Psychotherapy, Yoga and Traditional Therapies of East and West

Looking at the main theme of the present book on Yoga Psychotherapy and Traditional Therapies of the East and West is a recent development. In this context, there is genuine need today of new perspective which has been combined the best elements of the depth psychology (psychoanalysis) of the west and the yoga psychotherapy of India in this present book. Besides this emerging perspective there is also a genuine need for bringing to light much of Indian psychology-the great wisdom of which is hidden in our ancient literature and more of which still remains unknown to western professional personnel as well as to Indian teachers and practitioners of psychotherapy. Secondly, scientific research work pertaining to the clinical investigations and their application in the field of yoga psychotherapy whose full potentiality and its claims potentiality remain virtually unexplored and unverified at adequately larger scale, needs further boost. It is my honest feeling that it is both our duty and privilege to give to the west the integral Indian psychotherapy based on Ayurveda, yoga and verdant and Tantra in present operational terms as a contribution to global psychotherapy.

In fact, Indian culture as a whole has psychological orientation and has strong and mature traditions of profound psychotherapy. Thus, India can make a distinctive contribution to western system of psychotherapy for a comprehensive treatment of the fundamental problem of integration of personality from the comparative stand point of yoga and depth psychology.

Yoga should not be considered as an antiquated myth of yesterday because it has as much validity and value now as it had ever before and can offer guidance and help to the modern man. There is genuine and urgent need today to integrate yoga concepts into the main stream of modem psychotherapeutic thought and be made an essential integral part of the global culture of tomorrow. In order to fulfill the above mentioned idea. I would like to draw the attention of all the concerned towards the works of three illustrious Indian exponents to study and understand their views in the context of modern psychotherapy. These are (a) standard English commentaries on Patanjali's Yoga sutras (father of yoga psychotherapy), Yoga of Sri Aurbindo and Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyaya's two latest scientific volumes i.e. Conquering the Brain and the Millennium Bridge dealing mainly with consciousness and its newly emerged psychotherapeutic paradigm along with the western works of Freud (father of psychoanalysis) Adler, Jung, Assagioli, Maslow and Sorokin.

All of us are fully aware that its and age of anxiety, stress and strain, an age of hurry, worry and burry and as such mental ill health has become a serious problem. The deteriorating standards of health, fitness and resistance of present day enormous ills is becalming alarming day by day Consequently, western psychotherapy in now almost willing to accept the aid of other allies in its cruised for mental well being of the humanity. There is virtually a revolution in reviving most of the cultural and traditional therapies as their scientific validity is being probed every where all over the world. Yoga is one such ally. It can provide modern with a number of additional therapeutic techniques. Modern psychotherapy which aims at the integral and scientific knowledge of human nature needs to pay more and more to yoga psychotherapy-the-nucleus of Indian psychology, which is based on harmonious training and analysis of body, senses, mind and the soul. The ancient Indian medical science as well as its allied positive sciences have not only been concerned with the curative and rehabilitative dimensions of treatment rather, have given more emphasis upon prophylactive, promotive and rejuvenate aspects of health care areas. Ay, sir! Fraud's psychology has been a psychology of pathology and that of Maslow's the psychology of the healthy man, them Indian psychology is a psychology of enlightenment, of Buddha hood and Christhood. For Indian seers it had not merely been a question and ultimately merging of the Individual pure consciences (Atman) within with the essence of the multiversity (Paramatman, the source of all existence, the Purusha) with out.

It has thus got a supreme synthetic value in its well-drawn systematic programme of self-training and conditioning to monitor the brain processes raising the capability and status of brain from Brainstem Being through Limbic Being, Cortical Being, Supper Cortical Being, Super cortical Being, Supra-cortical and contents and gives an integrated view of life. Yoga might very well supply the gestalt of human psyche in order to fill up the gap, which contemporary schools of psychotherapy need.

This book is a collection of very good articles/papers prepared by the authors for the 1st International Conference on Psychotherapy, Yoga and Traditional Therapies of the East and West organized under the auspices of Asian Federation for Psychotherapy (AFP) and world Council for Psychotherapy (W.C.P.). The Conference was organize by the Yoga & Psychotherapy Association of India and the Department of Human Consiciousness and Yogic Sciences from November 12-15, 2003 and hope this collection of papers will be useful for Scientists and experts in the field of Yoga, Psychotherapy and Modern/Traditional Therapies.

