Yoga & Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (Y-MBCT):

Use of Yoga in Its Entirety

Basant Pradhan, M.D.,

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry,

Director of Y-MBCT & Trans-cranial Magnetic Stimulation

Programs, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ

Author: Yoga & Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy: A

Clinical Guide

Professional Disclaimer

Dr. Basant Pradhan was the PI of a collaborative study on PTSD

with the National Institute on Aging (NIA). He has no financial

relationship with any private company that would constitute a

conflict of interest on this topic.

Objectives:

After this, participants will be able to summarize things below:

Concepts of Yoga & meditation are profoundly distorted,

underused & when used, mostly used in piece meal, not in its entirety

Meditation is part of Yoga

Meditation is a state of mind, not an action

Meditation has 2 components: Concentration & Mindfulness

Yoga in its entirety is three fold: Life Style, Mind-Body Tools &

Meditation

Use of ALL THREE parts together based on authentic

scriptural philosophy, techniques & practice are necessary

for correct use of Yoga & to improve the usefulness

Human Experience is Five Folds: The Five Factor Model

Yoga & Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (Y-MBCT)

through its six evidence based models attempts to bridge these

considerable gaps

PROLOGUE:

Distortion at its extremes

Hatha Yoga Vs. Hot Yoga

Yoga as proposed originally: Ancient India

YOGA in its entirety: Contemplative strategies to gain insight:

About nature of thoughts & experiences (so that wisdom will govern our actions)

To understand things AS THEY ARE (REALITY, Pali. tathata)

To re-access a natural, +ve state of mind (cf. Baby)

to experience wisdom (vs. illusion/maya) & sustained day-to-day

peace of mind (vs. dvanda/unrest), regardless of circumstances

Philosophy of Yoga is based on the facts below:

All human experience created from WITHIN.

Stress: By Cognitive Dissonance (Maya)

Amelioration of stress & change of experience are possible: By

changing internal representations in mind & brain (insight+wisdom)

ORIGINAL THINKERS:

Buddha, Patanjali & Vivekananda (Ancient India & Modern India)

Yoga in its entirety is three fold: All 3 Necessary

Meditation is 6th

& 7th

limbs of Eight Limbed Yoga

Meditation is NOT an action: It is a state of mind

Yoga in its entirety is three-fold: Life style, Tools, Meditation

Meditation is two-fold: Concentration(FA) & Mindfulness

(OM)

Mind & Meditation: As Conceptualized in Scriptures

Locus of all experience: INSIDE

MIND: Always running away from this locus (Projection)

Mechanism of action of Mindfulness: Reversal of Projection.

To Turn mind inwards (the locus of all experiences)

Technique: Con-centration (centering of consciousness) +

Mindfulness (Sati Patthana) +

The Middle Way (The whole life is a meditation)

Basic Tools: You (nobody else) & Your Body & Breathing

Transformation of Breathing to a meditative experience in 7 steps

Generalization to Daily Life is Necessary (Practice Log)

Ongoing standardization by Pradhan (1993 onwards)

The Five

Aggregates in

co-creation of all

Human

Experience:

everything is just

elaboration of

these five

phenomena.

Panic

experience can

be seen as a

prototype of this

model

(Adapted from

Pradhan’s Book,

2014, with

permission)

Mind &

Meditator

are Different

from Each

Other:

Detached

Observation

of Mind is

Necessary.

That is

Meditation

Mind & Meditator :

The Lake Model (Pradhan, 2014)

Three modes of operation of Mind:

DOING Mode: Default mode (On call mode)

BEING mode: (Vacation mode; Being One with experience)

DRIVEN-DOING : Deadline mode (No experience)

GOOD FUNCTIONING: More ‘Being’ mode, less

‘Doing’ mode, much less ‘Driven-doing’ mode

HOW: By upgrading the technology to master the mind

The Three Unmindful Styles in Our Life: Source of All Stress

o Extreme/Non-Middle Way views & life styles

o Clinging to Self (I-dentify)

o Not staying with the present experience (Time travelling)

MEDITATION is a mental state cultivated by

practicing the combination of opposites to above three:

MIDDLE WAY view (an awareness rather than doing the actions),

DETACHED OBSERVATION &

Staying FOCUSED in the PRESENT MOMENT

Goal: To experience things as they are (Pali. tathata)

All done by using the breath (& body) as the anchor for

Meditation (Stations of Mindfulness, Nyanaponika, 1954)

The Chief Theory of Mind & Experience

in the Abhidhamma :

