Yoga and Psychotherapy: The Evolution of Consciousness

I love yoga philosophy and this book was an eye opener from the start. Several times I would have to set the book and soak up the information as it was coming in. The book is written with lot's of scientific references (albeit aged ones at this day and age) in every chapter when data or facts are presented. I have highlighted and underlined on so many pages in this book and keep coming back to it for reference. I give it only four stars because the last section on the chakras was somewhat one sided as it viewed them from a deficiency standpoint and didn't offer a healthy perspective. But amazing book regardless.

I have read many books concerning eastern and western philosophy, psychology, psychiatry, and religion. 'Yoga and Psychotherapy' ranks among the best. This book describes the human psyche from the perspective of Indian thinkers and Western thinkers. An especially fascinating section of the book is a detailed description of the chakra system. Also, there is a discussion of how Western psychiatrists, and their psychiatric systems, typically correspond to one specific chakra level. This book deeply touched my heart, mind, and soul. I have also purchased other Swami Rama and Swami Ajaya books. The ones that I have read so far, including 'Living With the Himalayan Masters', are excellent. Definitely, obtain and read this book. It is consciousness raising.

I've bought this book as an Iyengar yoga student and an art therapist, interested in aproximate the views I've already studied in psychology and the wonderful things I'm living in yoga. The book is great! It's very clear and deep at the same time. We can find a critical point of view of the limitations of psychological approaches if compared with the ancient knowledge of yoga.I really reccomend the book.

A highly insightful discussion of the relationship between the two. A pleasure to read and essential for any psychotherapist interested in more than 'the surface'.

It's easy to get overwhelmed in the study of the structure of consciousness. We can start with the symbolic and highly poetic images from the Bhagavad Gita and Rumi. We can plunge into the esoteric, nearly impenetrable treatises on the arcane aspects of yoga and meditation with all the chakras and sheaths and such. We can lose ourselves in the wealth of western psychological advice about self-actualization, avoiding neurotic behavior, and disciplining our self-talk. We can vicariously sit in on those immensely profound conversations with Krishnamurti, trying to learn from his cool, intellectual analysis of the real and the unreal. But the question remains. How can these wildly divergent sources of help be woven together into a comprehensible whole? One way is to get two swamis and a western-trained medical doctor together to create a blended presentation of all these traditions. That is exactly what this book provides. The authors describe how they worked through their own confusion, often staying up all night in the process. The result is "a comprehensive theory of personal evolution which incorporates the best of both systems [east and west]." I thank them for overcoming their confusion because the book helps me overcome mine. This book is dense and challenging, but it rewards the hard work of anyone who studies it diligently. I recommend it highly.

If you have ever tried to conceptualize the difference between the brain and the mind this book will be of great interest. I was also fascinated with the author(s) description of the psychotic, the nuerotic, and the mystic. I believe this book will be appreciated by anyone who has enjoyed studying psychology and wants to continue the study as it progresses after the achievement of a healthy ego.