Classical Yoga Therapy

By Dr. Marc Halpern

Yoga is an extraordinary and beautiful system of philosophy and practice that leads a person to the highest summit of inner peace. Call it Self- realization, samādhi, or enlightenment, this is the promise of Yoga. On the journey to Self-realization, the practitioner benefits not only from growing inner peace but also physical and emotional well-

• Language: English
• Publisher: California College of Ayurveda
• Release date: May 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798218226381

Book preview

Published by

California College of Āyurveda

First Edition, © 2022 Dr. Marc Halpern

ISBN: 979-8-2182263-8-1 (e-book)

Forwards

Foreword to Classical Yoga Therapy By: Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri)

The connection between Yoga and Ayurveda is relatively new in the West, though it has a long history in India. It is part of the new emphasis on Yoga Therapy for which the classical term Yoga chikitsa (treatment) is often used. However, we must note that traditional Yoga looked at body and prana (life energy), through the lens of Ayurveda. Yoga chikitsa was part of Ayurveda. This we can see very clearly by comparing Yoga texts like Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Ayurvedic texts like Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita.

The definition of Yoga is samadhi extending to Self-realization (kaivalya). This occurs through sadhana (practices), granting special higher powers of mind and prana. This is referred to as vibhuti,i or expanded power due to transformation. These are the four sections or padas of the Yoga Sutras: Samadhi Pada, Sadhana Pada, Vibhuti Pada and Kaivalya Pada. Note that the term chikitsa does not occur in this context of Yoga definitions or prime aspects, nor does the term Yoga chikitsa occur in Yoga Sutras or Bhagavad Gita, the main Yoga shastras (treatise). Classical Yoga is essentially a sadhana (practice) tradition, with sadhana, an inner awareness practice embracing body, prana, mind and consciousness as its main focus.

However, in Ayurvedic texts, chikitsa is a common term both in the teachings and the chapters or prime topics mentioned. It rests upon a specific nidana (diagnosis). There is, therefore, no traditional Yoga chikitsa or Yoga nidana apart from Ayurveda. Both are based upon the Vedic view of the universe, body and mind, as in samkhya and vedanta with the 24 tattvas (principles) of prakriti (primordial nature) rooted in the five elements, and its understanding of mind, consciousness, atman (soul) and purusha (divine essence). Their concerns extend to the subtle body and its chakras (energy centers), nadis (energy channels) and subtle pranic forces which are beyond the physical.

Yoga in Ayurveda: Ancient Roots

Yoga in traditional Ayurvedic texts mainly refers to purification of the mind (chitta shuddhi), starting with the yamas (external disciplines) and niyamas (internal disciplines), the first two of the eight limbs of Yoga, which delineate the main principles of mental health and social harmony. The yogic theory of suffering or the five kleshas (afflictions) beginning with ignorance or lack of Self-knowledge is a psychological approach, healing our mind and consciousness.

Ayurveda specifically employs Yoga as part of its psychological therapy or sattvavajaya (strength of mind), emphasizing increasing sattva guna (the quality of clarity), for sustaining a calm mind, and removing the gunas (qualities) of rajas (turbulence) and tamas (dullness), which results in suffering.

This means that the classical ayurvedic application of Yoga is mainly psychological and behavioral, connected to Karma Yoga (Yoga of selfless action), which traditionally refers to dharmic (righteous) living, as well as to Bhakti Yoga (devotion) and Jnana Yoga (knowledge) as internal factors of awareness and higher consciousness, specifically turning the buddhi (higher mind) inwardly through discrimination and detachment (viveka and vairagya). It is specifically allied with rejuvenation of the mind (medhya rasayana), something we all need today in our high-tech lifestyles.

Traditional Ayurveda did employ asana for health of the body and places much emphasis on pranayama (breathing practices) for purifying both body and mind, but should be viewed in this broader psychological context. Even asana has a psychological implication. The five pranas (movement of life energy) of Yoga and their imbalances are explicitly explained in the five forms of vayu or vata dosha which are the same as these five pranas and are key factors of health and disease for body and mind.

Ayurveda defines the two principle causes of disease as first, prajnaparadha or lack of experiential wisdom or wrong use of the mind, specifically the distortions caused by the ego, and second as the wrong use of the sense and motor organs, which are mental and pranic factors in how we live and act.

