Yoga Psychology: A Handbook of Yogic Psychotherapy

Book Detail

• Author: Ganesh, Shankar Giri
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of Pages: 224
• Edition: 1
• Release Date: 01-07-2013
• EAN: 9788124607114
• Package Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.7 x 1.5 inches
• Languages: English

Description:
Yoga psychology is both a positive and normative science. It goes beyond analyzing human personality and growth, setting normative ideals and offering techniques to achieve these goals. The main objectives of yoga psychology are expanding consciousness and mastering the mind. This concept aligns with Freud’s topological view of the mind, which divides it into conscious, subconscious, and unconscious levels, yet yogic literature had already detailed these ideas thousands of years ago.

The book explains how practicing yoga leads to a disease-free body and a sharp intellect. It highlights the broader scope of consciousness in yoga, with specific meditation procedures designed to awaken the kundalini and attain psychic consciousness. Homeostasis, or balance, is a central principle of yoga psychology. Imbalances in the physical, psychological, or pranic systems lead to disorders, and yoga seeks to restore balance.

The text outlines yogic psychotherapies, such as prayer (prarthana), mantra sadhana, spiritual counseling, pranayama, yajna, sankirtana, self-study (svadhyaya), and vow observance (vrata anushthana). These practices are presented as effective remedies for both individual and social issues. Ultimately, the volume asserts that yoga psychology is an applied science, with practical benefits in developing personality traits, maintaining happiness, and achieving a blissful life.