Campus Calm had the opportunity to speak with Bo Forbes about how yoga can be an effective treatment option for stressed-out students who may be suffering from anxiety, depression and insomnia. Forbes is a yoga teacher, clinical psychologist, and integrative yoga therapist with over seventeen years of clinical experience in mind-body healing. She is the founder of Elemental Yoga and Director of the Center for Integrative Yoga Therapeutics(TM), established in 2006, which offers innovative mind-body yoga therapeutics to clients in the Boston and New York areas. She has a master’s degree in Social Sciences and a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology.
Every so often when I read a yoga magazine, I shake my head, sigh a little, and say, “Oh my.” I find it disheartening that despite the wealth of yoga-related anatomy available today, articles are being published that have misleading intentions and that provide misleading information.
In the August issue of Yoga Journal, there is a subheading on the front cover that declares “The Ultimate Pose to Build Core Strength.” Being the initial publisher of Yoga for the Core, by Suzette O’Byrne, and being interested in anything “core” – whether it refers to physical anatomy, breath, subtle energy flow, or bandhas – I was quite excited as I opened the pages to look for the article. And then . . . disappointment.
Jnana Yoga is one of the four primary forms of Yoga. Raja, Karma, and Bhakti Yoga are the other three primary forms of Yoga. When you consider the potential of Jnana Yoga applied to life, you will see that success is also a coordinated effort and a spiritual path of compassion, discipline, study, visualization, and meditation. Jnana Yoga is coordinated power.
Anyone can improve himself or herself with applied thought, action, and perseverance. Personal development requires desire, guidance, and a steady stream of motivation. For all of these ingredients to come together at the correct time, one must study under the guidance of a Guru, Swami, Yoga teacher, mentor, or coach.