Dr. Marc Halpern

Dr. Marc Halpern (Dr. Siva) is a well trained and experienced teacher and practitioner of both Ayurveda and Yoga with an in-depth knowledge of both traditions. He knows their nuances in both their classical and modern forms and has an extensive clinical background. As the director of the California College of Ayurveda, which he established in 1995, his work with students relative to Yoga and Ayurveda provides him numerous practical insights in these teachings and how to apply them relative to society and the health challenges that are faced today.

Dr. Halpern has a long history of studying and teaching Ayurveda at various Yoga centers, most notably the Sivananda Yoga organization, but also many others. His knowledge of the Yoga community and what is taught as Yoga today, is detailed. His ability to correlate Yoga and Ayurveda is one of the most substantial in the West.

In his monumental book Classical Yoga Therapy, he goes over the main texts of Yoga going back to the ancient times of the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras, extending to the Shaivite tradition that is steeped in classical Yoga, and addresses modern variations and developments. Notably he explains the philosophy and psychology of Yoga as well as its Ayurvedic connection. In this way the book provides an extensive overview of the broader tradition and classical foundations of Yoga and Ayurveda and makes them relevant to today’s modern practice.

The book is a veritable textbook of Yoga and Ayurveda that has been carefully researched. It is deeply rooted in the classical tradition while incorporating necessary adaptations to our changing high-tech world, and its new challenges. The book is an excellent reference guide for all students and practitioners of Yoga and Ayurveda, with its organized and systematic presentation of these vast and profound topics, along with their practical applications, including how Yoga and Ayurveda view health and disease in body and mind, and their specific terminologies to understand them placed in easy-to-understand tables and comparisons.

Need for a New Yoga Therapy Rooted in Ayurveda

We need a new Yoga Therapy rooted in both classical Ayurveda and Yoga. I addressed this in 1999 in my book Yoga and Ayurveda: Self-Healing and Self-realization. We similarly need to give more emphasis to the profound psychological teachings of Ayurveda, which I addressed in my 1997 book Ayurveda and the Mind. It is particularly important today when there are so many complicated psychological and behavioral problems in the world that medicine has to deal with but does not have the deeper understanding of mind and prana, as we have in Yoga and Ayurveda.

It is important to note that Yoga and Ayurveda are being widely correlated anew in India and in the worldwide Yoga and Ayurveda movement, which continues to grow and expand. The psychological dimension of Yoga and Ayurveda is receiving a new emphasis through the support of the Ministry of AYUSH in India, which is doing much study and research in this area, including relative to behaviorally based diseases like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, as well as psychological issues like anxiety and depression.

We hope that serious students and teachers of both Yoga and Ayurveda study Dr. Halpern's many layered textbooks in detail and take up the practices it recommends for the health and wellbeing of body and mind, and for the sadhana to develop a higher consciousness that is the highest wellbeing.

Dr. David Frawley D. Litt. SVYASA (Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana) Padma Bhushan Recipient, govt. of India (2015). Dr. Frawley is the author of numerous books on Ayurveada, Yoga and Vedic Astrology and has been one of the most influential teachers on Dr. Halpern’s journey into Yoga and Ayurveda.

Foreword to Classical Yoga Therapy By: Swami Swaroopananda

Om Namah Sivaya!

Classical Yoga is more than the experience most students have in modern yoga studios. Classical Yoga is a deep, personal journey into lifestyle, ethics, behavior, and spiritual practice. It is a tradition that has been handed down from teacher to student (guru-shishya tradition) for thousands of years. Through the careful guidance of the teacher, the student gradually grows, expands their consciousness, and attains the goal of Self-realization – the awareness of their true spiritual nature.

Ayurveda is the classical healing tradition of Yoga. Ayurveda grows from the same roots as Yoga. When the yogi gets sick, the classical methods of treatment come from Ayurveda. Ayurveda is more than a system of medicine; it provides an understanding of why a person becomes ill in the first place. In this way, Ayurveda provides guidance to the student on how to avoid becoming sick. Ayurveda is both a preventative and curative form of medicine and is one of the best sciences of healing in the world. It addresses the well-being of the body, mind, and spirit in great detail. The student of Yoga benefits from the knowledge of Ayurveda. The student of Ayurveda benefits from the knowledge of Yoga. When the student of Yoga follows Ayurvedic practices, they prevent sickness and are thus able to focus on their spiritual work. When the student of Ayurveda practices Yoga, they attain their highest state of awareness. The Self-realized person is best able to maintain health and well-being.

