Adaptive yoga: A practice beyond the perfect pose

Parks and public grounds across the country are set for mass yoga sessions today. But beyond the rows of mats and synchronised stretches, a more inclusive practice is gaining ground: adaptive yoga. This style of yoga adapts traditional asanas to make them accessible to everyone, especially individuals with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities.
This style of yoga adapts traditional asanas to make them accessible to everyone, especially individuals with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. The focus here is not on perfect form but on feeling steady, supported, and at ease. Social media has fuelled this change. Modified routines, seated practices, and sensory-friendly tutorials — for those with sensory sensitivities such as autism or anxiety — are now widely available online on social media platforms. These are often shared by the very teachers who practice this form of yoga.
Arpita Roy, a Kolkata-based yoga teacher, lost her leg in a road accident as a teenager in 2006. During recovery, she started physical exercises to stay fit and manage her weight, which helped her move more freely with an artificial limb.
She fell in love with yoga in 2015 after a long personal struggle. It wasn't easy, as many poses require flexible joints and strong knees. 'It felt like climbing a mountain,' says Arpita, adding, 'I started with simple stretches and moved forward slowly.'
By 2019, she had learnt every major pose and trained as a yoga instructor. Arpita's sessions focus on breathing and balance, using props and gentle guidance to help each student move with comfort and confidence. Some of the adaptive poses include shirshasana (headstand), virabhadrasana (warrior pose), and even surya namaskar (sun salutation). 'Yoga is not about how a pose looks. It is about how it feels on the inside,' she says.
Her students say her classes have changed their lives. Dr Anupama Gupta, who lost both legs in an accident while saving someone, found the confidence through yoga. 'I had doubts about my body. Yoga gave me hope. I felt seen and like I belonged,' she says.
Gulfam Ahmed, a Delhi-based yoga teacher and national para powerlifting champion, began using yoga in 2021 to support his Paralympics training. After contracting polio as a child, he turned to powerlifting for strength and later to yoga for calm, focus, and recovery. He firmly believes yoga helps relieve both mental and physical stress. 'If the mind is steady, the body is stronger,' he says.
Now, Gulfam works with students with disabilities that limit their mobility and motor functions. 'Everybody is different,' he says, adding, 'We adjust the pose based on the person's ability and what feels safe for them.'
He is representing India at the World Para Powerlifting Cup in Beijing this year and plans to perform yoga there too. Why adaptive yoga matters
Research-backed benefits: Scientific research continues to support the value of adaptive yoga across a range of disabilities. A 2024 study in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine found that four weeks of guided yoga improved balance, attention span, and neuromotor control in children with intellectual disabilities.
Wide applicability: Studies in India and globally show that yoga helps individuals with mobility limitations, sensory differences, and developmental conditions improve body awareness, reduce pain, and gain greater independence.
Emotional wellness: Regular practice supports stress regulation, reduces anxiety, and lifts mood, especially when taught by instructors who understand the student's specific challenges.
Holistic well-being: For those with cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, or autism, the structure and rhythm of yoga can be a valuable therapeutic addition to conventional care. Institutions embracing inclusive yoga
Prafull Oorja in Bengaluru runs inclusive yoga programs for children with special needs, such as autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy
ADAPT (Able Disabled All People Together) in Mumbai integrates yoga therapy into rehabilitation for neurodevelopmental disorders
The Yoga Institute in Mumbai offers therapeutic sessions in shelters and community centres
Sadguru Mangeshda Kriya Yoga Foundation in Mumbai holds sessions for visually impaired students
Narayan Seva Sansthan in Udaipur organises inclusive events
Institutions like Mumbai's Kaivalyadhama and Bengaluru's S-VYASA also support adaptive yoga through research, training, and partnerships with hospitals and NGOs

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