Pranayama; as a key to mental health

The word pranayama brings the image of a specific yogic practice in which there is a systematic process of breathing is involved. Basically pranayama is an important tool in Hatha yoga by which the practitioner not only establishes the harmony and control over the functioning of the physiological systems but also extends the control to those subtle processes of the body which support all those activities happening at the grosser levels of being.
Literally pranayama means the extension or expansion of the range of prana. And with this expansion of prana the consciousness is transported to the subtler realm of existence. In tantra energy and consciousness are used interchangeably. They are considered as the two sides of the same coin. Consciousness is considered as the static aspect of energy and energy is the dynamic aspect of consciousness. Therefore whatever changes or alterations happen in the realm of energy, will bring about a corresponding alteration in the state of consciousness. Based on this premise of tantra the technique of science of pranayama was developed by the ancients.
Pranayama is such a technique through which the practitioner comes in contact with the different dimensions of energy (gross to subtle) and by establishing control over the life force or prana, the control over the functioning of the mind body complex is developed. In the whole of the pranayama process different techniques of breathing are used.
Whenever the problems of mind management come we find that the practice of pranayama can serve as a potent tool to manage the problems of the mind and emotions. Because the breathing the process which can connect one to the different levels of functioning. And the breathing is also responsible for mobilizing the energies of the body. According to the science of yoga the energy is that aspect which keeps the mind and the body running.
The practice of pranayama has its own psychotherapeutic values. The reason is the use of various breathing techniques which bring about a qualitative change in the patterns of thoughts, feelings and emotions. In many somatic psychotherapeutic schools the therapists use breathing to change the patterns of awareness in the individuals. In different branches of Somatic-psychotherapy, such as Bioenergetics, Aqua therapy, Primal therapy etc, therapist uses the appropriate breathing technique to transform the mental state of the patients. It has been observed by these therapists that there is a connection between the nature of feelings, thoughts and the breathing patterns. If there is a change in the state of feelings and the thinking and feelings the breathing patterns are also altered. For example visualize a situation when we are in the state of anger, then what happens with our breathing patterns? How does it behave? We find that the harmonious flow of the breath is lost, it becomes arrhythmic, interrupted and tense. Now if we think about the state when we are relaxed, we would observe that in this state of harmony, the breath also becomes relaxed and harmonized and follows a constant rhythm. Based on the above observations the somatic psychologists concluded that there is a definite relationship between the states of mind and the breathing patterns.
There are various techniques of Pranayama some of them are activating, heating and invigorating, some are balancing, harmonizing and pacifying and some of them are cooling in nature. In the tradition of Hatha yoga Pranayama is the link between energy and consciousness. Through this tool the state of consciousness is altered and the practitioners access the hidden dimension of prana.
Besides the techniques now another important and unavoidable aspect of the whole process is the approach that decides where the practice and the technique will lead you to. Like any other yogic practice Pranayama needs proper centering of the self to go deeper levels of experiences and therefore it is equally important that the practitioner gives time to settle in properly and finally starts journeying within.

Kriya Yoga; An Introduction

Kriya yoga is an ancient system to harmonize the existing energies within the individual. Kriya yoga is all about spontaneity and the process does not involve unnecessary force and struggle in the practice. As a process Kriya yoga brings one-pointedness very naturally by harmonizing the mental and the emotional energies. It helps in converging all the energies in individual into a bindu. This is the gateway of shoonya and higher states of dhyana. State of bindu is beyond the state of vikshepa i.e. dissipation.
Kriya yoga implies techniques of various mudras (psycho-physical gestures), bandhas (Psychic locks) and asanas (postures). Consciousness of the sadhaka rotates through the fixed psychic paths. The system of Kriya yoga has similarities with tai chi chuan; the dynamic meditation system of Chinese. Both utilize perfect harmony and channelization of physical, pranic (vital energy) and mental energies with heightened awareness.
Kriya yoga is designed to transform tamas into sattva. It brings dynamic relaxation. Swami Satyananda says in his book that it is a system of yogic alchemy. It is all about aligning the internal energies which results in creating an individual a ‘vibrant whole’. The entire system of Kriya yoga is against any suppression but providing a positive direction to already exiting individual energies.
This process brings the awareness of the practitioner to the proximity of subtle perception; to the realm which is vibrant substratum of our being. Therefore the whole system is like a philosopher’s stone which can transmute the being. The loss of vitality in nature is because of dissipation of energy. Kriya yoga opens up one self to the immensely creative and vibrant world of energies.
The techniques of Kriya yoga follow the steps of:
1. Pratyahara (withdrawal of awareness from senses)
2. Dharana (Spontaneous One-pointed ness)
3. Dhyana (Establishing into the state of spontaneity)
Tools of Kriya yoga
1. Asana (Hatha yogic poses)
2. Pranayama (Hatha yogic breathing)
3. Mudra ( Psychic gestures)
4. Bandha (psychic locks)
5. Mantra (psychic sound vibration)
6. Psychic passage awareness
There are twenty main kriyas which are to be followed in a prescribed sequence for a prescribed number of rounds and duration to experience the desired effects.
Groundwork
Besides the above techniques and the underlying principles there are certain points which should be observed consistently. For example food ideally should be nourishing and full of life. It should be light and refreshing which awakens the mind, body and the soul. Ideally vegetarian diet is most welcome for this discipline. It should be taken at right time in right quantity. In case of any imbalance in the body and mind like some illnesses or any serious mental upheavals, one should not attempt Kriya yoga. To begin the journey of Kriya yoga it is of utmost importance that one should have the understanding of yogic process and techniques which are included in the six tools of Kriya yoga.
For centuries the system of Kriya yoga kept evolving through the tradition of direct teaching of guru to disciples and is very relevant in the modern age for the modern mind is exhausted and fatigued because of dissipation and improper utilization of mental and emotional energies.