Yoga is becoming known in modern society, not only as a system of attaining Self-realization, but as a system of healing. This interesting development has a foundation in the classical texts of Hatha Yoga which recognize that the practices of Yoga support maintaining health. The texts are filled with references to the Ayurvedic understanding of health.

Healing is more than simple practices to keep the body well. It requires peace of mind. Peace of mind requires higher awareness. When the knowledge of ayurveda and yoga are both understood and practiced, the practitioner has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Dr. Marc Halpern (Dr. Siva) is uniquely qualified to bring this subject into modern awareness. I have known him for nearly 30 years, as a student of Yoga and a practitioner of Ayurveda. Most importantly, he has demonstrated his commitment to both sciences through study, practice, and teaching. He stands among the modern-day experts in the field. This text, which has taken him years to write, is an important contribution to the canon of classical yogic knowledge and its role in healing. Through bringing together the knowledge of six important classical texts, he provides the reader, the student, the opportunity to gain a deep appreciation of the true knowledge of Yoga, especially as it applies to healing.

Our guru (teacher) is Swami Vishnudevananda (1927-1993). He was a direct disciple of Swami Sivananda (1887 – 1963) and shared his teachings. Swami Sivananda was a renowned yogi whose teachings have influenced many lineages. He is our Param Guru (the Guru of our Guru). The true understanding of Yoga comes through the grace of the guru.

Swami Vishnudevananda taught that health is wealth, peace of mind is happiness, and yoga shows the way. Dr. Marc Halpern’s textbook on Classical Yoga demonstrates this beautifully.

Hari Om Tat Sat,

Swami Swaroopananda

Swami Swaroopananda is the spiritual director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat and acharya (senior teacher) for Sivananda centers in the Bahamas and Middle East. A direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda, he has dedicated his life to the practice and teaching of Yoga. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers worldwide.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CLASSICAL YOGA THERAPY

FOREWORD TO CLASSICAL YOGA THERAPY BY: DR. DAVID FRAWLEY (PANDIT VAMADEVA SHASTRI)

Yoga in Ayurveda: Ancient Roots

Dr. Marc Halpern

Need for a New Yoga Therapy Rooted in Ayurveda

FOREWORD TO CLASSICAL YOGA THERAPY BY: SWAMI SWAROOPANANDA

About This Text

My Yogic Journey

SECTION I: INTRODUCTION

Wholeness and Healing

The Yogic Journey

A Brief Overview of Yoga and Disagreements Between Teachers

The Many Paths of Yoga

Disease and Healing in Yoga: Self-Realization, Samādhi and Health

SECTION II: THE CLASSICAL TEXTS

An Overview of the Classical Texts

Text Chronology

Bhagavad Gīta

The Yoga Suūtras of Patañjali

Haṭhayoga Pradīpikā

Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

Gorakṣa Saṃhitā

Śivā Saṃhitā

The Āyurvedic Texts

SECTION III: YOGA PHILOSOPHY

Important Philosophical Concepts in Yoga

Karma

The Four Types of Action

Karmayoga

Duality

Dharma

Peace of Mind

God in Yoga and Āyurveda

Death In Yoga

The Obstacles to Success and How to Overcome Them

The Seen and the Seer: What is Real?

Yāmas and Niyamas: An Introduction

The Guru

How to Recognize an Enlightened Master

Renunciation in Yoga

Living Yoga in a Tumultuous World

SECTION IV: MANTRAYOGA AND HEALING

Types of Mantras

SECTION V: SUBTLE ENERGETIC ANATOMY AND OUR HEALTH

The Five Vāyus

The Five Vāyus and the Three Doṣas

The Mahāguṇas

Nāḍīs

Suṣumnā Nāḍī

Piṅgala Nāḍī

Iḍā Nāḍī

Summary of Flow Through the Three Nāḍī

Additional Nāḍī

Mental Health and the Three Nāḍī

The Sapta Cakras (The Seven Cakras)

The Cakras

Kuṇḍalinī in Haṭhayoga Traditions

The Five Kośas (Pañcamaya Kośas)

