Adaptive Yoga

“After many months of researching adaptive yoga classes in New York City, it finally led me to The Samaṁkāya Yoga Studio…At 18 months old, I was diagnosed with Quadriplegic-Spastic Cerebral Palsy. I am a level-3 GMFCS and an ambulatory wheelchair user. Besides my apartment and Physical Therapy, the Samaṁkāya Studio is the only place I could get out of my wheelchair, move around, and discover my natural abilities. In my experience, adaptive yoga is vastly different from physical therapy. Personally, adaptive yoga is preferred. In Physical Therapy, patients only are allowed 30-minute sessions to work through complex physical illnesses and chronic pain. The therapist has to follow a strict regimen based on a general idea of the person’s diagnosis. The plan is personalized to an extent but isn’t created for the individual. Samaṁkāya Yoga provided a quiet, intimate, and supportive environment. My instructors, Deborah Wolk, and Aditi Dhruv, always give us a window of time to get acclimated to prepare us for an hour-long session of various yoga techniques. There’s always a smooth start at the beginning of these sessions. There is no rush. In the studio, there is a great selection of props for support. Yoga taught me how controlling my breathing can, ultimately, result in more control over my body. There are so much more aspects to the body than doing something the right way. Yoga is about bringing out the strength within to control our outer movement. I learned a lot about what my body is capable of and how a little support can go a long way.

”I’ve become more flexible, and my condition has improved with only a month of weekly sessions. My confidence, mentality, and overall health have improved participating in Adaptive Yoga because I’ve been seen as more than a person with a disability. Months before joining Adaptive Yoga, I didn’t have much of a support system that was easily accessible. Socializing and inclusivity are extremely limited for people with physical disabilities. Imagine growing up being separated from the general population because you’re different and people don’t understand how to interact with you or provide the proper care for your needs. It’s essential to have a place where you’re genuinely included. The Samaṁkāya Studio is that place for me. It’s more than yoga; it’s a community that encouraged me to push past limitations. Continuing to fund this Non-Profit would plant a seed of strong and more independent individuals who are differently abled.”