Yoga and Disability

Matthew Sanford is a world leader in adapting yoga to people living with disabilities. He began studying Iyengar yoga with Jo Zukovich in 1991. When they started, it was not clear how Iyengar yoga would travel through his paralyzed body, and there were no examples to emulate. They learned and adapted together.

Iyengar yoga, with its precise attention to alignment and innovative use of props within each individual pose, has made yoga accessible to a much wider range of practitioners, including people living with disabilities.

In 1998, Matthew began to share the results of their work in an adaptive class for people living with disabilities at the Courage Center, a leading rehabilitation center located in Golden Valley, Minnesota.  Matthew also offers seminars, workshops, and consultation to rehabilitation professionals and yoga teachers alike. 

For his pioneering work with yoga and disabilities, Matthew received a Karma Yoga Award from Yoga Journal in 2003.

In 2005, he received the Judd Jacobson Memorial Award for his work with yoga and disabilities.  Recipients of the award receive $4,000 to advance their efforts.  Matthew earmarked this money for producing a series of DVD’s on the intersection of yoga and disability.  However, much more is needed.  Your generous donation is fully tax-deductible by law and will help disseminate this ground-breaking work to the teachers and caregivers who need it most.

Classes for Disability

Matthew's adaptive class at The Courage Center is an on-going class for people living with disabilities held Mondays from 6:30-8:00pm.