YogaTherapyusingJapaneseNaikanMeditationfor PsychosomaticIllness,a“Self-AnalysisApproach”
JapanYogaNiketan KeishinKIMURA
ThepracticeofPatanjali’sAshtangaYogaincreasesourawarenessandbringsour bodyandmindintobalancethroughintegration,purification,andtranscendencestepbystep, beginningatthelowestlevelwithoursocialrelationshipsandreachinguptothesubtlest levelorhighestTruth,whichisourRealSelforAtman.TheTaittiriyaUpanishadalso mentionsfivelayersofexistence,orfiveselves:food,vitalforce,mind,intellect,andbliss. BymergingthesetwotheoriesinourYogatherapyactivitieswecanshowtheintegral connectionbetweenthemindandthephysicalbody,andhelpourpatientsunderstandhow theycanimprovetheirphysicalhealthbychangingthewaytheyrelatetotheirworld.We guidethepatientsinself-analysissothattheycanchangetheiroutlookbygainingabetter understandingofthemselvesandothers.ForthatpurposeweuseNaikan,aJapanese meditationtechniquethathelpsthepatientslookwithin.
BelowaretheeightstepsofPatanjali’sYogaSutrasshowingthedifferentstagesor aspectsofascentinunderstandingoneself,andhowtheyfittogetherwiththeTaittiriya Upanishad’sPanchaKoshasorfivesheaths:
1)Yama:Fivevowsofrestraintforself-controlofdestructivebehaviortowardsothers. 2)Niyama: Fiveobservancesforafoundationofspirituallife. 3)Asana:UnderstandingtheFoodSheath(AnnamayaKosha)orphysicalbody. 4)Pranayama:Steadyingtheprana orVital-AirSheath(PranamayaKosha). 5)Pratyahara: TranscendingthesensesthroughtheMindSheath(ManomayaKosha). 6)Dharana: PracticingconcentrationthroughtheMindSheath(Manas/ManomayaKosha). 7)Dhyana: MeditationusingtheIntellectSheath(Buddhi/VijnanamayaKosha).
-1- 8)Samadhi: TranceusingtheBlissSheath(Ahamkara,Chitta/AnandamayaKosha).
InJapanwearecombiningthisyogawithaJapaneseintrospectivetechniquecalled Naikanforthetreatmentofpsychosomaticillnesses.Inthispaper,wewillexplainNaikan andreporthowouryogatherapystudentsinJapanareusingitintheirpracticeofthe yamas tobecomehealthier,well-balancedindividuals.
-2- Preface
TheincreaseofStress-inducedpsychosomaticdiseasesinmodernsocietyhasshown thelimitationsofwesternmedicineandtheneedforalternatives.Becausepsychosomatic diseasesarephysicalillnessescausedbyunhealthyconditionsofthemind,webelievethat thebestwaytotreatthemistohelppatientsrecognizetheirownunhealthystatesofmind throughself-analysisandshowthemhowtheycanworktobringtheirmindsintobalance. WehavefoundthatthepracticeofPatanjali'seightstepsofyogacanbeusedeffectivelyto healtherootofthesepsychosomaticdiseasesinthisway.
PracticeofPatanjali’sAshtangaYogaincreasesourawarenessandbringsourbody andmindintobalancethroughintegration,purification,andtranscendencestepbystep, beginningatthelowestlevelwithoursocialrelationshipsandreachinguptothesubtlest levelorhighestTruth,whichisourRealSelforAtman.(1)TheTaittiriyaUpanishadalso mentionsfivelayersofexistence,orfiveselves:food,vitalforce,mind,intellect,andbliss. BymergingthesetwotheoriesinourYogatherapyactivitieswecanshowtheintegral connectionbetweenthemindandthephysicalbody,andhelpourpatientsunderstandhow theycanimprovetheirphysicalhealthbychangingthewaytheyrelatetotheirworld.We guidethepatientsinself-analysissothattheycanchangetheiroutlookbygainingabetter understandingofthemselvesandothers.ForthatpurposeweuseNaikan,aJapanese meditationtechniquethathelpsthepatientslookwithin.
Thetraitsofpsychosomaticdiseasesare:(2) 1.lackofemotion 2.lackofimagination 3.inabilitytoverbalizeconflicts 4.lessenedexperiencingandexpressingofemotion 5.describingendlessdetailsratherthanfeelings 6.difficultyincommunicatingwiththeinterviewer 7.lessawarenessoftheneedsofthephysicalbody 8.over-adaptation.
Thefollowingisaprofileofpsychosomaticpatients:
1.serious-minded 2.workaholic 3.well-behaved 4.a"sticker" 5.can'tsay“NO”
-3- 6.self-sacrificing 7.good-natured.
