Gary Kraftsow, MA, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT Founder and Director ... · Gary Kraftsow, MA, E-RYT 500,...

Gary Kraftsow, MA, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT

Founder and Director, American Viniyoga Institute June 2018

© 2018 American Viniyoga Institute All Rights Reserved 2

§  In order to best position ourselves for the future, it is essential that we understand clearly where we came from.

§  The strength and power of our work flows through a living tradition that nourishes, guides, and inspires our work – these are our ROOTs and TRUNK.

§  We must be nourished and guided by the current reality in which we live, by both the structures we have created as well as input from the world around us so that our work remains relevant – these are our BRANCHES and LEAVES.

§  As we reach upward towards the light, guided by our vision (kalpana) and growing into the future, we will see our work touch more lives and gain wider acceptance – these will be the Flowers and FRUITS of our service.


§  Nigama/Āgama and Ādeṣa − Roots and Trunk Where we came from

§  Avasthā and Pramāṇa − Branches and Leaves What we have established

§  Mānita and Sampatti − Flowers and Fruits A vision for our future


§  Vedic Period

§  Classical Period

§  Epic Period

§  Medieval Period and the flowering of Tantra

§  Pre Modern Period

§  Modern Period

§  Emergence of Yoga Therapy in the West


§  Śruti ~ Aparuṣeya •  Vedic Deities such as Agni and Soma •  Upaniṣad-s

§  Core Ideas •  Ātman and Brahman •  Duḥkha •  Vidyā •  Puruṣārtha •  Pañcavāyu; Pañcamaya


§  Yajña − The duty we owe to God and the universe •  Mantra; Dravya; Agni; Deva

§  Dana − The duty we owe to others, society, and all living beings

§  Tapas − The duty we owe to ourselves


§  Yoga ~ Patañjali •  Saṁskāra •  Pariṇāma •  Īśvara •  Cit Śakti; Nimittam; Prāṇa Śakti

(prāṇāgni) •  Sādhana ~ Abhyāsa and Vairāgya -  Kriyā Yoga

§  Tapas, Svādhyāya, Īśvara Praṇidhāna -  Aṣtāṅga Yoga

§  Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Prāṇāyāma, Pratyāhāra, Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna, Samādhi


§  Ayurveda ~ Caraka ~ Microcosm •  Prakṛti and Vikṛti

-  Doṣa, Dhatu, Śrotra, Agni, Mala

•  Manas Prakṛti and Vikṛti -  Sattva, Rajas, Tamas

•  Treatment Strategies -  Āhāra Cikitsā, Vihāra Cikitsā, Śodhana Cikitsā, Oṣadhi Cikitsā, Marma Cikitsā

§  Jyotiṣa ~ Macrocosm •  Rāsi; Graha; etc. – a very technical

science

•  Mantra, Yantra, Gemstones, etc.


§  Svastavṛtta − Healthy lifestyle

§  Heyam − Suffering at any level

§  Hetu − Causes of that suffering

§  Hānam − Goals we orient towards achieving

§  Upāya − Means to influence the direction of change


§  Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Purāṅa-s •  Dharma, Artha, Kama, Mokṣa

•  Jñānam, Bhakti, and Karma Yoga-s

•  Sanātana Dharma

•  Bhakti worship of Śiva, Viṣṅu, Gaṇapati, and various forms of the Devi or Śakti

•  Pūjā

§  Dharma Śāstra-s •  Ācāra – codes of conduct and behavior

•  Vyavahāra – judicial procedure, honesty in testimony

•  Prāyaścitta – atonement, penance


§  The period of the great South Indian mystic poet Saints •  Ālvār-s – devotees of Viṣṅu

•  Nayanar-s – devotees of Śiva

§  The period of the great philosophers •  Vaiṣnavism: Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Madhva

•  Śaivism: Abhinavagupta

§  Emergence of the Tantric texts, symbolism, schools, and specialized Haṭha Yoga practices •  Traya Śarīra, Nāḍī, Cakra, Bindu

•  Bandha, Kriyā, Nyāsa, Saṅkalpa

•  Mantra, Yantra, Devatā Yoga, Manasa Pūjā


§  Continued development of Hindu traditions – particularly in the south of India

§  The rise of Islam – particularly in the North

§  The emergence of the Sant tradition drew on elements of both Vaiśṇava Bhakti, Nātha Yogi-s, and Sufi mysticism •  God is nirguṇa (without form or qualities) and

can only be reached through devotion and internal practices

•  Guru Nanak, Kabir, Mirabai, Tulsidas, and others


§  The British Raj and the influence of the West in India •  Western medicine •  Western concepts of health and fitness •  Expansion of the work of missionaries

§  Indian influence on the West •  Indian diaspora brings Hinduism and

Guru-s of various traditions to the west •  Ramakrishna and his disciple Vivekananda preach the unity

of all religion •  Mahatma Gandhi teaches social activism through ahiṁsā

and satyāgraha •  Yoga becomes Global ~ TM, Hatha Yoga, etc.