Yoga and spiritual evolution

Evolution is a process of advancement, growth or unfoldment. Spirituality deals with the issues to experience wholeness, integration, as a quest to discover the meaning and purpose of life, as a journey to contact the source of eternal bliss and fulfillment, balance and perfection in life.
Spirituality doesn’t mean to run away from the society or the regular duties of day today life as it is thought generally in India. Spirituality expresses itself in many different ways. There are philosophical, psychological and also behavioral perspectives.
Yoga addresses this concept of spirituality from a very practical level. Therefore yoga assimilates the essence of both behavioral and psychological perspectives. Like the field of humanistic movements and existentialistic system of philosophy and psychology, yoga also deals with the issues of finding purpose to life and becoming self actualized. It also talks of the ways which cause betterment of life. Yoga makes life filled with health, happiness, and holism and for that it harmonizes head, heart and hands.
Process and the techniques: Yama-niyamas deals with the attitudinal and behavioral aspects of individuals which not only work on restructuring the cognitive and attitudinal structures in mind but also through behavioral patterns or expression transforms the traits of personality. Asana and the other hatha yogic techniques which also address crucial areas of our life like health and living, meditation involves techniques of gyana yoga, bhakti and karma yoga; which satisfy the quench of the intellectual and the analytical minds and is also a panacea for a restless or stressed mind. Service (vedantic and the bhakti schools of yoga. Karma yoga and the bhakti are intimately related to each other; as both of them are the expressions of heart. Karma yoga can not be perfected until one surrenders ones ego and that is bhakti. But analysis also goes on inside the mind. But bhakti only involves the feeling aspects there is no place for analysis or rationality. It is all about the process to open the heart.) To transmit the feeling of universal love towards one and all, is the expression of service which not only serves the purpose of the individual but also plays a significant role to establish the harmony in society. These all are the different facets of spirituality which serve the individual and the humanity. All great saints serve the humanity and that is the culmination of spirituality. Spirituality also means becoming more practical and grounded. It is the process of being in the present and work for the enhancement or refinement of humane qualities and betterment of life. So practicality in life can not be separated from the spirituality in life.
We as human being are not only a creature living for earning few breads in everyday life and maintain population but the evolution of consciousness in man implies it has some specific purposes also. Apart from earning breads and finding physical securities in life we also constantly search for a satisfying, life fulfilling philosophies which not only calms the mind and the emotions but also satisfies the soul. For leading a balanced and fulfilling life man needs a constructive and the creative philosophy of life. Man’s living is based on certain philosophies of life, which direct and shape the flow of life.

Glimses of psychic dimensions of Chakra

Chakras are the different harmonics of personality that orchestrate the qualities of the personality in a specific fashion. They are the sites of the cosmic tattvas and their qualities, so they also represent centers of specific patterns of energy. Therefore Chakras have a specific sound frequency (mantra) and a form (Yantra). So each of these mantras represent the energy of the chakra. Through these mantras we evoke the energy of the tattvas through which Chakras interact with the gross and the subtle bodies.
Our conditioned being does not manifest only on the physical and psychological levels but the energetic patterns are also conditioned. The opening and the awakening of Chakras take place when we free ourselves from these conditioned patterns of energy and the moment this happens there is transformation in terms of psycho-physiological qualities.

Psychological attributes of Chakras
Muladhara

Represented by the Yantra of the earth element which is rectangle representing the stability, balance, staticity. Inside the rectangle there is a triangle with a lingam which has a boundary that is ill-defined and there is serpent coiled around the lingam, which represents the three guna and ego aspect of energy covering the consciousness of jiva. It is ill-defined because it is covered/veiled by the mayik (illusory; Mayarupa) aspect energy of Shakti. This truly represents our conditioned embodied being which responds to the instinctive levels of life activity. But both possibilities are present in the chakra; the Brahma granthi present in the chakra represent our limitations and conditionings with the most basic issues of life and when one’s energy is imbalanced at this level can cause extreme degree of pathology. Because this centre deals with the issues of survival and security; any imbalance at this level can result in the paranoid tendencies, unknown fear can direct itself for any specific objects or events in the environment. The person may cut the feeling of the body (not grounded in the body). The depletion of the energies of the earth element can manifest in the form of flighty, jumpy, oscillating, spacing out tendencies of the behavior. This is the center of the most fundamental fear; i.e. the fear of survival. Therefore it also governs the various facets of our behavioral expressions. Restrictiveness, fixity or the lack of flexibility in our nature is also because of the qualities of the earth element. The issues mainly deals with the issue of self preservation and when it is rajasika can manifests in the form of selfishness or lack of empathy and compassion but when it is in sattvika state it develops the quality of self reflection or self awareness. And the same energy of the tattva when handled properly; once tattva is purified it develops the quality of trust, security (when you are secured you can trust someone) grounding and stability in the personality. Grounding is one such quality associated with this chakra. It is the state of synchronicity with vibes/frequencies of the universe or immediate contact with the reality. When awareness is grounded properly it can heighten the self awareness or awareness of the body but when the energy is depressed can preoccupy the mind with body and then coping with the reality will be difficult.