Psychosomaticdiseasesaregenerallydividedintotwogroups:1)RealPsychosomatic diseases,whicharerelatedtothestressofrealdailylife,and2)PersonalityPsychosomatic diseases,whicharerelatedtothepersonalityofthepatient.Sinceunderthesamerealdaily stressestherearesomepeoplewhodonotdevelopstress-relateddiseases,wethinkthatall psychosomaticdiseasesarerootedinthewaythepatientrelatestotheworld.
SwamiVivekanandasaidthatpleasureandpainleaveuponoursouldifferent pictures,andtheresultofthesecombinedimpressionsiswhatiscalledman'scharacter.The characterofanymanisreallybuttheaggregateoftendencies,thesumtotalofthebentofhis mind;andinsomeinstances,miseryisagreaterteacherthanhappiness.(3)So,wehave startedtreatingpsychosomaticillnesseswithacombinationofyogictechniquesandNaikan meditationandfoundthataspatientsgainedabetterunderstandingofthemselves,they becamehealthier.
Patanjali'seightstepsofyogaarethefoundationofouryogatherapyprogramin Japan.FormorethantenyearswehaveworkedwithVivekanandaYogaResearch FoundationinBangalore,India,toorganizeYogaTherapistInstructorCoursesandconduct yogatherapytreatment.Inthispaperwewillpresentsomeactivitiesofouryogatherapy programinJapan.
-4- PATANJALI'SASHTANGAYOGA,ANDTHETAITTIRIYAUPANISHAD'S THEORYOFTHEFIVESHEATHSORLAYERSOFEXISTENCE
TheUpanishadictraditionusesafour-stepsystemforfindingReality,asfollows:(4)
1.Shravana(Hearing) 2.Manana(Contemplation) 3.Nididyasana(DeepMeditation) 4.Jnana(Realization)
WebeginourYogaTherapywithShravana,hearingthephilosophyofPatanjaliand howitcorrespondstothesheathsoftheTaittiriyaUpanishad.Weexplaintothemthatthe firsttwostepsinAshtangaYoga,theYamasandNiyamas,buildafoundationof understandingandself-controlatthelevelofsocialrelationshipsanddealingwiththeouter world.Thethirdlevel,Asana,worksonourphysicalbody,theFoodSheath(Annamaya Kosha).Thefourthlevel,Pranayama,focusesonstabilizingthebreathorVital-AirSheath (PranamayaKosha).Thefifthlevel,Pratyahara,quietsthesenseorgansthroughtheMind Sheath(ManomayaKosha).Thesixthlevel,Dharanaorconcentration,beginstocontrolthe mindthroughtheMindSheath(Manas/ManomayaKosha).Theseventhlevel,Dhyanaor meditation,worksthroughtheIntellectSheath(Buddhi/VijnanamayaKosha).Thelastand eighthlevel,Samadhiortrance,istranscendencethroughtheBlissSheath(Ahamkara, Chitta/AnandamayaKosha).Andfinally,wewillbecomeawareoforrealizeourtrueSelf, theAtman.(5)
ThisishowwecombinePatanjali’sAshtangaYogaandtheTaittiriyaUpanishad’s fivesheaths.Ourgoalistoguideourpatientssotheycanexpandtheirawarenessthrough eachlevelandfindtheirownhighertruths.
AfterthisShravana,weuseNaikanmeditation,aJapanesetechniquetranslatedas "introspection,"forMananaorcontemplationonthreeYamas:ahimsa (non-violenceor harmlessness),satya(truthfulness),andasteya (non-stealing).
ThemethodoftheNaikancourseistointensivelyreviewourpastactionsandtryto seeveryobjectivelywhatwehavedoneandwhatothershavegivenus,workingwiththree themes:
1)whatwereceivedfromothers, 2)whatwereturnedtoothers,
-5- 3)whattroublesanddifficultieswecausedtoothers.
Eachmeditationsessionfocusesonaspecificthree-tofive-yearperiodofourlives, andthesessionsprogressfromourbirthuptothepresent,oruntiltherelationshipended.
TheNaikancoursebeginswithreflectingonourrelationshipwiththeclosestperson ofourchildhood(themother,orprimarycaregiver).Weassignthepatientsoneofthe Yamas,forexample,ahimsa, orharmlessness,andaspecifictimeperiodintheirlifeto rememberbacktoandfocuson.Thepatientsthenhavesixtytoninetyminutessittingin isolationtoreflectandexaminetheirpastandtrytodiscoverinstanceswheretheyhave causedtroubleforthatpersonduringthoseyearsoftheirlives.Whenthetimeisup,a counselorvisitsthemandaskswhattheyhavefound,makingsuretheyhavenotgotten sidetracked.Thepatientsreceivetheassignmentforthenextsession,whichisusuallythe samethemebutfocusingonthenextfewconsecutiveyears,andbegincontemplationagain. Theyworkonassignmentslikethisfrom6a.m.to9p.m.foroneweek.
