Yoga for addicts

I did not think there would be a connection between yoga and the rehabilitation of addicts. I was invited for dinner at my sister’s house to learn that there was. My niece, Marie Warnke, asked me if I would like to meet a yogi. A yogi (sometimes spelled jogi) is a practitioner of yoga. In Vedic Sanskrit, yoga (from the root yuj) means “to add,” “to join,” “to unite,” or “to attach” in its most common literal sense. In the West Yoga often refers to physical exercises only. Imagine my surprise when I met with the yogi. My mind was full of more important things, or so I thought like what to do for the rehabilitation of addicts. The name of the yogi was Kirantans Khalsa. I had expected an Indian not a Western yogi. He is in Manila to teach “A Road to Enlightenment.” It is an immersion program using the foundations of Kundalini Laya Yoga which is extensively used to rehabilitate addicts.

The program is presented in one cycle of the Sun, following the archetypal energies of the four seasons, beginning with Autumn this Nov. 11.

Apart from being a yogi, Kirantana is an accomplished musician, author, peacekeeper, healer, and naturopathic medical doctor. He learned the art from an Indian, Yogi Bhajan. He was the only student publicly recognized by Yogi Bhajan, the founder of Kundalini Yoga in the United States. Bhajan himself died in 2004. Kirantana was the only one recognized by the master as a master of Kundalini-Laya Yoga.

He comes to the Philippines at the right time to help President Duterte’s program for many addicts who need to be rehabilitated.

There is a video on how yoga helps treat addicts.

“Kundalini is the Yoga of ‘I can’ – that means you have to make a choice of what to do with your mind in terms of choosing to take the positive life force, choosing to use your imagination. We are here to train the body and the mind,” he told us.

Apparently the number of Kundalini students and potential teachers is growing. They hope that these in turn with train other practitioners of kundalini Yoga. If you’re interested, contact Rosan Cruz or Pia Casequin for info. Early bird ends on Oct. 20. The Kundalini Yoga also has a blog in Facebook.

The video was produced by Nicky Video credits: Nicky Daez of Seabiscuit Films and you can contact him @seabiscuitfilms.

Still skeptical I asked him what the rate of success was using Kundalini for addicts in the US. He said 95 percent. He goes around the US teaching Kundalini practitioners to help cure addicts.

It was by sheer chance that I met someone who can help with President Duterte’s program on how to deal with thousands of addicts.

George McMillian was the director of the first government granted drug rehab program in the US using his specialized technique called KLCF (Kundalini Laya Core Foundations) to rehab hard-core addicts. It became the most successful program in the country, based on two-year follow up statistics. He is one of the pioneers and teachers of KLCF “Yoga in Prison” for the California prison system, both juvenile and adult. He has successfully handled private rehab work in the Hollywood entertainment industry, and further privately trained many accomplished movie personalities. He served as a private contractor in Bosnia and Serbia with various UN organizations in the last years of the Bosnian war, working with severely traumatized war victims. It was here that he took his many years of experience and developed his unique style of Kundalini-Laya Yoga with a focus on PTSD.

The proposal to use yoga to help addicts in the Philippines comes in time for the opening of a major rehabilitation center in Nueva Ecija.

With more drug suspects being arrested or surrendering, the Duterte government has fast-tracked the building of rehabilitation centers. One of the major facilities will be opened in November.

Apparently it has been very successful in the US. Studies have shown that yoga provides an effective way of managing and reducing stress, anxiety and depression and thus, creating a positive outlook on a person’s life. Many substance abuse treatment and recovery centers in the United States are now using yoga as a complement to their traditional therapy and has proven very effective in helping to positively change self-defeating habit patterns as well as improve the confidence and self-esteem of the patients. 

If you’re interested in the program “The Road to Enlightenment” the master teacher will be teaching intro classes all around Metro Manila. Please email us for  information to his classes, workshops and programs to [email protected]

A bill seeking the creation of a Philippine mental health council and a national mental health care delivery system has been filed at the House of Representatives by Ifugao lawmaker Teodoro Baguilat Jr. to promote mental health protection and improve mental health services in the country.

“The state of our mental health facilities is dire and we lack a coherent program. The need to immediately provide these is more pronounced now when we are in the middle of a drug war,” he said.  

The reintegration of alleged drug addicts into society will require mental health support,”  a DOH official said.

“I believe that drug addiction is one among many mental health issues and a holistic campaign against drug use will need adequate facilities and programs to address the mental health needs of addicts. What we have right now is far from enough,” he added. 

Just how serious the drug addiction problem it cannot be postponed with almost one of every 100 households has a member with mental disability.

While some western nations attacked the government over its bloody drug crackdown, China is planning to build more drug rehabilitation centers in the country.

The President said he was “astounded” by China’s assistance to his anti-drug campaign without “any publicity” as the first Beijing-funded rehabilitation center at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

Children of overseas Filipino workers and those in areas of armed conflict have a higher risk of developing mental health problems.

“But there is the serious problem of lack of qualified personnel,” Baguilat said.

“The number of addiction specialists, psychologists, occupational therapists, guidance counselors and social workers are extremely inadequate to meet the mental health needs of 100 million Filipinos,” the lawmaker said.

There are only two state-run mental hospitals, 46 outpatient facilities, four-day treatment facilities, 19.

China is planning to build more drug rehabilitation centers in the country.

“China is about to complete the facility sub rosa.This aid is being done quietly. The first rehabilitation center would house 1,400 drug addicts in Fort Magsaysay.

He has also asked the military to open their camps “to allow people who would want to donate rehab facilities.” These are positive moves that we should encourage and how we can help President Duterte in his program against drug addiction.