Based on the wisdom found in sacred Indian texts known as the Vedas, the Koshic model helps us to explore the depths of human potential and in so doing, to access our own inner wisdom. For those who are open to this amazing holistic paradigm, the potential for understanding oneself and facilitating profound inner growth is simply enormous.
Using this model, people have learned to expand their awareness beyond the limits of the ego mind, release fear-based thinking and behaviors and access a place of profound inner wisdom and peace. One of the primary reasons this system has proven so effective with patients is that it reveals there's much more to us, beyond our self-limiting, critical beliefs and the disturbed thoughts and actions that can occur, as a result.
Often, patients become long-term prisoners of their minds, becoming very identified their beliefs and eventually believe that THEY ARE their beliefs and are trapped with them, as a result. Yoga psychology frees them up to see that this misperception is one that we can correct through regular mindfulness practice (yoga, meditation, tai chi etc) and conscious living. The more one can train the mind to concentrate and teach it to become quiet, the better it will become at discerning the distractions of the mind from those aspects of experience that are relevant and on which one needs to give priority. It's all about learning a different way of looking at and understanding our precious human life.
We need to practice being in the moment, knowing that when distractions come up (and they always do) that it is not about swatting them away like a fly, but instead about recognizing their presence, honoring their impact and despite their presence, finding ways to remember and to see the bigger picture.
The article is by Joan Stenzler, LCSW, holistic psychotherapist, organizational consultant and Professional level Kripalu Yoga teacher, in a holistic private psychotherapy practice at the Fresh Meadows Wellness Center in Queens. To contact Joan directly call 516-522-0573.