Kundalini Yoga Meditation for Complex Psychiatric Disorders: Techniques Specific for Treating the Psychoses, Personality, and Pervasive Developmental Disorders 1st Edition

I have posted an in-depth review of David's work and my experience with it as well as with Kundalini Yoga on the Amazon product page of his other book titled "Kundalini Yoga and Medication: Techniques Specific For Psychiatric Disorders, Couples Therapy, and Personal Growth. Here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/Kundalini-Yoga-Meditation-Techniques-Psychiatric/dp/0393704750The following is a review for that book, but I feel exactly the same way as I do about this work as I did that one. Please note, however, that David does not cover the mechanisms of mantra in this book and also looks at psychiatric disorders not previously covered.I will update this review as I get more familiar with the intricacies of this book which I have not yet covered.David Shannahoff-Khalsa is a highly intelligent and dedicated researcher who also happens to be a yogi. He practices what he researchers and knows the efficacy of its application on a very personal level.The amount of energy, time, and resources he has put into this work as well as his others are quite immense. It's really hard to fully comprehend what producing a text like this takes without having attempted to do it; while I personally have not, based against my experience as a student researcher, this requires something of a "next level" caliber.Personally, Yoga has been the focal point of my life for some years now. Growing in consciousness and seeing beyond the veil of Western knowledge into something far more vast have motivated me forward since I was child. I continuously get so much out of my yoga practice, whether it brings me face to face with my largest psychic challenges or shows me that I have contained in me so much potential (as we all do). My relationship to KY is not always a pleasant one, but I like to affectionately call it "sophisticated brain surgery of the future." I'm still learning the ins and outs, and I can assure you that there are intricate layers upon layers of depth and potential in KY. There are many fabulous teachers out there today, but David is doing something few are doing: he is examining yoga as an alternative to the biomedical model of mental and emotional disease and subsequently applying it. I have not previously encountered anything like what he has done here in my own exploration both of science and of spirituality. His work with OCD through yoga has been recognized internationally, and he is working diligently to do further research into a myriad other psychiatric diagnoses as well as oncological applications of KY and meditation. Yogic science offers a great deal of promise as the pharmaceutical industry fails us, but due to the nature of our society as well as the sensitive nature of this class of ailments, it requires a lot of research and validation, which David has taken it upon himself to pioneer. This book does cover a variety of challenges ranging from anxiety to sleep to bipolar and other mood disorders. In addition to disorder criteria and pre-existing research drawn from various disciplines that range from psychological to pharmaceutical, David also describes the yogic perspective on a variety of disorders. This is then followed with targeted protocols and clear, concise instructions on how to perform each exercise. Though I am already a practitioner of yoga, I do believe that a beginner could pick this up. I definitely suggest finding an experiencing yogi (such as David) who can help, though. The beauty of the practice is in its capacity as a self-healing, self-initiating mechanism. My nature is very much to do this, but it may not work for everyone, so please take not and find appropriate support.In addition to the thorough and well-constructed text that meticulously describes each illness based on the current DSM diagnostic criteria available to him as well as current research into salient healing modalities studied for the illness in question, David present a number of other excellent material including yogic perspectives on various mental and developmental disorders and proposes excellent theories of the mechanisms of mantra. If you are unfamiliar with his work on the nasal cycle, I suggest you read about nasal dominance to better understand some of the other explanatory models of yoga, meditation, mantra, and pranayam he offers. They are absolutely fascinating!David does something else that is quite exceptional: he presents case studies. The OCD studies really speak for themselves with experiences of complete and near-complete recovery, which is certainly more than modern psychiatry can boast. I don't feel that David sugarcoats the experiences of others and, instead, tries to paint a vivid and realistic picture. I suppose one argument that could be made is that, because David believes in what he does so strongly, he would want to prove it in an effort to validate himself. I've certainly posed such an argument for my own critical consideration. Ultimately, I do not see evidence for this and, thus, do not believe it holds. I guess you could say I myself want to prove something to myself, if you're a skeptic. This could be, but I think I am lucky enough to have the capacity to ask this question and yet continue exploring the possibilities anyway. Healthy doses of skepticism never do anyone any harm. Be curious, ask questions, and don't be afraid to try things. As for all of this in relationship to David's work, it's fair to say that he doesn't present anything in a light that overly celebrates or faults the results experienced by those practicing the yoga. The message is really simple: just as research takes time to validate practices like these, so do the actual practices themselves require time, dedication, and commitment based at different levels for different people. Yoga is a way to train your mind into a new way of being. You have to experience it for yourself.There needs to be more research, certainly, but, often, truly the best research is one's own experience (despite what the biomedical professional might say). If something works for you, bringing you into a state of profound mental health and wholeness, does it matter that a doctor or scientist does not believe in it? Though I speak only for myself when I say that I would recommend this as a self-help book, I really would, especially if you know yourself to be mentally and emotionally strong enough to be present with all the challenges that arise on the journey. It really depends on your inner state and inner strength. In my opinion, though, these kinds of practices will be not only the self-help tools of the future but part of a vast collection of preventative techniques that will ensure the end of trans-generational inheritance of our traumas and neuroses.I highly recommend this book for yogis, therapists, and both doctors and healers of all varieties.I also highly recommend reaching out to David and working with him in a professional capacity. He's wonderful.Thanks, David!

