must be avoided in severe cases. Down's syndrome people respond very well to Yoga. Because they are good mimics and can copy the yoga movements quite well with their flexible joints. Their supple mobility is not a problem, but there is a need to be aware of possible atlanto-axial instability (misalignment between the first two vertebrae of the neck, just below the skull) hence care is needed to limit extending the neck. People with Down's syndrome often have tight heel cords. Yoga movements that stretch the heel cords are very beneficial to people with Down's syndrome. They tend to have weakness, especially in the abdomen with poor core-stability, and limited strength in the shoulders and the hips, as well as the ankles. Usually they have poor isolation of movement, which is more to do with their awareness of limbs. If you instruct them to move the leg, they can copy you, but if you say 'move the leg', it's the understanding of where the leg is, and to isolate that movement, that is their difficulty. Terms such as 'back', 'other side', 'turn round' are difficult concepts for people with Down's syndrome to understand. The practice of YOU & ME Yoga Postures will definitely help improve their understanding and improve their performance of the movements in quite a short time. As well as help strengthen their muscles and control of the joints. Needless to say, the most important aspects to teach people with Down's syndrome are: body awareness, spatial awareness, coordination and breath control. Here is a young man performing his Ostrich, Twist and Lotus Postures.
The Ostrich helps with progression towards achieving full arm extension. Using a chair to support bending forward assists balance and promotes confidence.
The Twist Posture is excellent for improving awareness of 'behind'.
Usually the Lotus Posture is quite easy for persons with Down's syndrome to do, because of their loose hips. The aim for this posture is to sit up straight while focusing on breathing. When sitting back to back with a teacher or a peer the feeling of the breath can be experienced in the partner's back.
Excerpted from the YOU & ME Yoga Modular Programme.
YOU & ME Yoga for People with Learning Disabilities
The YOU and ME Yoga system can make a real difference to people's lives, according to a new book on the treatment and management of learning disabilities.
Learning disabilities Physical Therapy Treatment and Management – A collaborative approach, Edited by Jeanette Rennie includes a chapter on Complementary Therapies with a section on YOU and ME Yoga system, with case studies involving a person with Down's syndrome, autism and the case study below of a young woman with cerebral palsy.
The extracts below are taken from the book:
The YOU and ME Yoga for people with learning disabilities (Gunstone 1988) has been designed for individual needs to improve quality of life by:
coordinating the activities of mind and body
reducing the distracted state of mind
focusing the mind on the present
developing the adaptive behaviour
enhancing social behaviour
increasing self reliance
improving general health (Desikachar and Jeyachandran 1983 and 1988)
It is also used to increase students’ mobility, physical dexterity, coordination, communication, sensory awareness and self-confidence.
Programmes
Programmes are planned in conjunction with the YOU and ME record keeping system, which enables the therapist(s) to see at a glance the condition, limitations and abilities of the student(s). A general health questionnaire is used as appropriate.
The recording charts are used for students’ health, safety and welfare and for keeping a record of practice, outcomes and progress. The colour coding of both the body and the related techniques makes record keeping easy enough for most students to complete their own practice record, and indicate their feelings by ticking the column beneath the most appropriate face (for example, smiling or frowning).
This Yoga programme consists of 22 exercises called ‘joint looseners’ and 20 postures.
CASE STUDY 6: WOMAN WHO HAS CEREBRAL PALSY
She is 26 years old and has athetoid cerebral palsy (see Chapter 2). Initially she found it very difficult to control her involuntary movements.
The YOU and ME teaching pack explains everything very clearly with health and safety in mind. Thus trainers are enabled to select a suitable plan for people with or even without a learning disability. The colour-coded instruction pack for the postures was essential to give instructions for working out her programme plan of whole-body movement. Her programme was based on the green chest area for her main posture. It followed a similar warming-up, main posture and winding-down procedure to Table 17.5. Hence her programme benefited the whole of her body.
Progress
She can consciously relax completely during the relaxation period, keeping her whole body perfectly still.
There has been evidence of progress with other members of staff in other learning areas. She is more active and confident participation in the swimming pool; her upright sitting position in her own chair has improved; she has progressed to independent transfers from her wheelchair onto the toilet and back again although assistance to adjust her clothing is still required. She has an obvious feeling of achievement and improved dignity.
Whole-body movement is great fun, as well as motivation for learning. Everyone can join in, and anyone can perform the postures regardless of age or ability. Students develop imagination, expression and relationships.
Jeanette Rennie, BSc. MPhil. MCSP
Self-employed Physiotherapist for People with Learning Disabilities
A recent statutory job I
had was piloting teaching YOU & ME Yoga within the
Occupational Therapy department for children and young people of a
Central London hospital.With 22
cases inc. babies, toddlers, children and teenagers diagnosed with:
severe learning and
physical disabilities, PMLD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
developmental coordination disorder (dyspraxia)
presenting poor: mobility,
coordination, core stability, attention span, concentration and difficulty with
organisation, and clumsiness, etc.