ThereasonNaikanbeginswithourmotheristhattherelationshipbetweenachild andmotheristhebasisforallpersonalrelationshipsandpersonalitybuilding.Ifthepatients havelosttheirmother,wecansubstitutesomeoneelsewhocaredfortheminplaceoftheir mother,suchasagrandmotherorfather.
AfterdoingNaikanMeditationonourmotherfrombirthuptothepresentoruntilthe relationshipended,wewillfocusonourfather,thenourspouse(ifwearemarried)orthe peopleinourworkplace,concentratingonthesamethreethemes(whatwereceived,whatwe returned,andthetroublesanddifficultieswecaused).Wecontinuethesemeditationsessions foroneweekfromearlymorninguntilnight.
OtherYamathemesoftruthfulness(satya)andnon-stealing(asteya)arealsousedin Naikantogiveusachancetoreconsiderthefacesthatwehavebeenpresentingtoothers.
ResultsofNaikanMeditationattheTottoriUniversityHospital&YonagoNaikan TrainingCenter
ThefollowingaretheresultsofNaikanMeditationsconductedbyProfessorMikiof theClinicalPsychologyDepartmentofOsakaUniversity,showinghowthecharacterof patientschangedafterNaikan.(6)
-6- 2)Tool--TheYatabe-GuilfordPersonalityTest(Y-GTest).Thisquestionnaireoffers 120questions(e.g.,“Areyouimpatient?”).Answersareselectedfromthechoiceof“Yes,” “No,”or“？ ”Thisisareliablepersonalitytest.
AsaresultofNaikan,TypeE,“Emotionallyunstable,uncooperative,hidesemotions,and pronetodevelopingneuroses,”decreasedbyonehalf.TypeB,“Emotionallyunstable, uncooperative,easilyshowsemotion,andeasilymakestroubleforothers,”decreasedbymore than60%.Incontrast,TypeA,“Averageineverypersonalitytrait,”doubledafterNaikan. TypeC,“Emotionallyunstable,Calmandgentlecooperative,inactive,”didnotchange.Type D,“Emotionallystable,cooperative,activeandshowsleadershipqualities,”increased dramatically.
-7- Changes in the Personality Test before and after Naikan
E type:Emotionally unstable uncooperative, hides Eccentric type emotions, and prone ３０ E type １４ to developing neuroses B type:Emotionally unstable, Black List Type uncooperative, easily B type ３４ １３ shows emotion, easily makes trouble for others Average Type １６ Before Naikan A type ３０ TYPE After Naikan Calm Type A type:Average in every C type １５ １６ personality trait C type; Emotionally stable, Director Type ３３ Calm and gentle D type ５５ cooperative,inactive
0 20 40 60 D type:Emotionally stable,cooperative, NUMBERS active, leadership qualities
Table1
Table2showsthecharacterchangesofoneschoolgirl,18yearsold,whohadahabitof stealing.
Changes in personality traits before and after Naikan
Factor Before Naikan After Naikan Difference Depression 17 8 -9 Changes of mood 17 5 -12 Inferiority 15 6 -9 Sensitivity 16 5 -11 Subjectivity 14 7 -7 Non-cooperation 16 6 -10 Offensiveness 16 16 0 Activeness 8 8 0 Easygoing 14 18 +4 Thinking externality 9 14 +5 Dominance 6 15 +9 Social externality 14 19 +5 Personality Type Black List type Director type
Table2
Tosumuptheseresults,afterNaikan,thesubjects’emotionsbecamestable,and
-8- socialadaptationincreased.Theybecameactive,andtheirpersonalitieschangedinasocially preferreddirectionafterNaikan.
Therefore,wecansaythatifpsychosomaticpatientspracticeNaikan,generallytheir characterwillbecomemorepositive:forexample,humanrelationshipswillimprove,andthey willhavehealthiermoodsbecausetheyappreciatetheirtrueplaceintheirworld.
NaikanisthebeginningofourtherapyinJapan,andtheothersevenstepsof AshtangayogasuchasAsanaandPranayamaareaddednextsothatpatientscanunderstand eachlevel.Wewouldliketoleavethesetopicsforanothertime,duetolackofspace.We hopethatbyhearingourideasfortreatmentsofpsychosomaticillnesses,othersmayfind somethingusefulhere.Thankyouverymuch.
References: 1SankaraonTheYogaSutrasbyTrevorLeggett MotilalBanarasidass,INDIA
2Theprevalenceof'alexithymic'characteristicsinpsychosomaticpatients. PsychotherPsychosom.1973,USA.
3KARMAYOGA SwamiVivekanandaAdvaitaAsharamCalcutta2001
4TheprincipalUPANISHADbyS.RADHAKRISHNAN London:GeorgeAllen&UnwinLTD1974
5YOGAItsbasisandapplications NagendraHR, VivekanandaKendraYogaresearchFoundation BANGALORE1996 6TheBookaboutEncounteryourHeart'sTreasure NaraNaikaTrainingCenterJAPAN1998
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