Swadhisthana
This is the second lowest chakra characterized by six petalled lotus; signifying 6 nerve endings, a Yantra constituted of crescent moon, representing the presence of water element and an animal which is a crocodile. This is the fertile ground of creativity which is the reflection of the flowing attribute of water element. This is the level where there is more freedom and the opportunity of wider range of expressions; energy deals here with the issue of the survival of species therefore it is less primitive than the fear of being annihilated. This signifies the movement of consciousness from self protection to the protection of species.
Swadhisthana is the centre deals with the pleasure principle. This is the centre of sensuality, desires, and sexual drives. Located between the navel and the perineum it is pre rational, subconscious plane of consciousness. In the Yantra of the chakra there are two rings of petals in which outer layer or the ring of petal signifies the conscious aspect of mind and the inner ring symbolizes the unconscious realm. In between these two yantras there is crocodile floating which depicts the subterranean movement of samskaras. The animal itself is the creature which has the field of activities both on the surface and inside the water (represents here the deeper layers of mind). It is also the emblem of the sexual or the sensuous character in the individual. Moon in the Yantra represents the main drive force of psychic life in the individual as the gravitational pull of moon affects the energy of water on the surface it also has the effects on the unconscious and the subconscious energies of the mind. It has been observed by the mental health professionals that there are effects of moon on the moods and the psychic energies of the mental patients. Therefore from the psychotherapeutic aspects of study this centre occupies an important place.
From psychoanalytic point of view this centre is also very significant. According to this school of psychotherapy sexuality (libidinal energy is the underlying force of all motivations. In yoga also the same energy is used for creative, activity of self exploration and growth of personality by sublimating the energy and expressing it through higher centers i.e. seva, brahmacharya, and tapas. Tantrik manuals talk of direct channelizing of the energy of Swadhisthana through the process of urdhareta or leading upward.
Harmony at this chakra leads to the balanced emotional states, creativity, and ability to enjoy feelings, ability to change (quality of water), flexible thinking, high level of motivation etc.

Manipura
This is the centre of vitality, due to the fiery tejas of fire element it symbolizes as lustrous gem, therefore it is known as manipura (city of jewel). This is symbolized as 10 petalled blue lotus, here blue represent the most fiery/luminous part of the fire. This is the plane of self esteem, self confidence, ambition, authority and achievements; also known as power center. This is also the level where consciousness is entangled with the territory of power, achievement and ambitions.
The element of fire is the main driving force here; directs the consciousness towards more ego fulfilling activities. Therefore most of the problems related with the power and ego trips are associated with this center. Swadhisthana is center of feelings of pleasure mainly centered in ones own body or self but at this plane of consciousness one starts to direct this feeling towards others. Interpersonal relationship finds expression through this centre of consciousness. This is the centre of personal power and authority recognition. The drive for self recognition also manifests in the form of spiritual pursuits and ultimately culminates into the drive of self discovery. Concept of self identity, self discovery and self concept are dealt here. Therefore consciousness here finds the possibility to stretch power consuming plane of consciousness to the plane of self discovery that is nothing but the process to find ones identity or better to say the much more uplifting identity. The plane of ego is subtler than the levels of the first two levels.

Anahata chakra
Here at this level energy takes larger patterns from the focus on ego and its desires and activities. This is a growth towards more refined form of expression. This is the seat of balance; balancing the energies of both lower and the higher realms. Consciousness moves from the personal self centered dimension to the transpersonal dimension of consciousness. So the transcendence of ego takes place here.
Symbolically speaking this chakra is presented as 12petallled lotus. This chakra is situated between the 7 main Chakras, is also the centre of balance and harmony. Represented by a hexagon signifying the harmonious movement of consciousness and this harmony expresses itself in the form of some very refined qualities like universal unconditioned love and compassion. This plane represents the shift or a departure from instinctual realm of consciousness to more humane plane of existence. Here rationality of manipura is transcended and hence is also the centre of intuitive mind (Buddhist tantra). Even Hindu tantra studies this center as the centre of very refined feeling. Sensitivity also gets refined here to the extent that is transcends the personal boundary and one gets attuned to the feelings or suffering of others. The energies of the healer which heals others have also this chakra as the main source of healing energies. Awakening of this centre helps one to get attuned with the feelings of others. Therefore self oriented service finds expression as the selfless service (Nishkama seva). Vehicle of this centre is antelope; signifies freedom in movement of energy, heightened sensitivity, purity, alert and innocence.
This is also the centre of bliss and immense joy. Consciousness finds the source of satisfaction inside (ananda kanda). Kalpataru; wishfulfilling tree is found here. Desires are fulfilled here (transcendence of desires i.e. personal desires).

Vishuddhi
Literally this is the centre of purification. This is the centre of activities of the most subtle tattva (Akasha). This is also the centre responsible for reception, assimilation and creative expression of information. Reflective consciousness and the heightened receptivity find expression here. Spaciousness of the ether expresses itself in the form of creativity in thinking and behavior. Thoughts or the patterns of thinking are free from the ego-constricting tendencies. Therefore here the individuals can move beyond the fixedness in thinking and enjoy freedom and spontaneity. Ether is the field medium which wires the information which is beyond the grasp of senses and the lower mind. Therefore after ‘entraining’ oneself into the vibrations of this chakra the wider range of connectivity is possible. This can happen only after purification of the self. At the subtle level there is universal connectivity, having tuned into that realm one can have uninterrupted flow of information and creativity. Synchronous mind is the example of this connectivity.

Unadulterated information (vibration) ----- symbolization of patterns ----- plane of concepts, ideas, established thoughts, desires ------- expressions.

Awakening of Vishuddhi refers to tuning into the field/realm of unconditioned information. The element of ether is represented by a sphere filled with the dots inside suggesting expansive nature of the element.

Ajna
Also known as guru chakra. As this is the chakra where the inner guru tattva is actualized and the command is received. This is the point of confluence of two opposite forces, causing dual experiences. This is also the realm where individuality is dropped and the individual consciousness merge into the field of eternal consciousness. The illusory field of Maya is weakened here resulting in the providence of knowledge that knows no boundaries. The third eye associated with the centre signifies the added understanding of the causal realm of existence. The lingam that is found here is Itarakhya/Itara with consolidated outline, signifying the clear perception of reality as it exists. So the distortion of reality is absent here.
Rudra granthi stands for this state of consciousness where there is shedding of individuality and attachment to life, therefore the last trace of conditioning is diluted here. Here one established the person is free from the restrictiveness of tattva, also becomes the controller of tattvas, known as the state of tattvatita. So the person, who is established here can have no compulsion, is a liberated soul. The individual directly experience the reality and the only idea that exists in relation to the reality is ‘Iam That’ (Aham Idam). Because consciousness flows in the causal realm, once being established here there is the knowledge of causality and time (Trikaladarshi).

