Yoga Philosophy for Mental Health: Key to Happy Life

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The popular understanding of Yoga equates it with only the asanas, there are eight steps prescribed for its practice, which emphasize internal and external cleansing, self-discipline physical fitness, and meditation, which result in alertness and mental strength.

Dr. Ramnaresh Tripathi Jyotish Shiromani, Founder Director & Chairman of the International Organization of Astrology and Vedic Sciences. Prachya Vidya Jyotish Adhyayan Evam Anusandhan Sansthan, Allahabad Born in 1947, Dr Tripathi is not only a renowned Journalist and an eminent Astrologer, but also a leading scholar of India, who holds Double Masters in Economics and Acharya along with a D Phil in Economics from the University of Allahabad. His works on Yogi Samrat Devraha Baba, are seminal works on those who wish to research or progress in the field of inner Yoga. He has also co-authored and edited several other books on Adi Shankaracharya, Indian culture, and mythology in English, Hindi and Sanskrit.
Dr Tripathi published the Astrological weekly, Jyotish Prakash in 1997 and established Prachaya Vidya Jyotish Adhayan Evam Anusandhan Sansthan in 1998. He has numerous prizes and awards to his credit like the Jyotish Vachaspati by Indian Council of Astrological Sciences in 2008, Jyotish Ratna by Indian Council of Astrological sciences in 2004, Jyotish Shiromani by International Organization of Astrology and Vedic Sciences in 2004, Jyotish Mahrishi by Bhartiya Jyotish Peeth, Lucknow in 2000, Raj Jyotishi, Bhartiya Jyotish Parishad, Kanpur in 2000, & International Award by America and Canada Hindi Samiti, He is currently working with the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, as Director of Astrology Department in Allahabad. Recently he has been appointed as a Visiting Professor at the Hindu University in Florida.
Anita Dua is a disciple of Yogacharya B.K.S Iyenger, under whom she trained in Pune at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Institute for several years in the early nineties. She is a widely cited expert who has conducted numerous workshops the world over including at the Delhi Golf Club, the IAS Association, Delhi Public School and in Central Park, New York. She is also a published author who frequently writes on sports, nutrition, and wellness in journals such as the Golf Digest.
She holds a post-graduate degree in Economics and formerly taught at the Modern School in New Delhi. Having previously worked with international organizations such as CARE and Louis Berger, she is currently engaged in the full time practice of yoga, and the associate writing and teaching.

Some thinkers maintain that there is no such study as Indian psychology, there is only Indian philosophy and spiritualism. This, however, is far from true. Though self has been the main subject of Indian psychological investigation since the Upanisads to Sri Aurobindo, mind (Citta) has been an equally important subject of deliberation. It should he remembered that while self realisation is the positive side of Indian psychology, mental control has been its negative aspect. All the techniques developed in the name of Yogas in India aimed at both their targets. While they aimed at self realisation, the path to this aim passed necessarily through self control. As a prelude to self control Indian psychologists analysed the nature of Citta or mind in details. This involved the study of the working of sense organs, the organs of actions the inner mechanism (Antahkarana) the chakras, the intellect and the memory, etc. Self and mind have been the two most important subjects of Indian psychology. Its approach has been both theoretical and practical. Practice and renunciation have been considered as the two most important weapons for self control. According to Patanjali, Maitri Karuna, Mudita and Upeksha lead to purification of self. Yoga Vashishtha recommends, hearing of scriptures, company of spiritual persons and absolute renunciation for the same purpose.
Relationship with Philosophy and Religion
Indian psychology is both philosophical and religious. These, again, are the characteristics of Indian culture. Indian thinkers and psychologists, from the seers of ancient Upanisads to contemporary Sri Aurobindo, have been great philosopher, and intensely religious persons. They were spiritual persons, saints who utilised philosophy, religion and psychology for the purpose of self development and self realisation. Thus Indian psychology is and has been an integral part of Indian philosophy and Hindu religion. In the words of M. Hiriyanna, "Indian psychology is in fact science of self." While Western and Indian psychology, thus differ in definition, nature, scope and methods, both of these deliberate on individual behaviour and aim at knowing the individual, knowing our real nature. So far as relationship with philosophy is concerned, even Wilhelm Woundt and Norman L. Munn admit that psychology cannot be absolutely separated from philosophy. It is wrong to brand Indian psychology as fatalist since as Mrs. Geraldine Coster has admitted, "It represents man as the sole and absolute master of his own fate forever." However, it has been rightly pointed out by H.V. Divatiya that while western psychology does not admit any existence of mind apart from being a function of the brain, Indian psychologist has given it an independent existence.