Reddit reviews Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System As a Path to the Self

[Eastern Body, Western Mind] (http://www.amazon.com/Eastern-Body-Western-Mind-Psychology/dp/1587612259/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464190110&sr=1-1&keywords=Eastern+Body%2C+Western+Mind) by Anodea Judith

First, please know that although your negative thoughts might be strong, they aren't the truth. You're not a bad person, you're not permanently damaged. I've heard a lot from people who say they've been victimized by narcissists lately. I think all people are capable of some of the behaviors i've heard described as Narcissism. Some people are way worse than others of course, but just because you identify with some of those qualities, doesn't mean that label becomes who you are.

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Second, I think it might be a good thing that you got kicked out of that group. People can be very precious about their pain, to a fault. I go to a 12 step program called Al-Alon. It's a support group for family members of alcoholics. At first, I tried Co-dependents anonymous, but I didn't continue with that group because it gave me a strange feeling being there. I got a sense that they were very attached to their identities as co-dependents, and that this group helped them MANAGE the pain, and not necessarily work through it and HEAL.

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Third, I have a theory that these labels can be very helpful in unraveling our lives and our pain, at first. After awhile, there is a danger of romanticizing what has gone wrong in live. We see the world through a very specific lens, and we get good at noticing the negative aspects of life that confirm the painful identity we've adopted. I believe that if you got kicked out of this group, that means you're ready to move on.

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The book Eastern Body, Western Mind has been extremely helpful to me. It came into my life right after I had finished a book on co-dependency, and I was feeling depressed and pessimistic after I had read so much heavy and triggering information that I could directly relate to. Eastern Body is a comprehensive overview of the chakra system. I studied psychology, and I have read tons of philosophy and self help books. The Chakra system is the most elegant interpretation of psychology I have come across. It makes so much sense. It tells us what exactly different kinds of abuses do to our energetic body, and how to heal. I found that it demystified so much behavior that used to baffle me. The way they organize the hierarchy of needs is ingenious. I think it would do you a tremendous amount of good to read that book. Not to mention, it's a step in a new direction for you. Yes, you might have had a brutal childhood, but it doesn't need to be that way anymore. You can have a beautiful life, and I think it's already begun.

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Take care, and best of luck to you.

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Eastern Body, Western Mind on Amazon.com

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I would highly recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Eastern-Body-Western-Mind-Psychology/dp/1587612259

She does an excellent job of combining mystical teachings about chakras with her knowledge of clinical psychology to help people build a balanced relationship between their body and soul. It is also chock full of good quotes and insights from some of the greatest mystics and philosophers, ancient and modern.

You should read a book called Eastern Body, Western Mind.

It really helped me gain a sense of self and understand my shortcomings.

It helped save me life.

I'm currently reading it and I think if you're looking for a spiritual angle towards yoga, it might not be your first go-to. But I think it's interesting so far. William Broad is a writer for the New York Times and the book reads a little like a nytimes article at times. However, there's tons of interesting tidbits in there. Especially about the history of yoga. And actual studies done on yoga. I'm interested to see how it's going to pan out!

But if you like this, I might suggest Eastern Body Western Mind for the chakras. It's a psychologists angle on chakras. It doesnt quite read like The Science of Yoga. But I think it comes at some of the more spiritual abstract side of yoga from a Western viewpoint (science or medical). And it's quite readable!

I don't really know about anything early. Patanjali never wrote about Chakras in the Yoga Sutras, as far as I can remember. Yoga (not asana practice, but the full philosophical system) and the Chakra psychological system are different ways of looking at things, but can definitely be integrated.
A great book is "Eastern Body, Western Mind" by Anodea Judith for the Chakra system. We studied it in my Yoga Teacher Training.

EDIT: I accidentally l ft out a letter.

Take a look at Eastern Body Western Mind , it combines the eastern chakra system with western psychology. Very interesting read!

I've found Anodea Judith's stuff to be excellent:


Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System, by Anodea Judith

Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self, by Anodea Judith

If you really want to get into the psychology and development of the chakra's check out this book by Anodea Judith