Mantra and Consciousness

A mantra is a combination of psychically potent sound syllables that are capable of influencing the human system. It works on different levels of being (from gross to the subtlest)
Mantras as it is defined, is that tool which liberates the mind from bondage, here bondage means ‘the state of identification of the gross mind’. Mind is always identified with the world of idea name, form and objects. At the energetic level the identification leads to dissipation of energy (vikshepa), mind is tied down to the plane of gross sensorial world creating the spectrum of experiences colored by the polar opposites of pains–pleasures, heat-cold, depression-elation etc. Here in these conditions mantras helps to tune the vibrations of mind to the subtler frequencies of mantras and hence helps to internalize it.
According to tantra this whole creation (including the body-mind complex) is the result of spandan (Vibration). When we analyze the structure and dynamics of mind we find that mind is the subtle instrument which is found with vrittis (modification of mind), kleshas (inherent causes of afflictions) and samskaras and vasanas (subtle impressions/tendencies). These subtle factors of the mind are responsible for determining the nature of the manifest contents of the mind, such as thought, feelings, emotions attitudes etc. Different thoughts, feelings and emotions which appear or disappear from the surface of the mind, are the expression of energy. The psychic energy when manifests as thoughts or feelings it could be felt or heard internally. In this light, if we study the mind we find that our mind is composed of the different vibratory patterns of energy, always echoing inside the subtle body some times its contents would be heard or perceived in the form of thoughts or feelings and some times major chunk of it remains in the state of unexpressed state of potentiality in the form of kleshas or samskara. In order to attune the awareness to that subtle dimension of psychic realm one has to have a vehicle, here the mantra or the sound vibrations are used as the vehicle to transport the consciousness and to alter the vibratory patterns existing in the subtle realm of the psyche. Because of this reason sound vibrations are supposed to have the potentialities to transform the mind. Once the subtle vibrations of the mental body are fully attuned to the vibrations of mantras, it can be transformed easily and this takes place when the mind resonates with the vibrations of mantra. In this state of resonance the vibratory patterns of mind takes the shape of the patterns of vibrations of mantras resulting in the manifestation of altogether different mental state. When this state is achieved, the mental energies become more synchronous and harmonious. The person at his feeling tone, experiences inner tranquility and the state of homogeneous awareness. At this time one experiences a state of tension free alertness and one-pointed awareness. The tension producing annoying thoughts and emotions cease to exist and mind is taken over by the subtle purifying energies of mantra. In yoga the state of health is the state of synchronicity of physical, vital, mental and psychic energies with the energies of the external environment. When this synchronous field of energy is created within; one experiences the state of harmony and health.
In science we study that the energy and the matter are interconvertible and in the realm of quantum field of energy there is continuous interpermutations of energy particles. Since matter is also an expression of energy (which is gross form of energy or in other word as state of compressed energy), therefore it could be influenced by the other forms of energy, on this principle the phenomenon of mind over matter would be explained. Through mental energy mantras can affect the different levels of being. The sound vibration of mantra filters down the energies of mind and body, until they are completely shaped into the vibrational patterns of mantra and by altering the field of mental energy the gross body is affected.

Psychic dimension of mantra.
Mantras, we know are not the creation of the intellect rather they were experienced by the yogis in their higher state of consciousness. Experiences of the subtle vibrations in higher state were when chanted by them, created mantras, putting it another way the origin of mantras is divine or transcendental. The rishis only heard them as richas, sound frequencies in an organized form. Because they were the result of the experience of the higher consciousness, may transport any one; who practices them to the same space from which they originated. Therefore each mantra in tantra is considered as the embodiment of consciousness (Vigyana rupa) and when mantra is perfected it fully enlivens the samskaras, accumulated experiences of past lives in the form of subtle traces or patterns, and the meaning of the mantra appear to the mind in the form of experiences carried by the mantra.
Therefore, the purpose of mantra is to transcend the mind by purifying the mala, (impurities in the form of thoughts, desires and destructive emotion) and vitalize the thoughts and emotions with the positive energies of the mantra. Different mantras affect the energies of the body-mind complex differently. Each mantra affects a specific energetic centre of the body and through the corresponding centre the associated energy patterns are brought forth or awakened in the body. Once the mantra is awakened in the body, the vibrations generated by the mantra can cleanse the entire energetic network in the body by removing the blockages present in path of the energetic flow (nadi). The purification which takes place at the deeper energetic plane which is the substratum of the body-mind functioning, helps to enhance the efficiency of the different physiological systems and the mental processes. Mantra chanting makes the mind calm and tranquil. Mantra chanting along with the breath awareness develops the ability to control the emotions and develop one-pointed ness. The breath which flows with the vibrations of the mantra is charged with the positive energy of the mantra. The breath with the chanting becomes rhythmic and harmonious, as a result of which the functioning of the physical and the mental systems become harmonized. Emotionally one becomes stable and relaxed. The breath is considered as an important tool to mobilize the energies of the body, therefore when the feelings and the emotions move in the body, they change the patterns/nature of the breath and the converse is also true. From one mental and emotional state to other the patterns of breathing also change and this changes the nature of the flow of energies in the body.
Voice is another important aspect in the mantra chanting which plays an important role in altering the states of the feelings and the moods of the person. Voice is also associated with the state of the mind. The tone of the voice is affected by the mental state of the person. In one of the techniques of the psychotherapy (primal therapy) the individual is treated by releasing the tensions through the voice and the breath. While chanting a mantra, the emotions express themselves in the breath and the voice. Every time the breath is uneven it means the emotions are involved and we are out of balance. Chanting helps us to achieve this stillness by bringing the breath and the emotions under control. As the mantra is chanted moods will in time be brought under control and awareness in the here and will grow attention and therefore energy will be withdrawn from the old thought patterns which like tapes on a tape recorder play over and over. These mental background noises keep us tied to the past and future, to fearful imagining and senseless fantasies which cause self created suffering. This energy will now be channelized and mutated for the higher purposes.

