Yoga

Years of prolonged drug and alcohol abuse can cause the body to deteriorate, atrophy and become stiff. This is due to a lack of exercise, little or no stretching, consumption of an unhealthy diet, and the constant bombardment of toxins delivered through various drugs and alcohol. The consequences of these behaviors are devastating on your body. Thankfully, yoga is a healthy way to begin steadily reversing these effects.

Our yoga instructor will take you through various exercises that stretch not only the muscles, but also all of the soft tissues in your body. This releases the lactic acid that builds up in the joints and causes stiffness, pain, and fatigue. After several sessions you will start to have a range of motion in your joints again, giving you a sense of ease and fluidity. Your muscles will start to strengthen, including your heart, and you will also notice an improvement in your cardio performance.

Regular practice of yoga causes increased flexibility and core strength. This results in better posture; when your core muscles are stronger, you are more capable of keeping your back straight and supporting your weight, and with a stronger core you are more likely to sit and stand tall with better balance.  

Perhaps the most beneficial part of yoga is the breathing. Yoga involves very deep and mindful breathing, which continuously improves lung capacity. Careful and controlled breathing stimulates the relaxation response, reducing your anxiety levels and creating a calming sensation.  This is very important in regards to the healing of addiction because anxiety is one of the major causes of drug and alcohol dependency. The deep and focused breathing also helps you let go of the mind chatter that often is associated with stress, and delivers more oxygen to the brain thus creating endorphins (the body’s natural feel good chemicals). This will result in a better mood and improved concentration.

Yoga is beneficial for the heart as well.  It lowers blood pressure and slows the heart rate. Other medical conditions commonly relieved by yoga include back pain, arthritis, and symptoms of asthma. One of the many great things about yoga is that one does not have to be an advanced practitioner to gain these benefits. You are never too old, too unfit, or too "tight" to do yoga.  Even beginners tend to feel less stressed and more relaxed after their first class, and there is a noticeable change in your body and posture after just a few short sessions. At Passages Malibu, yoga is incorporated into the treatment program to heal not only your mind and spirit, but your body as well.