Calming the working mind
Marianne Bergonzi first tried yoga when she was 50 years old. Describing the experience as life-changing, Bergonzi soon began teaching classes. “I knew I had to pass the yogic philosophy on to people who [may] never get a chance to learn the body, mind, and breath connection.” Jeff Matrician, an acupuncturist at Harvard University Health Services’ David S. Rosenthal, M.D. Center for Wellness, treats patients for reasons that include pain management, neurological conditions, asthma, drug abuse, alcoholism, weight control, smoking, stroke, gastrointestinal disorders, gynecological and obstetric problems, and stress management. The Western approach reduces symptoms to determine causes for problems in the body, Matrician said. Eastern medicine differentiates itself with a global or holistic approach. “Perhaps a problem is that we’re looking for specific causes to treat, rather than approaching with a larger view,” Matrician said. Harvard-affiliated researcher Sara Lazar has led a series of studies to help understand what kind of structural...