Components of mantra
Based on the immediate aims the different mantras may have different effects but all the different mantras have these important components.
1. Pronunciation 2. Melody, tune or modulation of voice, 3. Beats
Through these three aspects, mantra creates a definite pattern of the sound vibration. The presence of the above factors creates a suitable environment to alter the consciousness.
Different tones which are produced during the course of chanting utilize the different areas of the body hence affect the energies of the corresponding parts of the body. Specific tones in conjunction with certain tunes or modulations of sound mobilize the energies of specific region of the body. Although, the seat of sound is the vocal cord, but the different tones are produced in conjunction with abdominal, heart or upper parts of the body. The aim of mantra is to harmonize the energies of the body with the energies of the nature.
The practice of mantra chanting is a potent means to initiate the process of pratyahara, by withdrawing the mind from the sensorial dimension to the more subtle dimension of the internal environment and ultimately can lead to the state of transcendental consciousness through the stages of dharana and dhyana. In this state of consciousness, mind reverberates with the timeless or eternal vibrations of the soul. At the psychological level, the chanting of mantra results in diluting the force of attachment of the mind for the senses. It tunes the mind to the patterns of the sound vibrations of mantras as mentioned earlier, hence reducing the pulling tendency of the mind for the senses. Through the chanting, the mind could easily be programmed to become still and steady. The beat cycle which is inherent in the rhythmic pattern of mantra can change the state of consciousness. The beat cycle of mantra affects the state of emotions, mind and at the physical level the beat of heart and respiration. To work better, each mantra is chanted in a particular beat/rhythm. That is the reason why different forms of chanting, with specifically distinct beats and rhythm could affect the energies of the individual differently, inducing a specific mood, feeling or state of mind. Mantra chanting increases will power, the power of concentration and positive emotions. Because of the effects of mantra on creating a positive and uplifting field of energy within, it becomes a powerful fool to stop the dissipation of mental emotional energies and to make the mind one-pointed and relaxed.

