A brief Report by Yogasadhaka Nilachal
On August 3rd, 2025, the Indian Yoga Association’s prestigious CYCLE (Continuous Yoga Chikitsa Learning and Education) platform welcomed a radiant and deeply moving presentation by Prof. Dr. Meena Ramanathan, Principal of the School of Yoga Therapy at ISCM, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth. Her session, titled “Making Yoga Fun for Special Children,” was not merely a lecture. It was an immersion into a deeply human and divinely inspired therapeutic journey rooted in experience, science, and love.
Prof. Dr. Meena Ramanathan is the Principal of the School of Yoga Therapy at the Institute of Salutogenesis and Complementary Medicine (ISCM), Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry. The first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Yoga from Pondicherry, she also holds an M.Sc., M.Phil., and multiple postgraduate diplomas in Yoga. An IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist (USA) with over 25 years of experience, she has authored 60+ research papers, three books, and six book chapters, and guides Ph.D. scholars in interdisciplinary yoga research.
She has coordinated yoga programs across leading institutions and is a leading voice in Divyanga Yoga, working extensively with children with disabilities, senior citizens, and the transgender community to make yoga accessible and transformative. Recipient of awards like Yoga Lakshmi Puraskara (2024) and Women Icon of the Year 2024, she also serves as Lead Examiner for the Yoga Certification Board, SME for CSIR-TKDL, and Vice Chairperson of IYA Puducherry Chapter. Known for her inclusive, evidence-based approach, she bridges ancient wisdom with modern therapeutic practice.
A CYCLE Session That Broke the Mold
CYCLE is India’s flagship monthly educational yoga therapy series, known for featuring leading voices in Yoga Chikitsa. Dr. Meena’s session stood out for its innovative spirit and compassionate depth. She reframed therapy for the so-called ‘disabled’ through the lens of Divyanga Yoga, a term born from a national shift in perception – “Divyanga” meaning divinely-abled.
But her work went far beyond semantics. With two decades of hands-on engagement, 100+ research publications, and PhD supervision, she revealed not just a methodology, but a movement: to reclaim dignity, confidence, and capability for children with special needs.
Yoga for the ‘Divinely Abled’
Dr. Meena ji traced her journey back to a humble beginning in 2004, volunteering at a school for children with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and multiple impairments. Overwhelmed yet driven, she discovered what no textbook could offe, i.e., transformation through joyful adaptation.
She shared how traditional yoga techniques of Gitananda Yoga Tradition like Mukha Bhastrika, Nada Pranayama, Virabhadrasana, and Brahma Mudra can be modified into fun, engaging, multisensory practices that activate neuroplasticity, improve coordination, and empower autonomy. These weren’t theories; they were living results backed by clinical research and testimonials from caregivers, educators, and the children themselves.
What elevated the session to a landmark event was the blend of rigorous research with deeply personal narratives. Dr. Meena ji showcased:
Evidence of yoga improving dental hygiene, attention span, muscular strength, and emotional regulation
Case studies showing decreased caregiver burnout and improved family dynamics
The Power of Play
During the session, she guided participants through a range of practical, embodied activities that demonstrated her therapeutic methodology firsthand. Attendees followed her lead in imitating animals, such as roaring like lions and wriggling like caterpillars, practicing rhythmic clapping, coordinated crawling, and chanting mantras with playful vocalization. She also demonstrated techniques like Nasagra Mukha Bhastrika in a storytelling format, transforming breathing exercises into interactive, sensory-rich experiences that children could relate to and enjoy.
Each activity served a dual purpose: to stimulate motor coordination, breath control, and sensory integration, while also fostering joy, trust, and connection. The session underscored how empathy, repetition, and creative play can become powerful tools in yoga therapy.
A Wake-Up Call to the Yoga World
Beyond the techniques, Dr. Meena ji issued a powerful call to action: to scale, to collaborate, and to dignify.
Don’t call it sympathy. Call it inclusion.
Don’t wait for perfect science. Start with perfect intention.
Don’t call it a class. Call it a transformation.
With open access to all her research, tools, and methods, she invites therapists, researchers, and educators globally to join this mission.
Conclusion
Dr. Meena Ramanathan’s session under the CYCLE program was a transformative synthesis of research, lived experience, and heartfelt delivery that redefined yoga therapy for children with special needs. Through playful, sensory-rich demonstrations like Nasarga Mukha Bhastrika, cross-body coordination, chanting with movement, and full-body shaking, she not only showcased evidence-backed practices but also rekindled a deeply human connection to yoga’s inclusive essence. Her work emphasized that yoga for Divyangajan is not an adaptation, but a return to yoga’s most universal purpose: to heal, empower, and unite. The session left participants inspired, informed, and reminded that the divine is most visible when we choose to see ability, not disability, in every child.
