Yoga for Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through Yoga [Paperback]

The author begins by telling the story of her own depression and treatment with medication which was ineffective until she began taking classes at a Kripalu Center in 1989. The yoga helped resolve her problems and she subsequently became a teacher in Tucson, AZ. Later in the book, she writes about how she used meditation and yoga to deal with her own breast cancer crisis which required some courageous self-disclosure on her part. I admire the fact that she "walks it like she talks it."

It's important to note that this book focuses more on yoga philosophy and is not a practice book. At the end of each chapter, the author demonstrates several experiential exercises, but these are mostly kriyas and pranayamas. There is not attempt to outline a particular sequence of postures that one should practice. She lists other resources that the student can access and highly recommends an experienced teacher.

I was disappointed of her summary of scientific evidence relating to yoga and depression, most of which appeared to be derived from second hand sources rather than the primary journal articles themselves. I am quite interested in this topic, and I will try to track down some of her sources later on. Much of the research has appeared in Indian journals and might not be accessible to a Western reader. However, as "scholar-in-residence" at the Kripalu Center during the writing of the book, she might have been able to get some help with this. Mostly she told anecdotal stories which, while they might be interesting and demonstrative, are not compelling in the scientific sense.

Most interesting to me was her differentiating styles or schools of yoga according to three categories. She cites the "basic instruction" found in Chapter Two of Patangali's Yoga Sutras as "Union in Action," which, to my way of thinking, is a state of mindfulness or being in the flow. This Union in Action rests on a tripod of willful practice (tapas), self-observation (svadhyaya) and surrender (Ishvrara-parnidhana). One might question her translation of these terms. She notes that different systems of yoga present different "doorways" through which one can enter, each of which takes one to the same destination, "total union."

As an example of the tapas doorway, she gives Iyengar Yoga with it's emphasis on correct alignment and "purity of practice" which bridge the gap between the physical and mental spheres and bring relief from "soothing and calming the emotions through physical practice." Sounds good, but again the support is anecdotal.

As an example of the svadhyaya doorway, she cites Viniyoga with it's emphasis on studying one's self to discover imbalances and then using yoga techniques to bring oneself back into balance. For example, someone with anxiety based depression (rajasic) would practice langhana techniques to calm and purify while a person suffering from Dysthymia (tamasic) would practice brahmana techniques to nourish, build and energize. This approach has an inherent logic that appeals to my way of thinking. Also, my present teacher is from a tradition similar to this where balance is the primary object of practice.

As an example of Ishvara-pranidhana, she uses her own practice of Kripalu and it's emphasis on spontaneous movements and surrender to the flow of energy in the body through long holding of postures. I plan to take some classes from a teacher in this tradition soon, so I will find out more about this approach in the near future. The idea of surrender and acceptance resonate nicely with my more Buddhist way of approaching the world.

The author devotes an entire chapter to the Art of Living program and the practice of Sudharshan Kriya, a breathing technique. She cites research results from this group proving it's effectiveness against depression, but, again, she does not include enough information to allow the reader to evaluate these claims. She says, "Time after time, controlled studies . . . " have shown a 73% recovery rate in hospitalized depressed patients." However, she provides no reference to where the reader might find the articles describing how these results were derived nor does she include details about how the research was conducted. She does not give instructions on Sudharshan Kriya as it seems to be owned by the Art of Living group.

Overall, I would recommend this book for it's explication of the way various yoga methods can be applied to depression, trauma and anxiety. I also liked the attempt to categorize the various schools of yoga, and I learned more about each of them. As far as any practical application, I wish the author had proposed a more structured approach to different syndromes and explicated what to do about them. I am still awaiting the book, outside of any particular school, that says, "If you have this symptom, do this. If you have that symptom, do that." Even better would be a complete workout designed to address anxiety and depression in the context of a full routine. Perhaps as the Westernization of yoga continues, such a manual will emerge.

YOGA FOR DEPRESSION defines the different types of yoga practices with clear understanding about what practices are most likely to work for an individual. The book is both educational & inspiring and is appropriate for both mental health professionals and those experiencing depression. I would highly recommend this book to yoga practitioners, yoga teachers, mental health professionals and those who are holistically conscious.
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