Project scheme:
The Team Lead invited
parents/carers within the catchment area to bring their children to the yoga
project. Involving an initial one-to-one meeting with the Yoga Therapist (me)
to establish a suitable individualised yoga plan for each child. With the
option to attend a short course in a group with other children to motivate
learning and on going yoga practice together. Or if unable to attend the group
meetings after the individual assessment session, it would be possible to
continue practice at home with their individualised yoga plan.
Procedure
Initial Consultation and Assessment:
A health questionnaire was
completed by the client’s parent/guardian before our one-to-one session. To establish
the child’s condition, character, communication, physical abilities and any
health needs.
The parent, therapist or
carer was expected to accompany the client. We discussed the individual client’s medical and health
condition, and the main problem areas and goals were established and agreed.
Then I assessed the
client’s joint range and ability for practising yoga. A lesson plan is always planned
in conjunction with the YOU & ME Whole-Body-Movement recording system that
provides - at a glance - the condition, limitations and abilities of the
client. From which the most suitable and safe techniques can be selected for that
clients’ yoga lesson plan, for reference and on-going practice.
Group Yoga Sessions
Eighteen children
continued attending the weekly group yoga sessions, that were arranged into A,
B, C, i.e. equivalent to mild, moderate, severe disabilities. The remaining
children and parents had a few more one-to-one sessions with me to reinforce
the yoga plan instructions for their home practice together.
It was possible to hold
group classes incorporating these clients’ individual yoga plans. Simply
because with YOU & ME Yoga we include a technique for all the seven
different areas of the whole body, i.e. the legs, hips, waist, chest, arms,
alternate sides, upper and lower body. Hence, in class we can work all together on the same
body part including each client’s particular technique.
A sample Yoga Plan for Student 1 case-study: Main Problems:
Severe athetoid quadriplegia; Stiffness of limbs; core stability weakness; neck extensor spasm.
Goals:
To help free stiffness in body with practice of whole-body-movement sequence
Strengthen core stability with suitable techniques
Tune into the diaphragm to articulate lungs and tone abdomen
Establish suitable sitting and or holding techniques for mum and baby
Assist child to relax, using massage and relaxation techniques.
Conclusion
The originally planned
short course of group sessions extended beyond one term to nine months of three
weekly classes for the eighteenstudents. The staff, parents and children seemed
to enjoy and appreciate the sessions. The audit forms I kept with the outcomes of each session show how many of the set goals were addressed and helped reduce the problems of most of
the children. Involving improved: body awareness, coordination, mobility,
flexibility, strength, core stability, sensory awareness, self-confidence, adaptive
behaviour, communication and confidence. Some parents even joined a yoga class for
themselves, and most have since reported how much they enjoy practising yoga at
home with their special child!
I
am deeply grateful to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust that gave me a
unique opportunity to gain knowledge and insights into yoga for disabled people
in India. I travelled over 6,000 miles in seven Indian states
where I meet and learned from some of the renown yoga masters and eminent
educationalists.
The
highlight of my Fellowship was meeting Education Psychologist, Dr P.
Jeyachandran, Director of Special Education in Tamil Nadu.
We met at Vijay Human Services, a small school for special children in Madras (now Chennai). He
greeted me with pleased surprise, because we had just learnt that we had both
introduced yoga to people with severe learning difficulties around the same
time, even though we were at opposite ends of the earth. His book ‘Teaching
Yogasana to the Mentally Retarded’ (pub. 1983) showed me that we used the same
yogasanas (yoga postures) with breath and relaxation.
He told me about the
facilities at his training centres, as the Director of Balar Vihar Special
Education programmes for teacher training special educators, the children in
special schools, and the parents of special children in day care.
My
visit was such good timing because in January 1985 Yoga was just being
implemented into the National Curriculum of Special Education, under the
auspice of Dr Jeychandrans’ pilot programme, with approval from the Department
of Education. (Details of this ‘Report on the pilot yoga study programme’ can
be found at the end of this article.)
Six
years previously in 1978, Dr Jeyachandran had initiated yogasanas (yoga
postures) training for his special educators to teach small groups of special
children as an experiment at Vijay Human Services. Two other educational
psychologists assisted him managing this project in collaboration with the
Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, a yoga therapeutic centre registered with the
Health Ministry.
The
following three videos show interviews with these three psychologists: Dr
Jeyachandran, Ms Vimla and Ms Lata in their respective training centres, along
with demonstrations of the special educators’ and childrens’ yoga training
sessions.
Note: At the time of my
visit in January 1985 and up to quite recently, people with learning
difficulties / intellectual disabilities were termed ‘mentally retarded’. In
this report I will use the terms special child and children with learning
difficulties, however mentally retarded is mentioned in the accompanying videos. Please allow 20 minutes for viewing these videos below,
showing the unique yoga teacher-training programme, yoga being taught to groups
in a special school, and the children’s pilot yoga class.