Summary of the Five Kośas

The Subtle Energies: Prāṇa – Tejas – Ojas

SECTION VI: PREPARATION FOR HAṬHAYOGA

Preparatory Lifestyle

Diet and Lifestyle

Purification (The Ṣaṭ Kriyās)

Dhauti

Basti

Netī

Naulī

Trāṭaka

Kapālabhātī (Bhalabhātī)

SECTION VII: THE PRACTICES

Mudrās and Bandhas

Mudrās

Bandhas

Types of Bandhas

The Practices of Rājayoga

The Yāmas and the Healing Path

The Niyamas: Health and Disease

Summary

Āsana, Health and Disease

Āsana Chikitsa: Āsana as Medicine

Āsanas and Cakras

Āsana and the Five Vāyus

The Mahāguṇas and Āsana

The Mahāguṇas in Āsana Practice

Key Body Parts and Body Energy

Key Positions and Body Energy

Beyond Body Position: Four Additional Factors Influencing Energetics

Yoga Āsana Shakti A Compendium of Asanas and their Energetics

Seated Asanas for Meditation

Seated Asanas Not Associated with Meditation

Prone Poses

Inversion Poses

Supine Poses

Standing Poses

Balancing Poses

Warm-up Poses

Prāṇāyāma Shakti

Control of Prāṇa

Prāṇāyāma Basics

Types of Prāṇāyāmas

Pratyāhāra Śakti

Pratyāhāra Practice

Saṃyama

Dhāraṇā and Dhyāna: The Practice of Meditation

General Meditations

Cakra Meditations

Gross, Luminous and Subtle Meditation

Saguṇa and Nirguṇa Dhyāna: Meditation with and without Attributes

Saguṇa Practice

Nirguna Practice

SECTION VIII: SAMAūDHI, THE FRUIT OF YOGA

Samādhi and Prāṇa

Six Stages of Samādhi in the Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā

Samādhi in the Gorakṣa Saṃhitā

SECTION IX: CONCLUDING REMARKS

APPENDIX I

SAṂSKṚTA PRONUNCIATION

Introduction

Rules of Saṃskṛta

Integrating Saṃskṛta Into an English Text

Pronunciation

Plurality

Are You Seeking Deeper Study?

SECTION ON PRONUNCIATION AND DIACRITICAL MARKS

Section I: Major Diacritical Marks

Section II: Essential Terms

Section III: Pronunciation of the 13 Vowel Sounds

Section IV: Pronunciation of Consonants: Saṃskṛta has 33 consonants

Pronunciation Based Tongue Position Starting at the Back of the Throat / Oral Cavity and Coming Forward Toward the Lips.

Section V: Semivowels

Section VI: The Final Consonant

SECTION VII: SPECIAL SOUNDS

Visarga: (ḥ), Anusvāra: (ṃ), and the two conjuncts: (kṣ) and (jñ)

Conjuncts

SECTION VIII: WORDS THAT END IN THE LETTER A

RESOURCES

Preface

About This Text

Yoga is an extraordinary and beautiful system of philosophy and practice that leads a person to the highest summit of inner peace. Call it Self- realization, samādhi, or enlightenment, this is the promise of Yoga. On the journey to Self-realization, the practitioner benefits not only from growing inner peace but also physical and emotional well-being. Hence, Yoga is more than a system of philosophical and spiritual practice, it is a form of therapy that can restore health and wholeness to body, mind, and consciousness.

Yoga is the psycho-spiritual side of Āyurveda. Āyurveda is the healing side of Yoga. Trying to separate these two from each other is an impossible task. Āyurveda exists within the framework of Yoga. In the classical texts of Yoga, healing is described utilizing the āyurvedic language of the three doṣas. In the classical āyurvedic texts healing the mind is described utilizing the yogic language of the mahāguṇas. To understand either science in its entirety requires an understanding of both. Yoga and Āyurveda do not exist independent of each other. They never have. They are entirely intertwined. They are based on the same understanding of the cause of suffering and disease. However, each system brings unique approaches to healing, body, mind, and consciousness. Together, they provide the guidance necessary to maximize the potential for healing and bring about sustainable well-being. Both sciences not only treat the symptoms of disease but also their deepest causes.

