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

I finally finished reading Eastern Body Western Mind by Anodea Judith. As I am a realist and an empiricist, this book appealed to me because it dives deep into the connections of Western psychology and Eastern philosophy.Each chapter was incredible, with many 'a-ha' moments where the murky became clear and epiphanies of greater universal understanding abounded. This is a great book, but not exactly an easy read. I would place it at the Masters level of college texts, as it is packed with powerful citations backed by sound research.It is a generally accepted fact that roughly 85% of Americans grow up in a dysfunctional family with experiences of abuse or neglect, which means that this book applies to 85% of you who are reading this post.It is the sum of our life experiences that form who we are and the patterns we live by. If your patterns aren't working for you and you keep finding that you often make the same life mistakes that leave you unhappy, unfulfilled and starting over, it definitely warrants a deeper look into personal healing.If you have anything in your life that you feel is giving you trouble and you feel stuck on, I highly suggest reading this book, but again it is not an easy read. Even with my advanced educational level and ability to comprehend complex subject matter, I found it to be a challenging read because is it not a passive activity. Once the words are read, the brain goes to work.Eastern Body Western Mind is not just a book to read, it is a 'work book' for healing the soul's wounds accumulated over a life time; learning how to live in a healthier, more balanced and self loving way.The content is so tightly packed and so powerfully written that I found I had to take a lot of time after reading each chapter to digest the information, considering how it might apply to my life experiences and traumas as I moved towards recovery. With each chapter, you work through deep wounds that surface and emotional healing work takes time.However, it is well worth the time investment and much less expensive than years of weekly therapy that never seem to 'cure' you because if you are cured, the therapist looses a client. There is something powerful about yoga and Vedic philosophies. Once you release and let go of things in a healthy way, they don't return to haunt you, they are truly gone and you can proudly stand up to say, "I AM HEALED!".This ONE BOOK, was more useful to me in helping to resolve my own internal issues than all the western psychology that has been offered to me combined in my life time. With this book, I was able to take my recovery into my own hands and heal in my own way.The book took me more than 6 months to read because each chapter brought up so many issues I thought I had already processed and dealt with. I may have, but never so deeply and mindfully with a focus on healing myself as a whole; body, soul, mind and spirit.After reading this book, I am now able to both ground myself and tap into universal connectivity and consciousness for limitless possibilities. I can pull that universal energy down through my chakras to manifest anything I can conceive of. I worked on the areas that needed attention with a new awareness. I know where I still need to keep working.I also know that now it is time to get out into the world and start using my new knowledge to connect, to grow, to expand and to love again. #Love and the heart are where everything meets and more growth becomes possible.I have made some massive changes in my life that I never thought possible 2 years ago, or even a year ago. Each day I become a better person. Each day I am more healed. It has been emotionally rough and all consuming at times, but I am glad that I put so much effort into seeking out my own way of healing and recovery.In finishing the book, I feel like I have reached the top of a big mountain of s*** that I can now flush, like a toilet, back down into the earth beneath me, which acts as fertilizer for the trees and the earth that grounds me at a higher altitude of existence than I have ever experienced before.I have leveled the playing field onto higher ground, raising myself up and learning in the process what it really means to "let go of what no longer serves you".Because of Eastern Body Western Mind, I now understand myself differently, I understand others differently, I understand the world differently and I understand the universe differently. I have traversed through the depths of massive multiple traumas and grief, emerging from what seemed to be an endless tunnel of dark emotional pain, into a new light of being and a healthier way of living.It is my greatest hope that others in the world read this book and find their own way of healing and transforming; moving from darkness into the light and sadness into the happiness of enlightened living in a purposeful way.~ Namaste ~

It took me a little over five years to read this book. I'd start it, get through a few pages and, mind blown, I'd set it down and life would get too busy to pick it up again. However, I think that was OK. Between the pandemic and the crumbling of my marriage, I found myself unemployed and in poor health but with lots of time on my hands. So, I spent about three months slowly working my way through this book, taking notes in my journal.This book explains everything. If you're looking for answers, they are here. I love that near the beginning, the author clarifies that this type of chakra journey isn't necessarily for everyone, but the fact that you've picked up this book and taken the first step in curiosity about it shows that you're already on the journey, and that it might be the right journey for you.I'm not a psychology expert, but being a victim of abuse I have been eagerly trying to learn everything I can about human behavior and what could cause a person to abuse another person. I have also been curious about why certain types of people tend to fall victim to abuse more often than others. This book took me on a very deep personal journey, but also gave me insight into reasons why other people in my life are the way they are. Don't misinterpret me — the book is not designed to diagnose, but to encourage awareness. Embarking on a practice of being aware of details in our daily lives can help us move from being controlled by our subconscious to living truly in a conscious state.Again, this book is not for everyone, but if you are curious, I would highly recommend it. And don't plan on plowing through it really quickly. If you're like me, you will want to savor, reread and copy down passages for further reflection to really get the most out of it. I'm absolutely a renewed person after having read this book.

So much relevant and insightful information in here. Explains so much about our behavior.

Great quality

I’m all about holistic health, but I never really got into the chakra stuff. This book does a fantastic job of explaining how it’s all interconnected. I told my therapist about it, and she said that it seems to be one of the most beneficial things that I have done for myself, in my healing process. That’s saying quite a bit, because I have left no stone unturned. It’s kind of related to “The Body Keeps the Score”, with the difference being that it tells you different things that you can do for yourself, for your problem areas. I highly recommend this read!

I think this book offers a wealth of valuable insight, especially for anyone interested in the intersection of psychology and the chakra system. Anodea Judith does an excellent job weaving together Eastern philosophy with Western therapeutic models, and there’s a lot of depth and practical information throughout the book.That said, readers should keep in mind that this was originally written in the 1990s, and it shows in some ways. In particular, the language and examples around gender can feel a bit outdated. The book predates widespread awareness and inclusion of gender-neutral identities, so some of the content may come across as gender-biased or overly binary.Despite that, it remains a foundational text for those on a healing or spiritual path. Just approach it with a discerning mind and a modern perspective.

I have been studying the Chakras for overall spiritual implications, but this book is grounding this knowledge in such a beautiful way. I can hardly put the book down!! Very exciting to get confirmation from what the chakras teach us themselves directly! Beautifully done.