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Fr. Joseph H. Pereira was born in Papdy Vasai a suburb of Bombay
Iyengar Yoga Therapy in Kripa Model
After twenty-eight years of discipleship with Guruji, Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar, I have been able to standardise the Yogic component into the Kripa Recovery Programme. Addiction is a disease that afflicts the body, mind and soul. At Kripa, the self-help model is the basis of treatment. This model, known as the ‘Twelve Step’ is a psycho-spiritual method of healing. Great minds like Frank Buchman and Carl J. Jung have contributed to it'’ origin. However, in India, there is need for interpreting the wisdom of this programme. The reason for doing so is that the language of the12 step programme was primarily soaked in Christian Theology. In the later years, the Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship used the teachings of William James and tried to maintain the universal character of the spirituality of the Alcoholics Anonymous. This has always challenged people of "Other Faith Expressions", particularly in India.
In my teaching of Yoga since 1976 in North America, I observed a welcome shift in the medical fraternity. Thanks to the openness of Behavioural Medicine, the eyes of the West began to focus on Eastern Disciplines and the wisdom of Yogic Practice. Drawing richly from my proximity with B.K.S. Iyengar, Kripa became, for me, a laboratory of blending simple yogic practice within the self-help model. Much study and research continues by the Iyengar Yoga Community in India and abroad. This is an encouraging contribution to the recovery process of an addict or an alcoholic. As a response to requests from our numerous Centres and from recovering addicts all over the world, I am presenting an outline of the Workout that is programmed within the Kripa Model of Recovery.
For all those interested in inculcating the values of this special field and practicing and teaching Yoga Therapy to addicts. I am presenting an outline of the Yoga workout that is programmed within the Kripa Model of Recovery. I am presenting the first two phases of practice. Phase I is at the Primary Care level and Phase II is practised at the After-care level of treatment. In India the first phase can be done at the De-toxification Centre’s and the second phase at the De-addiction cum Rehabilitation Centre’s, more commonly called Therapeutic Communities. Phase I consists of postures that are called RESTORATIVE and are done with the help of a bolster. The purpose of such a prop is to induce the patient to honour and affirm the body. During the active days of addiction it is the body that has been badly abused. This initial phase helps to reverse the process by ‘loving the body into life’. The patient eventually recognised the body as the very temple of God. This set of postures reduces the need of dependence on medications and conditions the person to set himself on the path of wholeness and holiness.
Phase II leads the person to ‘communicate’ with the various systems of the body thus REJUVENATING them. This calls for ‘tapas’ – austerity which is brought about by a structured time management at the Kripa Rehabilitation Centre’s. It is necessary that the one who leads the group is a practising Iyengar Yoga Instructor and that he/she is quite transparent in upholding the spirit of dedication and commitment to this very special work of God. At present there is an easy availability of yoga instructors who come in as "professionals" and ‘outsiders’ into recovery centres and do not honour the spiritual & ethical principles that are the basis of this field of human-care. For them, training and orientation is available at the Kripa Foundation Research and Training Centre at Vasai. The Kripa Vasai facility was inaugurated by Mother Teresa in May ’94 and was blessed by Guruji Iyengar’s weekend stay in November of the same year. The hall and the annexe is dedicated to Guruji and the Iyengar Yoga Props such as belts, supportive furniture for asanas as well as ropes, blocks etc. are a gift to the Centre by Guruji through the Light on Yoga Trust.
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