In Classical Yoga Therapy, it is my intention to weave together the knowledge and wisdom of six great Yoga texts: The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, Bhagavad Gīta, Haṭhayoga Pradīpikā, Śivā Saṃhitā, Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, and Gorakṣa Saṃhitā. In doing so, I hope to provide a more complete and well-rounded view of Yoga principles and practices, especially as they relate to healing. I must also acknowledge that there are many other texts of Yoga that were not used for this text. Hence, this text should not be seen as definitive, nor viewed as a complete text, on the entirety of yogic knowledge. In fact, the knowledge of Yoga is intertwined with knowledge found in other systems of Indian philosophy, particularly Vedānta. The major texts of Vedānta, such as the Upaniṣads, were not utilized for this writing. The texts that were utilized include the most important texts of both Hatha and Rājayoga and are supplemented by the Bhagavad Gīta, a text that integrates the knowledge of Yoga and Vedānta.

Writing this text is not a task that I have taken lightly. To delve into the knowledge of Yoga is to enter a minefield of opinions from the many accomplished yogis who study and practice. This is because Yoga is more than any text can begin to describe. Yoga is even more than all texts combined can describe. Yoga is beyond words. Yoga touches on the highest Truths that the human language is ill-equipped to address. Hence, the most any writer/teacher can do is inspire the student to realize the highest Truths within their own heart. If my words participate in inspiring your journey, then I believe I am fulfilling my dharma.

The knowledge of Yoga as written in the classical texts utilizes the language of Saṃskṛta. These texts were written in some cases hundreds, and in others, thousands of years ago. With the passage of time also comes the transformation of culture and even the evolution of language. Hence, it can be difficult to fully understand what ancient writers are trying to say. Even great scholars of Saṃskṛta disagree on the meaning of words. Sometimes translations can be quite divergent, significantly altering the meaning of a śloka (statement). At other times differences in translation can round out or broaden one’s understanding.

Differences in translation exist because a single Saṃskṛta word often has more than one meaning. How a sentence is structured, and the tense of a word used provide clues to the intended meaning. However, it is rarely straight forward. When choosing an English word in translation, there are many synonyms that could be chosen, each slightly altering the meaning of a śloka (statement) in the text. To add another layer of complexity, a translation, and the discussion of its meaning, can only go as deep as the as the translator/commentator has gone within. In other words, the true meaning of a śloka appears to change as the student goes deeper within themself. New insights develop as the heart opens and the mind expands. Hence, only a completely Self-realized person can understand the totality of the teachings of Yoga. That person has gone beyond the meaning of words.

Where translations between sources vary significantly, I have done my own translations. In writing this text, I have filtered the meaning of the various sūtras and ślokas through the lens of my own experience as a Yogi practicing, studying, and teaching for more than 30 years. There is no way for any writer to do otherwise. Hence, the words I choose and the understandings that I have arrived at should be taken as my own, but not taken as the final word on the topic. Others may question or challenge my words, translations and understanding based on their own journey and insights. This is natural and to be encouraged.

My approach to going through the six texts utilized for this book was to choose several versions of each text. In this way I could compare translations and interpretations. After several versions of one text was reviewed, I moved on to the next. On any topic multiple texts were used as resources. Whenever possible, I have tied my understanding of a particular concept to a specific text and śloka or sūtra. This way, the scholarly reader who is surprised by a concept or interpretation can go to the source material and interpret it for themselves. Rest assured, I take no offense to alternative interpretations recognizing the value of each person’s insights.

This book is an amalgamation of all six texts but is not a direct translation of any single text. There already exist direct translations of each text in a śloka by śloka or sūtra by sūtra manner. Instead, this text is written in a manner that explores important concepts and how they related to healing body, mind, and consciousness. Multiple texts inform each topic that I cover. My intention is to bring this knowledge into the context of the current time and the culture of the West.

Perhaps most importantly, this text is intended to provide the modern yogi with a resource so that they can know what was said about each yogic concept from a classical perspective. Modern teachers, depending upon the depth of their training and insight, explore deeply important concepts but rarely reference their source. Their students have no way of knowing what is classically based and what is entirely interpretive. This textbook should help. It should be noted that there is nothing wrong with interpretive knowledge. Vedic knowledge always has, and always will, be interpreted through the mind of the teacher. This is unavoidable. Herein lies the real differences between teachers.

This text, while containing extensive classical references, also includes sections where my knowledge and understanding go beyond the six texts utilized. These sections are interpretive. The knowledge that is expressed in these sections is drawn from the totality of my training in both Yoga and Āyurveda, and perhaps most importantly, my practice and experience.

