International day of yoga: Asanas a huge confidence booster, say city’s ‘diff-abled’

Chennai

However, doing yoga, especially the fish asana, the butterfly and the cobra pose, help ease her joints. But the greatest boon is the connection she feels with her body, even while doing something as simple as pranayama.

“It is difficult to explain such a difficult experience. While doing yoga, I can feel blood pumping through my body and feel connected with my whole being and this helps me believe that I can achieve anything,” said the 32-year-old.

Divya was also a participant of the Dhiman Social Welfare Trust’s two-day virtual yoga competition for people with disabilities to mark World Yoga Day. The event was held to raise awareness on the importance of yoga for people with disabilities and their health, said founder of the trust Shobhanaa Dhiman. The virtual competition, open till Monday, is being judged by Yogacharya Narendra Kumar.

According to Kumar, yoga helps boost immunity and improves organ functioning for people with disability, also helping them to deal with the pandemic threat. It improves blood circulation and eases stress.

“By focusing on what a disabled person can do, we can help improve their functioning. There are variations to several asanas based on individual requirements and through that they can improve their day-to-day lives,” he said.

In the case of 46-year-old Arun Mohan, a person with multiple sclerosis (MS), the benefits of yoga are physical and mental. “When you have MS, you don’t know which part of your body is going to start hurting. Yoga helps ground me and focus on what I can do for the day, rather than what I cannot. It helps me connect with my body, as well as gives me a huge confidence boost. If I am struggling with something, I practice a few breathing exercises, and it helps me cope,” he said.