§  Defining Yoga Therapy •  Knowledge base tradition is drawn from

•  Scope of Practice (SOP)

•  Core competencies of a Yoga Therapist

•  Minimum standards of education

§  Distinguishing Yoga Therapy from Yoga

§  Distinguishing Yoga Therapy from other health-care modalities (licensed or otherwise)


§  International Association for Yoga Therapists (IAYT) definition of “Yoga Therapy”

§  Reaching Consensus

§  Accreditation for Training Programs

§  Certification for Yoga Therapists

§  Scope of Practice (SOP)

§  Code of Ethics

§  International Journal of Yoga Therapy (IJYT) and Yoga Therapy Today (YTT)

§  Continuing Education Requirements

§  Yoga Therapist Liability Insurance


§  Due to the depth and breadth of the tradition, IAYT accepted the challenge of creating a modern definition for Yoga Therapy.

§  IAYT published the neutral and simple definition and several other definitions offered by diverse experts in the field.

§  This and all other definitions recognize that Yoga Therapy itself is a subset of the greater Yoga Tradition, and is rooted in and guided by authentic Yoga teachings and practices.

Yoga Therapy is the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved heath and well-being through the application of the teachings and practices of Yoga.


§  A Yoga Therapist has a specialized knowledge base and skill set differentiating them from a Yoga teacher including the ability to •  Access a client’s condition at multiple levels, understand

limitations, and develop a multi-dimensional practice adapted and calibrated to the client’s unique needs, interests, and goals.

•  Inspire the client to practice, thus empowering them to become an active participant in their own health-care, manage symptoms, improve function, build vitality, shift mood and attitude, develop a balanced perspective of themselves in relation to their condition, and ultimately connect to a deeper meaning and purpose in life.


§  Vastusāmye cittabhedāt tayor vibhaktaḥ pantāḥ YS IV:15

•  The Laurel Yanny phenomenon

§  Despite all odds, and because of the goodwill and sincere intentions of many different schools and individuals, a consensus was reached in terms of •  Definitions

•  Scope of Practice (SOP)

•  Minimum standards of education


§  Core competencies evolved from the standards of education required to train a competent Yoga Therapist

§  Process for accrediting training programs evolved from the standards of education

§  Competencies, standards, and the accreditation process were made public

§  IAYT created an Accreditation Committee tasked to evaluate programs at the highest level


§  IAYT created a certification committee tasked with evaluating applicants

§  Certified graduates from an IAYT-accredited program are automatically eligible for IAYT certification (C-IAYT)

§  IAYT implemented a two-tiered grandfathering process to grant C-IAYT for Yoga Therapists who: •  Were not graduates from an IAYT-accredited program

•  Had a history of working as a Yoga Therapist prior to the newly established certification process

•  Met the criteria established by the Certification Committee


§  SOP is important for all health care professionals, especially a new and emerging field.

§  The SOP was created by a diligent sub-committee with the support of expert leaders in the field and comments from the community.

§  IAYT made the SOP public in order to educate the: •  Yoga community

•  Public

•  Other health care providers


§  An enforceable code of ethics is also an essential part of any heath care profession.

§  IAYT published a comprehensive code of ethics, developed the by hard work of a sub-committee; supported by extensive comments from the broader community.

§  IAYT published documents to explain how to report professional ethics violations, as well as the grounds and procedure for professional discipline.


§  International Journal of Yoga Therapy (IJYT) is an annual, peer reviewed, publication of articles on Yoga Therapy perspectives and research •  IJYT is “indexed in Pub Med” - a national

data base for biomedical literature

§  Yoga Therapy Today (YTT) is a tri-annual publication for IAYT members that focuses on professional and practice aspects of Yoga Therapy


§  Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research (SYTAR) - IAYT’s annual membership conference for professional Yoga Teachers and Yoga Therapists

§  Symposium on Yoga Research (SYR) - IAYT’s annual academic research conference for professional Researchers and Yoga Therapists


§  IAYT established a continuing education (CE) policy and the minimum requirements for Yoga Therapists to renew C-IAYT

§  IAYT is developing a process to approve professional development (APD) courses and to partner with schools who are able to offer CE course


§  IAYT has been a member of the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health - since 2006

§  IAYT received a Scientific Conference grant from the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health in 2011

§  IAYT was invited to join the Integrative Health Policy Consortium

§  IAYT was well received at the 2018 International Congress for Integrative Medicine and Health


§  IAYT is please to report that beYogi Insurance Plus is now offering Yoga Therapist liability insurance for IAYT Certified Yoga Therapists (C-IAYTs) in the United States.