My Yogic Journey

My search for inner peace and healing began as a child. Almost as soon as I could perceive the world, I perceived the struggle each person appeared to be engaged in. A part of me could witness the pain of their struggle. Another part of me felt their pain. Of course, I could not understand it. I could only be present with it and pursue a path that might help me to avoid a similar struggle. Unfortunately, we can’t avoid the struggle. It is in many ways the reason why we are here. We are here to learn and grow through our struggles. Our struggles are our teachers reflecting the work we still need to do.

Each of us, in our own way, are learning to love more deeply and to allow love in more deeply. This learning parallels the expansion of our awareness. Along my journey I explored many traditions and philosophies including that of my Jewish upbringing. In my 20’s I began to explore alternative traditions including those of the Native Americans, and a variety of New Age philosophies. However, it was only when I began to study Āyurveda and Yoga at the age of 29 that it all started to come together. Now, as I’ve entered my 60’s, I can look back on my journey and imagine what lies ahead.

My journey into Āyurveda and Yoga began as an effort to heal myself but quickly became much more than that. It became a training ground to help others along their journey. It was also more than an intellectual exercise, it was a dharmic journey – a journey in which I allowed the Divine to move through me. My real work was to surrender and get out of the way. When I did that, I allowed the Divine to play me like an instrument. There is a beautiful image of Lord Kṛṣṇa playing the flute. The flute represents the body. Kṛṣṇa represents the Divine. The breath of Kṛṣṇa is life (prāṇa). Kṛṣṇa is blowing life (prāṇa) through the body of the instrument. When there are no obstructions, the music created is that of beauty and grace. Likewise, when we get out of the way, the Divine plays us like an instrument and beautiful music flows through us creating beauty in the world. This is grace.

It has certainly not been easy to get out of the way. It is a day-to-day process of remembering, a day-to-day process of surrender. (For more on my personal journey see the book Healing Your Life: Lessons on the Path of Āyurveda).

My work is most well-known in the field of Āyurveda. Doing my part to build an āyurvedic profession has been an important part of my dharma. I’ve served this dharma through the development of the California College of Āyurveda, writing five textbooks, and helping to create many professional associations. My work in Yoga is known mainly within the Śivānanda Yoga community where my spiritual roots grow deep. The writings of Svāmī Śivānanda speak to my heart and have illuminated my mind. In addition, the time I’ve spent in their various ashrams has inspired me deeply. I’ve been touched by their care, their love, their kindness, their generosity, and their commitment to the ideals of Yoga.

No text I write could be complete without thanking my most important mentor, Dr. David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastra), whose teachings in Āyurveda and Yoga have deeply inspired me, and a generation of Āyurveda and Yoga practitioners. Our journey together began in 1991, and he’s provided tremendous support along my journey ever since. This textbook is infused with information and inspiration that would not be possible without him.

May this text provide both guidance and insight for those who are seeking the highest summit of Yoga. There, on the top of the mountain you will find optimum health and peace of mind.

Oṃ Shanti

Dr. Marc Halpern AyD; D

Section I: Introduction

Wholeness and Healing

Yoga is a Saṃskṛta word that means unite or connect. This refers to the reunification of the individual self with the greater whole. The English word healing also means to make whole. Hence, it should come as no surprise that Yoga and healing are intimately connected. Suffering is the experience of not experiencing wholeness. Some suffer physically, others emotionally, and still others experience existential suffering.

Physical suffering is the pain experienced when a part of the body is breaking down. This happens when physiology has been disturbed. Some physiological disturbances occur suddenly. Others develop over time. In medicine, disturbed physiology is called pathophysiology, and this describes the physiology of injury or disease.

Emotional suffering is experienced when the mind is not satisfied or at peace. Dissatisfaction results in disturbing thoughts and emotions. Dissatisfaction is so common that it is considered somewhat normal. We often mistake what is extremely common for being normal. However, it is not normal to experience dissatisfaction. If it were, then feeling satisfied would be abnormal. Every person has the potential to feel satisfied and at peace.

