Psychotherapy and Yoga - Strong Foundations for Living
There are blueprints for building homes...There should be blueprints for building lives, blueprints that would make our homes into places of love and peace and safety, places of rest and strength, where contentment reigns and individual freedom of expression goes on without the blight of domination and fear.
Blueprints for living must not be set and rigid...They must be flexible, elastic, expansive, while based on foundations of basic truths that erect lives worth living. A life even more than a house needs a safe foundation.” - Jean Page Wharton (Blueprints for Living, 1953)
The 'foundations of basic truths' on which fulfilling and contented lives are built are the truths about ourselves. Each of us has a natural core, a centre, an essential Self which is our foundation. Over our lifetime we cover over our 'foundation' with ideas of what we think we 'should' be, the importance of the expectations of others, the 'duties' of daily life and obligations of social conformity. Our foundation becomes inaccessible and life ceases to feel as though it is place 'where contentment reigns'.
There comes a time when we want a different experience of life. We need to uncover the layers and find our way back to the 'foundation' of our being through a process of understanding the
real source of our thoughts and feelings and the
real substance of our body. This process is challenging in a world which moves fast, talks much and listens little. It requires that we create space and commitment in our lives to allow our nature to speak. And enough space in ourselves that we can hear when it does. Psychotherapy (or self-study) and yoga are two of humanity's oldest traditions for creating this space in which we can attend to the process of understanding our true nature and thus ultimately, live full and contented lives.
What is Psychotherapy?
Understanding the contours and landscape of our being is not an easy task but it is the most worthwhile endeavour. This understanding leads to the expression of our true nature resulting in fulfilment in our work, relationships and our play and to a most profound sense of safety and well-being. With this understanding comes freedom of expression and creativity in the way our lives are lived. We begin to see that we have choices where we felt there were none, we see that the possibility to love life can occur in the simplest of circumstances and regardless of external achievement and approbation.
What kinds of people benefit?
You may feel that you have untapped potential, that there is something waiting to be expressed. While you may have notched up significant achievements during your lifetime, you may find yourself wondering to what purpose. You may be looking for further self knowledge to inform life decisions. You may feel misunderstood in the world.
In some cases our inner world becomes challenging and causes us to pause and reflect inwardly. You may feel depressed, numb or fatigued. You may suffer from on-going anxiety or fear. You may find that key relationships in your life are not as you would like. All these situations present the opportunity to explore the difficulty and through it discover your foundation of being. It is this process of exploration, of paying attention to yourself that leads to the ability to live more fully and feel more secure in that life.
How does psychotherapy work?
Much of our way of being in the world is based on a response to our experiences and environments in early life. These habitual approaches become ingrained and automatic and can present blocks to openly experiencing life and creating nurturing environments for ourselves. Many of these blocks to understanding our Being lie in the unconscious realms and thus are difficult for us to 'see'. The psychotherapeutic relationship is designed to provide the appropriate context, support and facilitation for the unconscious to emerge revealing more of our true Self. From this foundation of self-knowledge 'blueprints' for living a rich and fulfilled life emerge.
My psychotherapy practice is based in Maida Vale in Central London which is close to St John's Wood, Kilburn, Queen's Park, Notting Hill, Marylebone among others. For further information (including fees and scheduling) see the 'Psychotherapy Practice' section of this website.
What is Yoga?
"I want to unfold. I don't want to stay folded anywhere because where I am folded, there I am untrue.” - R.M. Rilke (Book of Hours, 1996)
Understanding the tension we hold and how we manage it, the way our breath interacts with our state of mind and the natural dynamics that our body employs, tells us much about the 'story' of our Being. As we spend time in physical postures and pay attention to our breathing we come to know and understand the capacities and limitations of our body, how they affect our mind and vice versa. We can use this inquiry to re-form a relationship between the body and the mind. As we begin to observe, and thus nurture the wisdom of the body, the body responds in trusting the mind and reveals more and more of its hidden depths.
Physically yoga is very helpful for strengthening the constitution overall reducing stress, improving circulation, strengthening the immune system and addressing back pain and many forms of RSI. Psychologically, it facilitates the process of integration of unconscious aspects and is beneficial for easing depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive tendencies and many other conditions. Yoga is very useful for meditators and non-meditators alike - it can be helpful preparation to begin a meditation practice or strengthen an existing practice.
I teach yoga on a one-to-one basis and help practitioners to develop an individual practice that supports their self-inquiry. For further information on these areas (including teaching schedule) see the 'Yoga' section of this website. Please contact me if you have questions or would like to discuss arranging a session.
07802 630592