§  There are approximately 5,800 members of IAYT

§  There are approximately 32 accredited training programs

§  There are approximately 3,650 certified Yoga Therapists

§  The grandfathering process is now closed


Internal Vision/Challenges External Vision/Challenges

§  Educate the Yoga public about the difference between Yoga and Yoga Therapy

§  Expand offerings of APD Courses for Yoga Therapists

•  Include Advanced Courses for Yoga Therapy Training program faculty

§  Develop courses for Post Graduate Specializations

§  Develop a National Certification Exam

§  Continue to refine processes for evaluating training programs, APDs and CEUs

§  Educate the Professional Health Care community about the difference between Yoga and Yoga Therapy

§  Educate the Professional Health Care community about the difference Yoga Therapy and other complimentary modalities

§  Work to position Yoga Therapy in the Heath Care community in a way that reflects what Yoga Therapy truly is

§  Health Insurance Re-imbursement for Yoga Therapy treatment sessions

§  Department of Education

§  Issue of licensure


§  Educate (through conferences, seminars, and publications) our community on the differences between Yoga and Yoga Therapy – perhaps the greatest challenge is that often people assume they know what they do not know

§  We need a growing community of Yoga Therapists who are well educated in various aspects of Yoga Therapy through •  Advanced courses to train faculty of Yoga Therapist Training Program

•  Approved Professional Development courses for the continuing education of Certified Yoga Therapists

§  There are many areas for a Yoga Therapist to specialize •  IAYT could develop Post Graduate Advanced Training Programs to support

advancement in our field

•  IAYT certification is as a YT generalist. Perhaps IAYT could consider advanced ‘board certification’ in specialty areas


§  All professional health care fields have some form of a national Certification exam

§  If we wish to bring our field to the level of other health care professions, an exam needs to be developed – and its value explained to the community

§  IAYT will continue to up-level its service to our community of Yoga Therapists by refining their processes for evaluating and approving quality programs •  To do this, IAYT needs our on-going support


§  Educate through conferences, seminars, research, and publications on the differences between •  Yoga and Yoga Therapy - The Yoga Therapist can assess an individual at

multiple levels, and utilizing multiple tools of Yoga to offer a client a condition-specific intervention adapted and calibrated to their unique personal needs.

•  Yoga Therapy and other complimentary modalities - Qualified Yoga Therapists are trained and certified by IAYT-accredited schools.

§  Yoga Therapy is more than the mechanical application of pre-determined condition specific intervention •  Yoga Therapy is based on relationship - Through contact with a client, we

meet them where they are, provide a relevant and effective treatment plan, and inspire them to practice - something uniquely different than other modalities.

•  This will help position the Yoga Therapist as a valuable asset in medical clinics and treatment centers.


§  IAYT is working to find solutions for Health Care Professionals who have interest in •  Providing supplemental training programs for health care

professionals that qualify individuals to integrate yoga methodology into patient care

•  Supplementing the current education of Health Care Professionals without the C-IAYT requirement


§  Health Care reimbursement for Yoga Therapist consultations is complicated and beyond the scope of this presentation. Issues to consider include

•  Can IAYT position itself to be the national organization that qualifies a Yoga Therapist to be considered for reimbursement?

•  Existing models include reduction of insurance premiums for clients who participate in specific life style programs – including Yoga classes. This does not differentiate between Yoga and Yoga Therapy.

•  Reimbursement for select evidence based programs already exists – e.g. the Dean Ornish program – can this be a model?

•  Will approved fee schedule payments for specific treatments limit the Yoga Therapist to only those treatments?

•  How do we maintain the quality of Yoga Therapy in this environment, without reducing it to a formulaic application of the same intervention strategies for all clients with similar conditions?


§  IAYT is seeking Department of Education (DOE) recognition for IAYT-accredited programs to •  Maintain a high standard of education

•  Facilitate student loans for educating Yoga Therapists

•  Increase the demand for qualified training programs

•  Increase the demand for qualified faculty


§  Licensure is beyond the scope of this presentation. Issues to consider include •  IAYT remains the nationally accepted governing board for the

Yoga Therapy profession

•  Develop a National Exam

•  Stricter oversight for accrediting and re-accrediting Yoga Therapist Training Programs

•  Safeguard the title ‘Yoga Therapist’ for those who are C-IAYT

•  Increased costs of Professional Training Programs

•  Increased administrative fees for IAYT, Training Programs, and Yoga Therapists

•  Restrictions on scope of practice and treatment modalities


The American Viniyoga Institute™ is an organization of yoga practitioners and professionals sharing core values, guided by the spirit of Viniyoga and dedicated to offering quality experiential, educational and professional training opportunities in the fields of health and fitness, therapy and self care, and personal transformation.

www.viniyoga.com [email protected]

808.572.1414

Gary Kraftsow, MA, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT Founder and Director ... · Gary Kraftsow, MA, E-RYT 500,...

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