"Psychoanalysis itself and the lines of thought to which it gives rise," said C. G. Jung, "are only a beginner’s attempt compared to what is an immemorial art in the East"—by which he was referring to the millennia-old study of the mind found in Yoga. That tradition was hardly known in the West when the discipline of psychology arose in the nineteenth century, but with the passing of time the common ground between Yoga and psychology has become ever more apparent. Georg Feuerstein here uses a modern psychological perspective to explore the ways Hindu, Buddhist, and Jaina yogas have traditionally regarded the mind and how it works—and shows how that understanding can enhance modern psychology in both theory and practice.
Jung's illuminating lectures on the psychology of Eastern spirituality Between 1933 and 1941, C. G. Jung delivered a series of public lectures at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. Intended for a general audience, these lectures addressed a broad range of topics, from dream analysis to the psychology of alchemy. Here for the first time are Jung's illuminating lectures on the psychology of yoga and meditation, delivered between 1938 and 1940. In these lectures, Jung discusses the psychological technique of active imagination, seeking to find parallels with the meditative practices of different yogic and Buddhist traditions. He draws on three texts to introduce his audience to Eastern meditation: Patañjali's Yoga Sûtra, the Amitâyur-dhyâna-sûtra from Chinese Pure Land Buddhism, and the Shrî-chakra-sambhâra Tantra, a scripture related to tantric yoga. The lectures offer a unique opportunity to encounter Jung as he shares his ideas with the general public, providing a rare window on the application of his comparative method while also shedding light on his personal history and psychological development. Featuring an incisive introduction by Martin Liebscher as well as explanations of Jungian concepts and psychological terminology, Psychology of Yoga and Meditation provides invaluable insights into the evolution of Jung's thought and a vital key to understanding his later work.
You are not who you think you are! Here you can begin to re-educate yourself out of spiritual blindness and recognize your True Self-nature. Yoga psychology offers a discipline for freeing yourself from life's miseries. You are invited to enter a path of meditative concentration and self-inquiry leading to deep self knowledge. This path is founded on the proposition that you can truly be yourself, but that to be yourself you must first find and know yourself. When you have learned to let go of the delusions foisted on you by social conditioning you will recognize your inherent freedom from misery. Do not, however, think that this path is easy. Spiritual freedom requires that you face and come to terms with the roots of your spiritual ignorance. You must face and master your inner "demons".
Psychology, for the author, is a developing science which is considered to be a part of philosophy. Traditionally philosophy has included the branches of ontology, metaphysics, ethics and epistemology, but Shrii Shrii Anandamurtijii has expanded the scope of philosophy to include psychology and spiritual practices. In fact, this is one of the features which makes Ananda Marga spiritual philosophy unique.Regarding the scope of philosophy and psychology, in "Our Philosophical Treatise" (Tattva Kaomudii Part 2, 1969), the author writes: In Western philosophy there is no mention of spiritual practice, because Western philosophers had no opportunity to learn such a practice. The main reason is that, in the theology prevalent in the West, there is no concrete spiritual practice.According to general belief, psychology is a part of general science, and should therefore not be included as a part of philosophy. Thus psychology has been accepted as a branch of science in the West. But in Ananda Marga, psychology has been included as a part of philosophy. Moreover, according to Ananda Marga, the scope of psychology is wider than what is usually accepted by psychologists.Yoga psychology, though a part of philosophy, is also a science, but is not restricted to the materialistic paradigm which characterizes Western philosophy and psychology. It is the science by which spiritual aspirants can acquire knowledge and mastery of themselves in their quest for Self-realization. Knowledge of yoga psychology is essential for spiritual practices; without this knowledge, aspirants will not achieve success in their spiritual endeavours.
The Psychology of the Yogas explores the dissonance between the promises of the yogic quest and psychological states of crisis. Western practitioners of yoga and meditation who have embarked upon years-long spiritual quests and who have practiced under the guidance of a guru tell of profound and ongoing experiences of love, compassion and clarity: the peaks of spiritual fulfillment. However, after returning to the West, they reported difficulties and crises in different areas of their lives. Why did these practitioners, who had apparently touched the heights of fulfillment, still suffer from these crises?The author explores the psychological theory of yoga and its concrete yogic psychological methods such as 'cultivating of the opposite' (pratipak?a bh?van?), transforming it to 'imagining the opposite', a practice aimed at healing negative habitual tendencies. These methods are extracted from an in-depth study of the Yoga of Patañjali and the Tibetan-Buddhist Ati Yoga of Longchenpa-the Dzogchen. The works of Patañjali (third century) and Longchenpa (fourteenth century) provide a profound psychological framework for understanding the human psyche.These methods are effective but at times difficult to implement. However, as demonstrated through a case study, Western psychology can effectively undo habitual tendencies in a manner which may complement yoga practice, enhancing the integration of one's spirituality and psychology.
