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Forum Home: Yoga Teaching Subjects/Topics: Yoga Therapy: Yoga as Therapy for the Mind

Janet Yogi / Moderator May 7, 2004, 3:58 PM Post #1 of 9 (9808 views) Shortcut Yoga as Therapy for the Mind Can't Post I'm really interested in combining my background in Counselling Psychology with Yoga (particularly Asana and Meditation) as an approach to providing a broader type of 'therapy' for emotional issues... does anyone have any thoughts / feedback / observations about how yoga has helped you process emotions and get through difficult times? Psychology has been advancing in the area of Somatic Psychotherapy (exploring the connection between the physical body and the mind and emotions), and I think Yoga Therapy (used in reference to therapy for the heart and mind rather than just the body) is the way of the future. Yoga provides a real alternative, something to work towards rather than just trying to 'stop' feeling negative / sad / angry / stuck... whatever the 'unwanted' emotion. So much of yoga is about letting go of struggle in order to move towards whatever it is you seek... which surely makes for very good 'therapy'. Any comments or thoughts most welcome. _________________________________________________ Seize life with both hands... and plant a great big KISS on her forehead!

Eveline Yogi May 11, 2004, 12:10 PM Post #2 of 9 (9690 views) Shortcut Re: [Janet] Yoga as Therapy for the Mind [In reply to] Can't Post I think the yogic view of the mind is an extremely powerful tool/model for personal therapy. Recognising that the mind is separate from the Self allows you to take a step behind your everyday thoughts and feelings and examine them as if from afar. Realising that most of what I think doesn't come from me but from my mind which is just replaying old experiences and patterns has given me an enormously powerful sense of control over my mind. I'm not saying that I have mastered that control, but I don't feel helpless and trapped in automatic behaviours. I've really begun to see how so much of what I do and think is just because that's what I've always done. I'm beginning to shift away from existing soley in my mind to becoming aware of my physical self and actually observing what I do each moment. Taking each situation as it comes instead of the mind pressing the play button for the 'this is what I do in this situation' tape. I don't know about others, but I've found the ideas in Lisa's classes to be quite revolutionary in changing the way I see myself. It's such a simple model that manages to get at the core of what makes us unhappy about ourselves. I really believe that as a behavioural therapy, yoga has a great deal to offer. Who'd a thunk that trying to touch my toes would get me here! Eveline

Bec Yogi May 11, 2004, 4:02 PM Post #3 of 9 (9688 views) Shortcut Re: [Eveline] Yoga as Therapy for the Mind [In reply to] Can't Post As I mentioned in my intro I feel that toga has helped me immensely to get through tough times. It's really nice to feel as though you have an understanding of your greater Self and the idea that you are beyond your thoughts. But it's not untill you really go through something that you can realize how helpfull yoga can be. I don't know about you guys, but yoga for me has been a real humbling experience, that has enabled me to see, that as long as I don't trap myself in the past or future I can get through anything. And more than this I have the physical aspects of yoga as a tool to help me get through. The more I learn about yoga, the more facinating it becomes. I definately see it as an invaluable tool in therepy.

Eveline Yogi May 13, 2004, 4:01 PM Post #4 of 9 (9652 views) Shortcut Re: [Janet] Yoga as Therapy for the Mind [In reply to] Can't Post Take a look at this very interesting article: http://thisisnotthat.com/sampler/ellis_akml.html It's lenghty but I think worth it. It is a psychology article but I think many of the ideas are very yogic.

rachael Yogi May 14, 2004, 10:26 AM Post #5 of 9 (9550 views) Shortcut Re: [Janet] Yoga as Therapy for the Mind [In reply to] Can't Post This is an area that really fascinates me, both on a personal and a professional level. Like Eveline and Bec mentioned, my yoga practise has been an incredibly humbling yet empowering experience. It's taught me to begin to move beyond my mind, and notice my reactions to different situations. It's also given me the freedom to experience my emotions (particularly intense ones) without being overly attached to them - if that makes sense. Learning to stay in the moment and become mindful of the energy circulating and moving in my body means that if i'm experiencing an intense emotion can stop the memory when the energy is strong, and just work through that energy until it begins to settle, then i can go back to the memory and continue to work through it that way. Yoga and minfulness have taught me to be able to balance the content with the process and to use my mind to slow the process down so i dont become overwhelmed. I guess it really emphasises the mind body connection (or disconnection often) and moving beyond the mind, or using the mind rather than being used by it. Working as a counsellor this framework can also be really useful, particularly with strong emotions, trauma and crises. Ofcourse, the relationship needs to be in place to do explore these issues sometimes, and often experimenting with simple mindfulness excercises (particularly focussing on the breath) is useful to teach people how to notice whats going on in their body. I could talk abou tthis for ages, it's an area i'm really fascinated by

Eveline Yogi May 14, 2004, 10:33 AM Post #6 of 9 (9549 views) Shortcut Re: [rachael] Yoga as Therapy for the Mind [In reply to] Can't Post If you're not already sick of reading, here's another (shorter) article I found on the website for Psychology Today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/htdocs/prod/PTOArticle/pto-20031014-000001.asp It talks about the way to peace is to be aware of the now and not the past or the future. I'm seeing yogic thought all around me now. It's interesting. When we first started learning about this I wondered why the West hadn't also come to similar conclusion, but now I am starting to see that many have, it's just worded differently and less spiritually.

Nadine Yogi Aug 13, 2004, 3:41 PM Post #7 of 9 (7699 views) Shortcut Re: [Eveline] Yoga as Therapy for the Mind [In reply to] Can't Post I too am a great believer in Yoga as a therapeutic tool. I do believe that 2 years of yoga is worth six years of therapy! I see it as a complete tool for life and it breaks down issues to the micromanagable goals at body mind & spirit levels. Not easy. The Sutra's provide the how to manual and the Bhagavhad Gita is enormously comforting in that whole higher power sense. For the first time in my life I have found the source that allows me the means access the answers to the "who am I", "why am I here" questions. It all comes from within. Yoga teaches you take responsibility for your own well being. Personally I find chakras a useful therapeutic tool. I am more realistically aware of my strengths and weaknesses and it's comforting to note that there's nothing "wrong" with me as a whole, it's just bits that require a bit of fine tuning. And if I'm feeling a bit off I can send a bit positive energy in that direction rather than getting confused and bogged down.

reijokin Yogi Aug 30, 2004, 10:34 PM Post #8 of 9 (7075 views) Shortcut Re: [Janet] Yoga as Therapy for the Mind [In reply to] Can't Post I think complete yoga therapy also includes pranayama - at least I use pranayama as a powerful tool for calming my restless mind for meditation. I think pranayama helps me to focus and it makes me able to "see" my emotions objectively in their context. I'm able to go above my emotions to see why I'm feeling this and that. Peaceful breathing is essential for taking control of my mind that sometimes takes control of me. Reijo, from Finland

Rod Administrator/ Moderator Sep 2, 2004, 2:34 PM Post #9 of 9 (6849 views) Shortcut Re: [reijokin] Yoga as Therapy for the Mind [In reply to] Can't Post Hi and welcome, Your spot on. Pranayama helps me clear and centre my mind. Namaste, Rod _________________ Yoga au Yoga is a light; which, once lit, will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter the flame. --BKS Iyengar

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