Bala Vihar Teacher Training
Centre
Here
I was invited to attend the teachers’ yoga training class. Both Dr P
Jeyachandran and the Principal Ms V. Vimla greeted me warmly and escorted me
into the long hall. Where four male teacher trainees were standing, and on the
other side of a wall-divider about twenty female teacher trainees were, all
waiting to start their weekly yoga class. The
two groups inhaled during the expanding movements - which opened out their
lungs - and exhaled to the sound of ‘ha’. I was very impressed with the
beautiful atmosphere and unison of the groups.
Dr
Jeyachandran said, “Our special children do not all understand the teachers’
instructions to breathe out, so what we now do is instruct then to make a sound
as they breathe out. This has been the greatest innovation in the yoga
programme, because the key to success in yoga with disabled students is the
breathing, which is a means of controlling the vital life force. Also using
sound ensures that all students are breathing out together, which helps them to
perform in time with each other while at the same time it helps to govern the
pace of the groups’ practice. If a student gasps for breath, this would
indicate fatigue, and he should be stopped immediately and told to rest. “
Every
week for one-hour the teacher trainees were taught the next lesson on yoga.
Their yoga teacher showed then illustrations of the sequence to practice, and
at the end of the session they had to copy these into their exercise books. So
they could continue practice on their own each day, and gain experience to
teach the same yogasanas to the children the following week.
At
the end, some of the trainees told me of their personal benefits gained from
the yoga practice such as: overcoming emotional problems with yoga breathing
and relaxation; relief from severe back-ache caused by spondylitis; increased
flexibility in hips; improved breathing and relief from chest infection; sense
of enjoyment from the practice; and one man said he had considerable relief
from various pains since practising yoga.
I
was thrilled by their enthusiasm and thanked them for allowing us to video
their yoga training.
Dr
Jeyachandran further arranged for me to visit two special schools to see the
effect the yoga training was having on the children.
Balar Kulvi Nilayam, Opportunity
Section
Ms
Vimla the visiting psychologist introduced me to this opportunity section, and
to Ms Sithar one of the special educators qualified to teach yoga here.
Everyday for the past eighteen months she had taught yoga to children from the
senior class, along with her junior class together.
I
was amazed to see during the session one of the girls faced the other children
and started to instruct them to do Parsva Uttanasana (Crane) a rather difficult
standing posture. She was able to articulate the instructions in time with the
breathing, and the others all kept in time with her as they practised 6 times
on each side.
Most
of the children had learnt to coordinate instruction with movement, and the
remaining few who could not follow instructions were able to imitate the
others. Therefore the yoga was helping the children in their concentration.
Ms
Sithar was very pleased with the daily yoga programme, and said she was also
giving the same course to the parents. So they could continue the practice with
their children at home, including the school holidays, and that this made the
yoga much more effective!
Vijay Human Services
I
was welcomed by Ms Lata the Principal of the school which consisted of two
small classrooms and an office, where thirteen children attended for 5½ days a
week. I learnt that the children spent the first half of the day using Western
educational behaviour modification to teach them basic learning skills. Then
shortly before lunch the programme switched to the ancient educational system
of yoga that included practising yogasanas, chanting and listening to some
mantra sounds, and dancing the Bharat Natyam. I attended several yoga sessions
and each time made more interesting discoveries in the realm of yoga.
The yoga teachers’
programme
On
Saturday mornings a yoga teacher from the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram teaches
the children in an hours’ group yoga class. Two of the children’s teachers
assist her, who subsequently teach the same yoga sequence before lunch during
the following week.A Yoga teacher
also attends the school one weekday between 3pm to 7pm to give individual
45-minute lessons to children who cannot yet join in the group sessions. A
parent or carer accompanies the child so as to encourage practise at home.
About this yoga video
Ms
Lata obtained the parents’ permission for us to film their children’s yoga
classes. She directed us to the end classroom where five rush mats were
arranged on t he floor and five boys were eager to start their practice. Their
special educator, Mr V. Rajemdran held in his hand his exercise book containing
stickmen drawings of this week’s yoga sequence, and conveyed the instructions
in Tamil. Meanwhile Ms Lata explained briefly how the school functions and
commented favourably on the children’s yoga progress. Three of the boys had
been practising yoga regularly for the past four years. The other two had
started one year previously, and they had some yoga tuition from the yoga
teacher to catch up with the others.
Two
of this group, Joseph and Raju case studies were presented at the Indian
Academy of Yoga in Bangalore, which are given at the end of this article.
The staff, parents and inter-disciplinary team working with these children felt that Yoga had provided a means of reaching many of them, and hoped that further studies in this field, and feedback from workers continuing to provide yoga to these type of children, would result in improved methods and continuing success.