Psychotherapeutic significance of Hatha Yoga

As we all know that psychotherapy is all about behavioral modification and inner transformation in an individual. The goal of therapy has been put in terms of removing symptoms, restoring earlier levels of functioning, freeing the person to be self realizing(in Roger’s term, “a fully functioning person” ), helping the person find personal meaning and values or restructuring defenses and character. Earlier in the era of Freudian psychiatry, psychotherapy and psychology used a model of the human personality that is limited to biography and to the individual unconscious as described by Sigmund Freud. But in the modern field of psychotherapy the approach to treat the individual slowly and gradually becoming more holistic. Today’s therapists believe in the eclectic approach of therapy rather than restricting themselves to one system of psychotherapy. Earlier psychotherapeutic technique of self exploration used to rely heavily on verbal exchange such as free association or face to face interviews. But now therapists have realized that by solely relying on one such technique will not help them to understand the dynamics of emotional and mental problems and their elimination from the personality. So now we find that there are some therapies available which work on the mind through the body. Therapies such as Bioenergetics, Reichian therapy, Rolfing, Psychedelic therapy, Shiatsu, Yoga etc. has added another dimension to the system of modern psychotherapy. In this article the main focus will be on the psychotherapeutic values of asana (posture) in the light of some of the body-centered therapies.
Asanas along with pranayama is the central technique of hatha yoga; a branch of yoga that aims to change the mental patterns by working through the postures. In yoga mind, body and energy are considered to exist in one continuum. In hatha yoga the individual work on the body through different posture to alter the patterns of energy, and by altering the flow of energy one changes the patterns of awareness. The science of hatha yoga says that the gross physical body has its subtle counterpart in the form of energy and mental bodies and the conditions of energy body determine the state of physical and mental bodies. Like the other schools of psychotherapy the goal of hatha yoga is also to transform the consciousness and personality. Asana aims to expand the feelings and the awareness. Through the different postures an aspirant of yoga brings about a change in his attitudes, feelings and behavior. Through the technique of asana the practitioner of yoga uses the body as an instrument to transform the mental and the energetic patterns in the body. Sw. Ajay in his book writes; “posture is an expression of a psychological state. Modern psychologists know that a person’s posture can tell a great deal about his inner feelings and his attitudes about himself and others”, he further writes “and this is also true that assuming a specific posture can also bring about a particular mental-emotional state”. We all know on the basis of our own experiences that we do express our attitudes, feelings and emotions through our postures and gestures. A specific posture reflects a particular state of mind and feeling. Therefore if we adopt a posture we not only change the mental and emotional states but we also change the energy dynamics, because specific mental and emotional state corresponds with the specific pattern or state of energy in the body. Today all different available techniques of body work use body to bring about a desirable change in personality.
Body as a log book
Body-centered psychologists who employ body-work techniques, claim that we store lots of information about our past experiences, inner tendencies, attitudes etc. in our body. Alexander Lowen a renowned body-centered therapist who developed the system of bioenergetics says in his book, “A person’s attitude towards life or his personal style is reflected in the way he holds himself, his carriage and in the way he moves”, again he writes, “a person is the sum total of his life experiences, each of which is registered in his personality and structured in his body. Just as a woodsman can read the life history of a tree from a cross section of the trunk showing its annual growth rings, so it is possible for a Bioenergetic therapist to read a person’s life history from his body.” Now we reach a point from where we can say that listening to the body means attending to the messages of the mind which are encoded in the language of the body. Because mind expresses itself in the body, through the language of sensations, feelings, breath, gesture, posture and movements.
Concept of body armoring
It has been the observation of the body-centered therapists that we store emotional tensions in the muscles of the body. And as this tension escalates our natural expression in the form of gestures and movements is disturbed. It makes us off balance and destabilize physically and mentally as well. Wilhelm Reich, who developed Reichian Therapy in 1940s, which is a deep emotional release therapy, found in his therapeutic sessions a functional identity of a person’s character with his bodily attitude or muscular armor. Armoring refers to the total pattern of chronic muscular tensions in the body. They are defined as armor because they serve to protect an individual against painful and threatening emotional experiences. Reichian therapy and Bioenergetics, a therapy developed by Alexander Lowen, both study the human personality in terms of the energetic processes of the body. Reich believed that neuroses exist only when there is repressed excess energy. The relation of energy to personality is clearly manifested in a depressed person. Alexander Lowen writes in his book Bioenergetics; “although the depressive tendency result from the interplay of complicated psychological and physical factors, one thing is absolutely clear. The depressed individual is energetically depressed.” They (Lowen and Reich) emphasize that the lack of free flowing energy causes many emotional and mental problems. The blocking of this bio-energy is due to the armoring that results from energy being bound in a muscular contractions/tensions and not being allowed to flow through the body. This armoring is the natural pattern of muscular tensions that manifest when we are threatened or feel to be threatened. In response to threatening emotional conditions our bodies get tensed in preparation for the fight or flight. But it becomes a problem only when it becomes chronic or permanent. In this condition we suppress our natural feelings and emotional expressions. To further explain this I would use the expression that the suppressed feelings and emotions crystallize in the form of muscular armoring. It has also been seen by these therapists that the neurotic tendencies are anchored in the armor and that as the armor dissolves, the suppressed emotional energy is released and once again the individual starts to feel the flow of energy.
Asana and the character armor
As per the system of depth psychology we cut off ourselves from the most vulnerable aspect of our mental contents (through suppression or repression), which are the chief source of anxieties, tensions and conflicts in our psycho-physiological system in order to maintain the level of integration or to keep ourselves centered. At the physical level we do suppress our emotions/feelings in different areas of the body. In day to day life a tensed and stressed person uses characterological body posture, gesture and arrhythmic, labored breathing to remain in the self created defensive mode of speech, action and behavior. In people with neurotic behavioral patterns, it has been seen that at the physical level, using their posture and the breath they cut off themselves from reality and their own feelings.
Self expression is the expression of one’s own feelings. Depressives, for example, suppress their expressions excessively, which means they suppress their feelings as well. It is well known that the depressed person is closed off and the closing off is also reflected through his posture. And in this state by constricting the muscles and holding the tension in the body he wards off any feeling or sensations that flow through the body. In this condition the natural expression of feelings and flow of energy are blocked. Therefore their immediate requirement is that of movement of the body and its energies.
Different postures of yoga evoke specific attitude, mood and feeling in the practitioner. Once a posture is adopted and is sustained immediately the patterns of thought, attitude, feelings and the breath start to weave around the posture. And there is a distinct shift in the quality of awareness as the energies within start to move. Each posture of yoga work at specific region of the body and the pattern of breath which is specific to the posture concerned, affect the energy of those concerned parts of the body. As it is known to both body-centered therapists and hatha yoga practitioners, the breath is the main mobilizer of energy in the system.
Through asanas we work on the mind, by assuming repetitive gestures, postures and movements of body and the breath. Secondarily postures are also used to release the tensions that we store in the muscles. As a result of that sensitivity and awareness expand, and one responds to his life events in a more balanced, and efficient way.
Asana as a centering tool
Like all the other practices of yoga the goal of asana is also to expand the awareness, to deepen the understanding of one’s own self. Through asanas we work on the muscles, joints and organs of the body and bring them into the state of health. And in due course we release the tensions stored in the body, bring the breath back to its natural rhythm and harmony and allow the energy to flow freely through the psycho-physical systems. Once a natural and spontaneous free flowing movement of energy is initiated, there lies a possibility that the individual would enjoy the state of spontaneity, freedom and harmony that he failed to enjoy before. One of the chief features of asanas is that they enhance the level of flexibility in the body. Asanas are done slowly with awareness and the aspirant tries to hold the final position without creating any discomfort in the body. Therefore they become handy tool to increase the level of awareness and relaxation, which ensue when the points of tension are diluted or removed from the body. Secondarily, asanas help to ground the awareness of the practitioner in the ‘here and now’ situation, in this way it helps the individual to shift his awareness and energy out of the vicious pattern of obsessive thoughts which revolve around one issue all the time.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati says in his book ‘Asana, pranayama, mudra bandha’; “in hatha yoga asanas refer to specific body positions which open the energy channels and psychic centers (also known as chakras or vortices of energy). They are tools to higher awareness and provide the stable foundation for our exploration of the body, breath, and mind and beyond. The Hatha Yogis also found that by developing control of the body through asana, the mind is also controlled.” In yoga psychology an asana represents a state of consciousness and a qualitative state of awareness. In yogic tradition it is said that there were 8,400,000 asanas which represents 8.4 millions incarnations. And if we go for the symbolic meaning of the statement we would find that symbolically they represent the broad band of awareness. The somatic psychology of hatha yoga says that assuming a gesture brings about a specific state of awareness, which is free from the trouble created by the pairs of opposites (dvandvānabhighatāh). The above statement makes it clear that asanas help to overcome the habitual tendencies, by overcoming the effort (pŗayatna śaithalyam) and releasing the tensions and signs of stress points from the body. As mentioned earlier, the body is the instrument through which we act out our desires and exercise our will. The gestures and the postures are the revealed states of feelings and the mind. When we practice asana and get established into it by repeated practice, it helps us to create and fixed a repetitive postures and the gestures which can snap us out of the instinctual habit patterns and establishes a more refined awareness. Therefore it is proven to be a very reliable tool to remold the personality.
Another therapeutic benefit, as mentioned earlier is its role in enhancing and deepening the sensitivity and awareness of the body. People who are chronically stressed, they lose contact with their body and hence with reality in the condition of complete break down. The heightened tension and stress dramatically reduce the level of sensitivity and physical awareness. Christine Caldwell explains in her book ‘Getting baour bodies back’; “…tensing a muscle will, in the short run, increase sensation in that area. The nerves in the muscles get very active… giving the brain sensory feed back about the contraction. However, if the tension continues and become chronic, the nerve will tend to exhaust themselves and will only send sensory messages if there are large charges in the amount of tension. In other words, when tension becomes chronic our nervous system begins to ignore it and pay attention to other things.” Here in this case asanas can help to refocus the attention of the practitioner onto the present moment. And enabling him to be one with the body and start to relive the body. Asanas bring the body into the listening mode. Once the movement is initiated and rigid armoring is broken there is free movement of feeing and the breath. And as the two starts to flow together, the entire body becomes alive, the sensations are again triggered. As Caldwell says, “movement, sensation and breath are the offspring of aliveness/awareness. They can form the basis of curiosity, responsiveness, openness, and participation with life.”

