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

by Anodea Judith

Overview

Revised edition of the groundbreaking New Age book that seamlessly merges Western psychology and science with spirituality, creating a compelling interpretation of the Eastern chakra system and its relevance for Westerners today.

In Eastern Body, Western Mind, chakra authority Anodea Judith brought a fresh approach to the yoga-based Eastern chakra system, adapting it to the Western framework of Jungian psychology, somatic therapy, childhood developmental theory, and metaphysics and applying the chakra system to important modern social realities and issues such as addiction, codependence, family dynamics, sexuality, and personal empowerment.

Arranged schematically, the book uses the inherent structure of the chakra system as a map upon which to chart our Western understanding of individual development. Each chapter focuses on a single chakra, starting with a description of its characteristics and then exploring its particular childhood developmental patterns, traumas and abuses, and how to heal and maintain balance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781587612251
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	08/01/2004
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	504
Sales rank:	30,410
Product dimensions:	6.08(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.34(d)

About the Author

ANODEA JUDITH, Ph.D., is a leading authority on the integration of chakras and therapeutic issues. She is the author of the chakra classic Wheels of Life, along with several other books, audio courses, and the video The Illuminated Chakras. She has a Ph.D. in health and human services, an M.A. in clinical psychology, and additional training in bioenergetics, trauma recovery, yoga therapy, and shamanism. She lives in Sebastopol, California, and travels extensively with trainings and workshops.

Editorial Reviews

"Rather than presenting an esoteric borrowing from Indian culture, Judith employs the metaphoric language of the chakra system within the context of modern psychology. Her clear organization and numerous charts make browsing for subjects of personal relevance a breeze, and her comparison of the various maps of psychological development (Freudian, Piagetian, Eriksonian, Reichian, and others) is intriguing. The book provides a useful tool for contemplating our strengths, weaknesses, and appropriate approaches to growth."  
-Yoga Journal

". . . [S]parkles with insight. Spiritual seeker, client, and therapist alike will find treasures here."
-PanGaia magazine

From the Publisher

Judith (Sevenfold Journey, LJ 4/1/93), a healer, elucidates the chakra system and how it shapes and is shaped by human behavior. The seven chakras, or human biocomputer, are located at various levels of our bodies. The chakras start with survival (at the base of the spine), followed by sexuality (lower back), power (solar plexus), love (heart area), communication (throat), intuition (brow), and cognition (crown). Giving an understanding of the chakras and their corresponding psychological character, Judith then invites the reader to explore multidimensional healing processes to bring the chakras into balance. To provide illustrations of practical applications, she offers personal stories. Although her book contains a lot of information, it is user-friendly, allowing the reader to view pertinent chapters through the use of subtitles and reference charts. Like Rickie Moore's Goddess in My Shoes (Humanics, 1988), this work would be popular in New Age collections.-L. Kriz, West Des Moines Lib., Iowa

Library Journal