08/02/2026
I strongly believe that yoga should not be a replacement for metal health.
In the west psychotherapy is used as a tool for investigating one’s own traumas and obstacles towards mental serenity. In the system of Yoga and Advaita vedanata it is often taught to notice all experiences as passing clouds over the infinite sky of the higher Self which is never tainted nor disturbed.
Then who is in suffering? Clearly I am in suffering. But without the right understanding of the practice we tend to bypass the suffering and going straight to the end.
We can not solve all pain but we have to learn to make our lives in this world bearable. Therefore the yogic journey of Self knowledge, in my humble opinion, should be paired with mental heath work to sustain (and not ignore) what is stored deeply in our mental body through traumas.
Just as we work hard on the body for its health, we eat good food, we try to engage with pranayama, so the mind needs to be addressed not only through meditation, but also through therapy.
I have spoken to a person whom I respect deeply and in the 80 years of experience on this earth she stated “I believe that every human from the age of 18 onward should go for psychotherapy once per week, just to keep processing emotion”.
I now strongly believe in this too. I would like to let everyone know that yoga is too often lived a spiritual bypass for what actually is happening deep within.
Yoga is a sacred discipline intended to dissolve the question “who am I beyond the appearance?”, it is just a tool to cope with daily life (although in the true state of yoga there is the end of suffering).
I hope everyone is well.