Dimensions of healing through yoga (In the light of contemporary psychotherapies)

The dimensions of yoga therapy become quite vast and in fact, immeasurable when we look at the different aspects, principles and approaches. As far as the approach is concerned, it is preventive, curative and promotive in nature and treats the individual as a whole. Therefore it is a holistic system of cure. In the system of yoga therapy we find some important underlying principles, which guide the entire process of transformation or cure.
Yoga therapy is a systematic and individual oriented therapeutic process, which treats the individual as a whole and is not a disease oriented therapeutic methodology. The goal of the yoga therapy is to harmonize both the internal and the external environments of the individual, so that the growth and integration of the personality become possible.
Yoga is surely a system of psychotherapy, for its whole aim and purpose is to lead man from unhappiness and suffering to the state of lasting peace and harmony. In this pursuit yoga psychology has put forth many of the theories and methods now being rediscovered by modern psychology. All the different branches of yoga aim at establishing harmony at different levels of human functioning. In yoga, the body, energy, emotion and mind are considered as the different facets/ levels of human functioning and all the different practices/techniques available in different branches of yoga, aim to establish harmony at all these different levels.
In the entire process of yoga therapy the therapist works with the individual concerned, considering the limitations of the person in the mind. The therapist and the client work together to enable the training in self awareness and self regulation of the body, breath, diet habit patterns, emotions, attitudes, likings and disliking, unconscious processes, desires etc., in an integrated and efficient manner. If any area is left out the therapy is incomplete. The therapist ensures that the teaching of yoga is not restricted to the class room only but the individual makes an effort to change his perspective to the events of life. So the therapy actually works at all different dimensions of personality, from physical, energetic to deep emotional and psychic levels.
Whenever we deal with the term “psychotherapy”, we are dealing with a systematic methodological process based on well defined paradigms of psychology. The most classic definition of psychotherapy is ‘any intentional application of psychological techniques by a clinician to the end of effecting sought after personality or behavioral changes’. All systems of psychotherapy start from the fundamental assumption that human behaviour can be changed.
In the system of yoga therapy the practices are tailored in such a way that they suit the individual’s needs and bring about a change on the levels of one’s thinking, feelings, attitudes and behavioral patterns. There is a point of contrast also between these two systems of treatment. In psychotherapy the main concern of the therapist is the refinement of behavior, whereas in yoga, the aim is not only to refine the behavioral and thinking patterns, but also, to transform the consciousness. Yoga is the science of consciousness, therefore one of its aims is to transform and refine the individual consciousness. The different principles and theories found in the different systems of yoga, they all pursue the same goal i.e. the transformation of the human psyche or personality. Modern psychologists are for the most part unaware of yoga science as a systematic and comprehensive basic and applied psychology. However, if one studies both modern psychology and yoga psychology, one would find that many of the psychological processes described in modern psychology are strikingly similar to conceptions found in yoga texts dating back more than a thousand years. In yoga psychology one will find that there is a considerable integration of seemingly divergent principles expounded by the various systems of modern psychology. Yoga psychology has a balanced admixture of the principles of psychology and modern therapeutic systems which give a comprehensive understanding of the nature of human being and the different levels of human functioning.
The idea in the traditional yoga therapy is that the practices are adapted to suit the conditions of the individual to help them with suffering at the psycho emotional levels and it uses the various techniques to bring about the state of harmony at the different levels of the human functioning.

Objective of the study
The purpose of this theoretical work is to study the principles, techniques and the process of yoga therapy in the light of contemporary psychotherapeutic techniques/systems of psychology. Therefore, our aims will be:
1. To systematically present the underlying principles of yoga therapy; with special reference to the existing principles in the contemporary psychotherapies
2. To focus on the psychotherapeutic aspects of the various methods/techniques employed in yoga therapy