AS a yoga student and psychology major I've studied with the author for several years. I've practiced many Kundalini Yoga meditation techniques in this book and the one preceding it, thus I've experienced first hand that Kundalini Yoga provides the technology to heal mentally as well as spiritually. The experience I gained through reading the book opened my eyes to the most clear and comprehensive understanding of the complex mental disorders including schizophrenia, personality disorders, and autism. This understanding awakened in me a previously unknown compassion to all those suffering from these illnesses, and I gained insight of what is demanded of therapy in the future.Kundalini Yoga, particularly the yoga protocols presented in this book and the one preceding it, will bring hope to those who have little to none. The instructions are presented with clarity, alongside with comprehensive, recent, and related scientific research and real-life case histories. This information can be very useful for psychologists, social workers, therapists, and counselors that may be looking for new approaches for treating complex and problematic patients. This book presents a bounty of novel and highly effective multi-part and disorder-specific protocols that are sure to help advance treatment for what are otherwise difficult and complex patients. I completely trust the techniques in this book since I have practiced many of them and now the multipart protocols, and I am looking forward to sharing them with patients in the future. If you have a hunch this book will help you, with patience and practice, it will.

David Shannahoff-Khalsa is a gift to the science of self-healing. After exploring the clinical effects of Kundalini yoga, I became very interested in a more scientific and detailed discussion of the application of this methodology. This book, as well as Sacred Therapies and Kundalini Yoga Meditation have become my clinical go to for all of my patients. These protocols have the power to shift symptoms and life experience within the space of several weeks, and to have these guides is an incredible asset. Afterall, for some indications, this may be the most powerful medicine available!

I love this book it is definetly for my personal collection.

Very powerful tools and techniques!

fine

Best book for Pshyco disorders

This book literally saved my life. Before I started the yoga exercises and the meditations, there was lots of stress building up in my subconscious mind. This resulted in a lot of panic attacks, hallucinations, uncontrollable fears, loss of appetite, depression, insomnia and more. I thought, how could I move ahead with my career and social interactions? And who would understand the psychosis that I am going through? What are my options? A lifetime of paying for psychotherapy or drugs, that will have long term consequences on my health? I am not dismissing those avenues, as I see their temporary usefulness, but the long term freedom of my mind today from the consistent practice of these yoga exercises was unimaginable to me before.It is not a quick-fix, but a journey that requires lots of self love, a loving community or someone you trust and a personal responsibility for your thoughts and actions. Something else that is invaluable to me on my journey is practicing mindfulness, on my breath throughout the day. A great practice to keep track of the breath, is to have a timer go off every thirty minutes and take three deep breaths, as advised by Ph.D. Yogi Bhajan. Also a practical, scientific goal to stay motivated is to lower your rate of breathing to eight times per minute. This has helped me tremendously, to get to know the nature of my mind.I can see a huge difference in my day when I start it off with some yoga. I have a greater capacity to endure any kind of 'inconveniences' and 'problems' are seen from a clearer prospective. Many people are noticing it too and complimenting me about it. It's not that I'm really different from anyone else, it's just that these practices work. Before you play a musical instrument, you have to tune it properly or even the greatest musician won't be able to sound good. And the same goes for the mind. With the science and art of yoga, we tune our minds and the daily experience is something that continues to inspire me.A friend of mine has recently bought this book, he has been medicated for over five years for schizophrenia. He has experienced great changes with the exercises for psychosis. It has been very rewarding to me, just to past on the awareness of your book and see such positive changes to my friend.I have participated in a telephone conversation and a skype conversation with David. He is a caring, intelligent and down to earth person. I recommend if someone has any doubts or would simply prefer to talk to someone that has years of experience as a research scientist and yoga teacher, then David is available for consultations as listed on his website.Thank you so much David Shannahoff Khalsa :)