Principles and Themes in Yoga Therapy: An Introduction to Integrative Mind/Body Yoga Therapeutics

234 Pages·2017·5.23 MB·English

by  James Foulkes

“Combines the fundamental principles of yoga therapeutics with A
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insights gleaned from related practices and personal enquiry. A valuable P
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contribution to the library of yoga therapists.” TI
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—John Stirk, Yoga Teacher, Osteopath and author of The Original Body C
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“Provides a wonderful container of knowledge in which practitioner EL
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and client can explore how best to use the tools of yoga therapeutically.”
S
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—Liz Warrington, Yoga Teacher and Cranial Sacral Therapist N

Y PRINCIPLES
“Offers a different approach to therapeutic work with an emphasis
AND THEMES IN
on simply observing and allowing one to experience the connections O
throughout the body.”
G
—Larry Drell, MD, American Psychiatric Association/ Y O G A
American Medical Association
A

Explaining principles and underpinning ideas present in yoga therapy, T
James Foulkes identifies an approach leading to an effective yoga
H
therapy practice. Applying a flexible principles-based approach, he T H E R A P Y
explores the concept of delivering yoga therapeutically and discusses
E
ways of thinking about anatomy that focus on the wholeness of the
human being, using theories, illustrations and case studies. Along with R
a brief history of yoga therapy, this guide offers rich techniques for
A
improved personal and professional practice. An Introduction to Integrative
Mind/Body Yoga Therapeutics
P
JAMES FOULKES is a yoga teacher, IAYT certified yoga
Y
therapist, Qi Gong teacher and cranial sacral therapist.
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F
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SINGING DRAGON U
L
K
E
S
JAMES FOULKES
www.singingdragon.com
Foreword by MIKHAIL KOGAN, MD • Images by SIMON BARKWORTH
COVER: ROSAMUND BIRD
SD

“This concise, considered and informative book makes a valuable
contribution to the library of yoga therapists. James Foulkes provides
ways of working with clients that draws attention to the responsibility
and scope within the field of yoga therapy.
This book combines the fundamental principles of yoga therapeutics
with insights gleaned from related practices and personal enquiry.
Giving an intelligent approach to the practical side, it presents a
constructive strategy in relation to a variety of common ailments and
dysfunctions.
This book not only applies to yoga therapists. It also gives a timely
reminder to all yoga teachers, of the power and efficacy of the processes
at their disposal, and given the tools, highlights the potential for healing
and transformation on all levels.”
—John Stirk, yoga teacher, osteopath and
author of The Original Body
“James has developed an understanding of yoga (from working with
me) and combined this with his study in kung fu, qi gong and cranial
sacral therapy. This book provides a fresh view all of his own. Certainly
those who combine yoga with other therapeutic modalities will find
this perspective refreshing.”
—Diane Long, author of Notes on Yoga:
The Legacy of Vanda Scaravelli
“James provides a wonderful container of knowledge in which
practitioner and client can explore how best to use the tools of yoga
therapeutically. Touching on the physical, mental, emotional, energetic
and spiritual layers of what it is to be human, he guides us on a journey
towards greater self-discovery and self-care. Case studies bring to
life how the inter-related approach of yoga therapy transforms us,
alleviating pain and opening doorways into unexplored aspects of the
self and ultimately into the experience of wholeness.
With great gentleness he highlights the individual process and the
role practitioners have in welcoming every client’s uniqueness. Offering
practical guidance and inspiration throughout, we are reminded of
how healing comes from within and how it is possible to live from a
balanced state of being in the natural fluid ease of our bodies.”
—Liz Warrington, yoga teacher and cranial sacral therapist
“In this book, James offers a different approach to therapeutic work
with the emphasis on simply observing and allowing one to experience
the connections throughout the body. As a psychiatrist, I have always
focused on helping people through learning more about how they
thought and felt. By exploring the yoga therapy process and integrating
all parts of the experience, James’ approach allows for a natural
integration. This creates a calming for both body and mind, which is
truly transformative for the individual.”
—Larry Drell, MD, American Psychiatric Association/
American Medical Association and Founder &
Medical Director of the Optimum Health Institute
“James Foulkes has written a very useful book in the fast-developing
field of therapeutic yoga. He skilfully weaves his own astute insights
into well-tried and tested methodology. James outlines the main
themes and principles he feels are central to his work and throughout
these chapters we are offered simple exercises that give us a flavor of
the way he works, which in the main is sensorily and self-reflectively
oriented. The book explicitly avoids getting bogged down in distracting
details, rather staying with broader themes. Despite the ‘stand back’
perspective he takes, you never get the sense that this is ‘yoga lite’. Case
histories illustrate how he uses the themes he outlines and this gives
weight to the approach. Through the client skills and the therapeutic
relationship sections, both an essential part of any healing process, he
moves easily through the physical, psychological and spiritual aspects
of illness/wellness leaving us in no doubt about his understanding of
the complex nature of dis-ease. This book is a very timely contribution
to therapeutic yoga, and I’m sure practitioners and lay people alike will
gain much from reading it.”
—Peter Blackaby, yoga teacher, osteopath and author of
Intelligent Yoga: Re-educating Mind and Body
PRINCIPLES
AND THEMES IN
Y O G A
T H E R A P Y
An Introduction to Integrative
Mind/Body Yoga Therapeutics
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P R I N C I P L E S
A N D T H E M E S I N
Y O G A
T H E R A P Y
An Introduction to Integrative
Mind/Body Yoga Therapeutics
James Foulkes
Foreword by Mikhail Kogan, MD
Images by Simon Barkworth
Editorial assistance by Mary Maruca
First published in 2017
by Singing Dragon
an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
73 Collier Street
London N1 9BE, UK
and
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
www.singingdragon.com
Copyright © James Foulkes 2017
Foreword copyright © Mikhail Kogan 2017
Cover images: Hayley North, Rod Lewis (http://rodlewis.co.uk) and Simon Barkworth
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form
(including photocopying, storing in any medium by electronic means or transmitting)
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permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.
Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work
may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 84819 248 5
eISBN 978 0 85701 194 7
CONTENTS
Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Foreword by Mikhail Kogan, MD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
From Experience to Representation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRATIVE MIND
AND BODY YOGA THERAPEUTICS
1. The Intention of this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2. A Brief History of Yoga Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3. My Branch of the Yoga Tree: Scope of Practice. . . . . . . . . . 25
4. Integrative Living Anatomy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5. How to Use this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
PRINCIPLES AND THEMES
6. What is a Principle or Theme? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
7. Breath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
8. Centering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
9. Creating the Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
10. Effortlessness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
11. Elasticity and Tension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
12. Feeling Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
13. Generating Aliveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
14. Ground and Gravity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
15. Lightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
16. Rhythm and Timing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
17. Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
18. Our Fluid Selves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
19. The Importance of Squatting and Kneeling. . . . . . . . . . . . 153
20. Time, Focus and Attention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
CLIENT SKILLS
21. Client Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
22. Communication and Learning Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
23. Emotional Balance and the Nervous System . . . . . . . . . . . 187
24. Language in Yoga Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
25. The Therapeutic Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
26. Working with Clients in Pain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
27. Practitioner Self-Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
28. Beyond Asana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Concluding Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Appendix: Cranial Sacral Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Image Sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227