Acknowledgement

We all are aware of the present scenario the world over wherein violence, cruelty, socio-economic imbalances, intolerance, meanness, apathy towards the sufferings of fellow beings etc. is see. Such a situation has developed only because the affective dimension of education and knowledge has not given proper attention in our present day society. This in turn poses a constant threat to our global value-concerns such as democracy, universal brotherhood, peace and harmony etc. Therefore, an imperative need of the day is to dwell on the causes of such a value crisis, which pervades in every walk of life and to create an awareness of possible solutions.

This book is a collection of selected articles papers prepared by the authors for the 1st International Conference on Psychotherapy, Yoga and Traditional Therapies: Dialogue between east and west organized by Yoga and Psychotherapy Association of India (YPAI) and the Department of Human Consciousness and Yogic Sciences Dr. Harisingh Gour University, Sagar (M. P.) India held from November 12-15-2003 at Sagar (M. P.) India.

This book will certainly help in building awareness on national, regional and international issues pertaining to the field of Yoga/Psychotherapy and especially those of Asian region. Eastern philosophy/psychotherapy and its way of life has much to offer to the well being of human, while the west could offer its scientific regor, precision and objectivity to life.

We thankfully acknowledge the continuing support extended by World Council for Psychotherapy (WCP), Asian Federation for Psychotherapy (AFP) and Yoga and Psychotherapy Association of India (YPAI) and Department of Human Consciousness and Yogic Science, Dr. Harisingh Gour University, Sagar (M. P.) as well as by the donors, advertisers and well wishers in making the out comings of the conference in the book form.

I am thankful for the Lakhera Offset Printers for printing the book and Jagdamba Publishing Company for Publishing the book and to all the authors/others who have directly or Indirectly helped in completing this book.

Preface:

Looking at the main theme of the present book on Yoga Psychotherapy and Traditional Therapies of the East and West is the recent development. In this context, there is genuine need today of new perspective which has been combined the best elements of the depth psychology (psychoanalysis) of the west and the yoga psychotherapy of India in this present book. Besides this emerging perspective there is also a genuine need for bringing to light much of Indian psychology- the great wisdom of which is hidden in our ancient literature and more of which still remains unknown to western professional personnel as well as to Indian teachers and practitioners of psychotherapy. Secondly, scientific research work pertaining to the clinical investigations and their application in the field of yoga psychotherapy whose full potentiality and its claims potentiality remain virtually unexplored and unverified at adequately larger scale, needs further boost. It is my honest feeling that it is both our duty and privilege to give to the west the integral Indian psychotherapy based on Ayurveda, yoga and verdant and Tantra in present operational terms as a contribution to global psychotherapy.

About the Editor:

Born on 11th February 1958 in Khurja city of East Utter Pradesh in India. Education: M.A., M. Phil., P.hd., D.Litt., (Yoga Psychotherapy),

Experience in yoga and Applied Sciences:

Very rich experience of Yogic Practices for more than 30 years. Teaching experience of Graduate and post Graduate classes at the university level of more than 20 years. Research experience for more than 25 years since1979. More than 15 years of guiding research and many research scholars have been awarded Ph. D degree under his guidance. Vast experience of writing books, research papers and articles. 8 books and more than50 research papers/articles have been published /edited. Experience of administration in the university and in the health Ministry of Govt.of India for more than 15 years. He has successfully organized/Conducted more than 20 Workshops/Seminars/Symposiums/Conferences/ Congresses at the University/Regional/National/International level. He has attended more than 60 Workshops/Seminars/symposiums/conferences/ Congresses at the University/Regional/ National/ International level as Delegate/Keynote speaker/Chairperson and has many Awards and Honors to his credit during these conferences. He has been holding many academic/administrative positions and member of high-level committees at the University/Central and State Government/National/International level.

Experience in Psychotherapy:

Dr. Ganesh Shankar came in touch with the president of WCP Prof. Alfred Pritz in 1996 in the 1st world congress of the World Council for Psychotherapy. Since than yoga Psychotherapy became the part of psychotherapy. He becomes the Vice president of the World council for psychotherapy during 1999 for the Asian chapter. He is the founder President of the Asian Federation for Psychotherapy and organized 1st International conference of the Asian federation for Psychotherapy in Sagar (India). He is organizing various camps and workshops on Yoga Psychotherapy in India and abroad which has been very successful all over the world. He has also written book and paper on Yoga Psychotherapy.

Present occupation:

Since last more than twenty years dr. Ganesh Shankar is working in the Department of Human Consciousness and Yogic science of Sagar University Sagar (M.P) India. This is the first such and only University independent department started in 1958 in India. He has also worked as Director, in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India for more than one year.