When a person is dissatisfied or unhappy, the mind looks around for reasons to explain why it does not feel well. The tendency is for the mind to look for external reasons. A person says to themselves; I’m unhappy because I’m not making enough money. I’m unhappy because the world is a mess. I’m unhappy because the roof in my ceiling is leaking. Yoga teaches that to change our state of mind, the yogi must look within. We cannot easily change the external environment. Even when we can fix one thing, something else soon becomes a problem. Something is always wrong. A person who ties their happiness to external perfection will never be happy. However, we do have the ability to change the way we see external events, and this causes us to feel differently. Yoga offers a different world view, one that turns awareness within and leads to peace of mind.

Chronic and severe mental disturbances are referred to as mental illness. All thoughts and feelings have a biochemical basis. In Western medicine mental illness is viewed to be the result of a biochemical imbalance. The cure in Western medicine is to change physiology via the use of drugs. In Yoga, physiology is changed by shifting one’s world view. The origin of physiology is consciousness/awareness. As we begin to see ourselves and the world around us differently, physiology is transformed. Because consciousness determines the physiology of the brain/mind, a genuine shift in awareness creates a permanent change in physiology. Short term shifts in physiology are also possible utilizing yogic techniques. Yoga practices can immediately shift how we feel and set the stage for a shift in awareness. The best results are found through both the study of yogic philosophy and the practices of Yoga.

Existential suffering is experienced by the mind. However, its origin is much deeper than the ordinary mind. It is subconscious – below the surface of the mind. It is here that the knowledge of Yoga and Āyurveda are most profound. Both sciences understand that the primordial cause of all suffering is the experience of separation from the whole. The whole is everything that exists and even that which does not! The whole is the Divine. Suffering occurs as soon as we forget our spiritual nature and connection. It is the spirit (soul) that connects everything together. Unfortunately, most people experience a deep feeling of separation, and we refer to this as individuality. The more we see ourselves as individuals, separated from one another, the greater our feelings of isolation become. Life becomes more and more about me and mine. This selfish way of living compels a person to act in ways that are disharmonious, often causing harm to themselves or others in the process.

For the most part, everyone suffers to some degree on the existential level. There is no escaping it. However, there are ways to shift our experience from individuality to wholeness or one-ness and in doing so reduce our suffering. This is the path of Yoga and Āyurveda. The focus of Āyurveda is on the alleviation of physical and mental suffering. The focus of Yoga is on the alleviation of existential suffering. However, they are not separate paths. In Yoga and Āyurveda, it is understood that body, mind, and consciousness are interwoven. One part of us cannot be affected without it affecting the other aspects of who we are. Āyurvedic methods, while focused on the body, help a person to remember their true nature as spirit. Yogic practices, while healing our separation from the whole, help to restore balance to the body, and bring peace to the mind.

Yoga and Āyurveda are really intertwined. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Haṭhayoga texts which utilize the language of Āyurveda to understand how Yoga influences the physiology of the body and mind. The Haṭhayoga texts are the foundation of Classical Yoga Therapy.

Modern Yoga Therapy is a relatively new concept that attempts to blend the understanding of Yoga with an understanding of Western physiology and psychology. Modern Yoga Therapy offers the opportunity to perform Western style research studies on Yoga practices. This is important work to be done. It makes the knowledge of Yoga more accessible to the Western mind. However, not all that is known in classical Yoga can be understood through Western science. This is because classical yogic knowledge is often very subtle and difficult to study utilizing Western models. As a result, classical yogic knowledge will always be more advanced than the Western understanding of it.

Classical Yoga Therapy is the understanding of how practicing Yoga influences the three doṣas (physiological forces), seven dhātus (tissues), the subtle energies of prāṇa, tejas, ojas, and the physiological concepts of agni (digestive power) and āma (toxicity). Whenever Yoga is discussed as a traditional healing art, it is really a discussion of Āyurveda. Though Yoga emphasizes the subtlest aspects of physiology such as the flow of prāṇa through the nāḍīs and cakras, when this knowledge is utilized for healing, it is Āyurveda. When it is utilized for Self-realization, it is Yoga.

The argument about what is Āyurveda, and what is Yoga, is also a modern argument brought about by those who don’t fully understand both sciences. Traditionally, it was very simple. Āyurveda is the science of healing. Yoga is the science of Self-realization. It’s that simple. The separation of these two sciences in the minds of modern practitioners has created this argument. Here again we see how separation is the source of disturbance. Only through restoring wholeness or re-integrating Yoga and Āyurveda can both sciences be fully understood in their proper context.