The Five Factor Model of Human Experience

Human Experience is a Co-creation by the Aggregates

One’s Field of Awareness is the Platform to Experience/

Experiment to effect the Change

All Experiences are Temporary & Prone to Change

FIVE FACTORS MODEL OF MIND: Experience as co-creation of these aggregates (Buddha, 6th century BC; Pradhan, 2014)

Will, Urge,

Impulses

Thoughts Feelings

Sensations,

Perceptions

MEMORY

Emotional

outbursts

Somatic

Symptoms,

Hallucination

Amnesia, PTSD

flashbacks,

Drug craving,

Compulsions,

Impulse

Ruminations,

Delusions,

Cognitive

distortions

CHANGE OF EXPERIENCE IS POSSIBLE

Pradhan’s Ongoing Work (Demystification & Standardization of Yoga)

Standardized Yoga meditation Program for Stress Reduction (SYMPro-

SR©): (wellness model, 1993 onwards): piloted on 150 persons

Y-MBCT© (illness models, 1998 onwards): Five Dx specific models

(depression; OCD, PTSD & other anxiety disorders; dyslexia & ADHD;

addiction, anger & impulse control disorders; somatic & conversion Sx)

Online Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvHDCZ5D7Xk

Assessment Scale for Mindfulness Interventions (ASMI©, Pradhan, 2012)

Arousal Response during Trauma Memory Reactivation (ART-MR©

Pradhan & Gray, 2013-14): PTSD specific scale

Yoga & Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (Y-MBCT: Book: 2014)

SYMPro-SR & Y-MBCT protocols

are based on: The 4 Original schools of Yoga

(Veda, Vedanta, Buddhism &

Tantra),

Standardized Middle Way Life

Style,

Neuro-biologically informed

meditation (bottom up model of

meditation) &

Standardization of CBT.

Piloted in > 300 subjects (India & US)

SYMPro-SR & Y-MBCT in a Nutshell

Philosophies of Mind & Life: Middle Way & Five Factors Model

Based on meditation as science of attention & empathy

Cognitive & Behavioral tools for standardization & adherence

Standardized sitting posture & Yogic procedures (Kriya)

Conscious Sensory Withdrawal (Sans. Pratyahara: 5th step)

Attaining the meditative states with standardized use of the

2 meditative styles: Concentrative (FA) & Open Monitoring (OM)

Concentrative meditation: TRATAK (fixed gazing)

Open Monitoring: MINDFULNESS (with five factor model)

SYMPro-SR & Y-MBCT Models

Practical Tips for Yoga-Meditation:

SYMPro-SR/Y-MBCT: Standardized Practice Log available Routine Practice at Home (Longer version): 15 minutes in AM after waking up 15 minutes at night before going to bed As needed Quick Practice at Work (Shorter version): As needed practice: 5 minutes in different situations in daily life Use of CBT & experiential tools for ensuring effective practice of : Middle Way philosophy in daily life, The Five Factor Model of experience & Mindfulness meditation

SUMMARY: SYMPro-SR & Y-MBCT

Scriptural but scientific: Evidence based & feasible

Psychologically, neuro-biologically & spiritually informed

Feasible for monks as well as modern people: Meditative

Life Style (Middle Way) standardized as well

Compatible with

Illnesses & wellness

Other therapies (Psychotherapies, Medications, TMS)

Huge potential for further collaborations & applications in

multi-center trials examining utility of Yoga & mindfulness

REFERENCES:

Bhante Gunaratana (2009). Beyond Mindfulness In Plain English.

Buddhaghosha (circa. 430 CE): Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification;

Nyanamoli [Eng. 1976], Berkley, CA: Sambhala.

Dalai Lama (2009). The Middle Way: Faith Grounded in Reason. Wisdom Pub.

Daniel Goleman (1988). The Meditative Mind: Varieties of meditative experience.

Jon Kabat-Zinn (1990): Full Catastrophe Living. New York: Delacorte Press.

Newberg, A.B. (2010). Principles of Neurotheology; Ashgate Publishing.

Nyanaponika Thera (1965). The Heart of Buddhist Meditation; Samuel Weiser.

Pradhan, B.K. (2014): Yoga & Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (Y-

MBCT): A Clinical Guide (Springer).

Pradhan et al (2013-14, unpublished): Ketamine & mindfulness in refractory

PTSD. Pilot study with investigators from Cooper University Hospital & NIA.

Satchidananda, S. (1978). The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Translations and

commentary; Yogaville, Virginia: Integral Yoga Publications.

Segal, Z. v., Williams, J. M. G., & Teasdale, J. D. (2002, 2013). MBCT for

depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse

Vivekananda (1956). Raja Yoga. New York: Ramakrishna Vivekananda Center.

ARTICLES: Very many to be cited.

Thank you !