The Triune principle of Yogic Healing
The principle of holism. In the eastern medicine and therapy the individual is always perceived as a unified whole hence the whole philosophy and the science of treating a person becomes very much holistic and complete in itself. The underlying principles of yoga therapy are based on the assumption, “treat the individual not the disease”. In yoga therapy the therapist treats the person by paying considerable attention on the environments (internal as well as external) of the individual. We find the similar theme throughout the process of the Client centered and the Existentialistic approaches of the contemporary psychotherapy. In the above two systems, for example, the primary concern of the therapist is to look at the individual from the holistic perspective and try to understand the problems from his perspective so the individual and the level of functioning of the individual become the pivotal point in the process of treatment. The main role of the therapists here becomes to facilitate the right healthy environment around the individual, which provides the opportunities to the individual to flourish and grow. Therefore the aim of yoga therapy is not restricted alone to the cure or the treatment of the diseases but it focuses on the overall growth of the individual concerned. In modern psychology we do not seem to have a comprehensive theory and methodology which considers all of the facets of human functioning and explains their proper place in the total person. But in the ancient psychology of yoga, such a comprehensive approach exists. Modern psychology seems to divide the individual into different parts, each to be worked with by a different school. Thus each school or the approach is incomplete and partial. But in yoga, teachers have for ages tried to understand and treat the whole person. Neither behavior, the unconscious, interpersonal relations nor one’s emotional life is taken as the sole or primary target of intervention in leading the student towards growth. All are seen as important and are systematically dealt with.
Together these techniques become an integrated therapy to help the individual free himself from all those limitations.
The principle of purification
The eastern system of therapy presents a very interesting and positive way to look at the disease. For a yoga therapist disease is always an alien state and is imposed on the individual. The natural state of being in yoga is the state of health and harmony and is considered as the permanent or the eternal state of being. This is the essential state of being (swabhava). This state of being which is characterized by the state of perfect harmony, balance and bliss, is what desirable in yoga. Since the state of health of health is considered as the essential nature of the human being, it is always a possibility in yoga, when all the alien elements are eliminated. The state of purified being as pure consciousness is when obscured because of some impurities, the vicious cycle of suffering starts. This principle of purification runs like an undercurrent throughput the process of yoga therapy and is used while working with all the different techniques of yoga. The process of purification in yoga is the process of deconditioning/detoxification of the human personality. The various pollutants, found in various forms condition the self and the personality of the individual and yoga aims to dilute the level of conditionings which give rise to the notion of limited self and results in suffering. This state of purity is achieved at different levels, from gross (body) to the subtler levels (energy, emotions, feelings, attitude etc.), using appropriate techniques and methods of yoga.
The principle of relaxation. The principle of relaxation is in fact, another aspect of the principle of purification. The state of relaxation is the state of being. This is the state of harmony and unconditioned awareness, where the individual is in contact with one’s essential state of being. The state of relaxation is the result of purification. Relaxation, in broader sense, denotes “letting go of the tension that creates the illusion of the ego’s individuality and separateness”. Thus relaxation is not merely the relaxation of the body but also of the mind, our opinion, concern, hopes and attitudes. Whereas, in modern psychotherapeutic techniques the primary concern is to reinforce the ego of the person, which is considered as the centre of integration. On the contrary in yoga, letting go of ego is emphasized. The concept of letting go of the ego implies the meaning of transcending the notion of the limited self. Although, most western psychologists do not accept an experience that is beyond the ego or empirical self. Freudians have viewed any such phenomenon as regressive and psychotic. Jung emphatically denies the possibility of an experience without ego as the centre of consciousness. Indian literature on the contrary not only accepts the transcendence as a possibility but also consider it a life goal. In some western schools of psychology e.g. transpersonal psychology, this concept is accepted. As the name ‘transpersonal’ denotes that the transcending of the personality and its many aspects as one of the basic premises of this school. The practices of yoga attune one’s awareness to different levels of being through the process of relaxation. So, with the process of relaxation the range of conscious awareness increases.
Goals and strategies of psychotherapy
The goal of therapy has been put in terms of removing symptoms, restoring earlier levels of functioning, freeing the person to be self realizing( in Roger’s term, “a fully functioning person” and according to Gita, becoming a “sthita prajna personality”), helping the person find personal meaning and values or restructuring defenses and character. The behavioral transformation is the main concern of both eastern and the western therapists. The dissimilarity we may find in the approach to look at the problems. Mind in western therapy is considered as a clinical entity whereas in yoga it is used as a tool to actualize one’s essential state of being. In both systems of yoga and psychotherapy the following may be instrumental for a change or transformation of personality:
1. Insight: To increase awareness and understanding of how and why we act as we do is fundamental to many therapeutic approaches like Psychoanalysis, Analytical psychology, Gestaltism, Existentialism etc. In yoga therapy different tools are used to expand the range of awareness. Developing self understanding and knowledge is what aspired in yoga.
2. Correcting emotional experiences: There are different approaches to deal with the emotional experiences of the individual. To relive the traumatic experiences and to give a safe vent to the feelings are important features of the psychotherapeutic process.
3. Re-education: In both yoga and psychotherapy reeducation is emphasized. It is accomplished by replacing an infantile, pathologic or maladaptive attitude by more mature and healthier ones.
4. Growth: Successful therapy removes the obstacles to growth and permits the process of self actualization to continue.

Psychotherapeutic values of the yogic techniques
As it has already been mentioned that yoga is a system of psychotherapy. And the various tools which are employed in the yoga therapy are potentially capable to bring about a change in one’s thinking, feeling and behavior. Working with the body is an important aspect of the yoga therapy. Through the appropriate postures, breathing techniques, and purificatory practices, the therapist tries to transform the physical, mental, emotional and the energetic beings of the individual. Relaxation practices such as Yoga Nidra and other meditation practices help to release mental and the emotional tensions. It has been a well accepted fact nowadays that mind and the body are intimately interrelated. Therefore tension carried in the body is intimately related to emotional and mental tension. When one works on body through asanas, pranayama or shatkarma (a group of six bodily cleansing practices), one experiences that the long held tensions (both muscular and the emotional) are released from the body and the feeling of ease and comfort developing from inside. As one learns to become more aware of the experiences of his body while doing the yogic practices, he becomes increasingly aware or sensitive to the body’s tensions and its dis-ease. He experiences the states of physical, mental and the emotional well being.