The Yogic Journey

The texts of Yoga and Āyurveda guide us toward the two most basic and important goals that most people share. One is the attainment of optimal health. The other is the attainment of peace of mind. Toward this end there is little argument that the knowledge, properly applied, delivers on this promise. However, the nature of the path is more easily understood by the intellect than it is applied in practice. This is because the ego is strong. The ego maintains control over the intellect and our senses. It controls the choices we make through attaching to both. This leads to the excessive pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of discomfort. Hence, the Yogi often fails on their path due to over-eating, over-exertion, excessive observances of inappropriate disciplines, promiscuity, and inconsistency.¹ These actions sabotage even the most well-meaning yogi. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, When the senses touch objects, the pleasure experienced is like a womb that bears sorrow.² Hence the yogi strives to become the master of their senses. This means to transcend the ego.

To succeed on the path takes great commitment and effort. This commitment leads the yogi to make difficult choices. To succeed, the yogi must let go of their attachment to everything and anyone that is a distraction. To be clear, this does not mean rejecting and isolating oneself from their family or friends. It means letting go of the attachment to those individuals. Letting go of these attachments is a form of renunciation. On occasion, when the attachments are too strong or when relationships are too dysfunctional, physical separation from those individuals may be necessary. The yogi renounces all that distracts them from the path.³

A Brief Overview of Yoga and Disagreements Between Teachers

In the Yoga Suūtras, Yoga is defined simply as the eradication of the disturbances of the mind.⁴ These disturbances are the source of separation. In the Gīta, Kṛṣṇa explains that A person is called a yogi when the mind is controlled, and a person becomes indifferent from all objects.⁶ A quiet mind reveals the interconnectedness of all that exists and how we are ultimately connected to the Divine. The objects that are referred to in the Gīta are all individual creations, living or otherwise. All are perceived without judgment or attachment. When this occurs, the mind is not disturbed, and the Divine is seen in all of them.

Kṛṣṇa goes on to say that you may know the definition of Yoga as that which ends the connection to suffering.⁶ Here we see a direct reference to Yoga as therapy. Suffering is a mental experience born of separation, that results in the mind making judgements about what it perceives as good and bad, right and wrong.

There are different paths of Yoga. This alone is important because there is no one right path. Just as many roads may lead to the same destination, here too, each path of Yoga leads to reunification with the whole. Hence, a person may follow one path and travel far along that road. A person may also change paths at any time. And finally, a person may blend many paths, picking and choosing the combination of tools they are drawn to. Svāmī Śivānanda referred to this as the Synthesis of Yoga. In fact, the most highly revered teachers of Yoga from India or anywhere in the world, mix and match practices and tools to develop their own style of teaching. Such has been the case for thousands of years. The tools and teachings of these yogis extend even beyond what is commonly considered to be Yoga. Teachers typically draw from other Vedic sciences and philosophies. Yoga is just one Vedic philosophy. Other philosophies include Vedānta, Saṅkhyā, Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, and Mīmāṃsā. Often these philosophies agree, other times they complement each other, and still other times they disagree. Hence, great masters have disagreed with each other throughout history. It should come as no surprise then that even the most highly adept modern-day teachers of Yoga may also disagree with each other.

The Many Paths of Yoga

Four major paths of Yoga are commonly discussed. These are karmayoga, bhaktiyoga, jñānayoga, and rājayoga. To some degree, all of these are explored in the Bhagavad Gīta. However, in the Śivā Saṃhitā, an important text on Haṭhayoga, the four paths mentioned are mantrayoga, layayoga, Haṭhayoga and rājayoga.⁷ Yoga teachers often blend aspects of each path in their approach to Yoga. Each of these paths will now be briefly explained. Later in the text, more detail will be given.

Karmayoga

Karmayoga is the Yoga of action. Along this path, the yogi learns to act selflessly. In this manner, action becomes a service. Though the yogi asks nothing in return, the yogi receives everything they need. This works like a cosmic law and is similar to the Christian teaching as you give, so shall you receive (Luke 6:38). Hence, the yogi must serve without expectation and have faith that they will be provided for. This manner of action is free of ego or selfishness and helps the yogi to realize the higher Self. This is their divine nature. Through taking only actions that are inspired by the Divine Self (ātman) rather than the ego self (ahaṅkāra), the yogi’s actions are free of karma. A person who has exhausted all karma, has earned no new karma, achieves the highest