The June (2010) issue of W magazine featured a pictorial on the nearly completed Moroccan residential complex of former Christian Dior/Shiseido cosmetic artist and renowned perfumer Serge Lutens, who has spent much of the past thirty-five years (and counting) designing, building (and re-building in some cases) and furnishing this wondrous and beautiful manse.

Lutens doesn’t live in the house, or really use it for any practical purpose, preferring to live and work out of his small one room apartment nearby. A project of this scale, passion and devotion – a purely aesthetic expression – seems more a working out of something in the psyche. Reading the article and viewing the awe-inspiring detail that has gone into every detail of every room put me in mind of Jung’s house at Bollingen, which he built himself over the course of thirty-odd years on the property where he lived with his family in Switzerland.

Lutens project is like something from a dream. The rooms don’t seem like rooms of a house in the sense we think of rooms in a house. This house is so beautifully sanctuarial, protective, inward looking – a seeming expression, that even Lutens describes as a kind of a “mania,” of his own reclusive, introverted nature and creative mind.

(Click on the link above to see all of the photos.)

“The body will exhibit symptoms until the psyche becomes strong enough to contain and carry the conflict.” Judith Harris, Jung & Yoga: The Psyche-Body Connection.

This is the first in series on the topic of Yoga and Psychology.

We come to our yoga practice from a thousand different directions. We might look first for a purely physical practice that promises strength and flexibility and gradually discover its benefits for the mind. Or we come out of a meditation practice to more deeply integrate mindfulness with something that offers to relieve a specific area of long-held tightness or stress in the body. Yoga indeed has the power to connect body and mind and to heal from outside to inside and vice versa. I recently finished re-reading Judith Harris’ book Jung & Yoga: The Psyche-Body Connection[1]. The first chapter, “Creation” deals largely with the ideas of “rooting” and grounding the body and with the concept of the prima materia. It is this idea I would like to explore in this post.

Psyche & Soma: Mind & Body

As yoga practitioners, how often do we connect the physical symptoms of injury or illness with a psychological problem? I’m referring less to the one-off traumas many of us face at one time or another – the torn meniscus or rotator cuff, the spill on the ice that bruises the tailbone – and more to the subtle and ongoing or recurring aches, pains, imbalances, and even health issues in the respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems that we might not initially associate with the muscle and bone work of yoga. In many instances it can be helpful to look at these ailments as symptomatic of deeper conflicts and unaddressed wounds in the psyche.

Those familiar with the chakra or Kundalini system understand how it can offer one route to begin reintegrating mind and body at a much deeper level than we may experience in our day-to-day yoga routine[2]. In working with the first or “root” chakra, one of the first tasks we face is to bring forth or “dig up” some of our unconscious content, the psychological stuff that gets pushed down and out of sight. This “stuff” may be developmental deficiencies inflicted in early infancy, or residue from later emotional disturbances we experienced in childhood or adolescence. This “unconscious content” in part forms our own “first matter” or prima materia.

Prima Materia

The term prima materia comes to us from alchemical studies (simply put, alchemy as historically practiced, was the work of attempting to produce gold or silver from various base metals). In alchemical parlance, the prima materia is

the common, elemental substance or “first matter,” “found in filth,” the “orphan” sought by the alchemists in their attempt to create the Philosopher’s Stone. The original “chaos” or “sea” that constitutes all matter[3].

Carl Jung was a scholar of alchemy (among many, many other things) and extrapolated the practical, material theory of alchemical transformation for use in examining the human psyche. Jung thought of the prima materia as “an unconscious content ready to surface but needing the ‘heat’ of awareness to cook it into a conscious experience.” (Chalquist, ibid.) A consistent Yoga practice that incorporates the development of this “awareness” through mindfulness and meditation can bring us to this state of readiness.

But what are some other familiar parallels of the prima materia with Yoga? What in our study of the sutras or other Yogic philosophy does this concept call to? Something that is both within us and that is simultaneously the very fabric of existence, even of pre-existence as we understand the idea of time and consciousness. We might think of it as the psychological component or parallel to the idea of prana, or the energy that manifests both individually and universally. The prima materia can also be seen as an “elemental substance,” “found in filth” and as Harris notes, as the earth: “Indeed, Jung often refers the prima materia as the earth and calls it ‘the mother of the elements and of all created things.’” (16). In other words, it is both the primordial mass we come from and that to which we return. So how do we begin to engage with the deeper psychological matter, our own prima materia?

Dream work is one way to begin bringing the prima materia to light. Harris’ overriding thesis (or one of them perhaps) is that to achieve psychological wholeness we must work not only upward, toward the light of consciousness, but also downward (a theme I continue to see in current writings and workshops that facilitate the Western practice of Yoga). In Analytical or Jungian psychology our work must begin by witnessing, exploring and giving voice to the unconscious, which Jung believed surfaces in our dreams. The unconscious is a container for everything we have yet to realize in waking life, as well as everything we leave behind, unaddressed, un-realized, repressed. This is our “dark matter,” the shadow of our consciousness. Both bad and good dreams, the Jungians would argue, show us something we are meant to address, and other people, figures, objects, recurring places or themes in our dreams often represent an aspect of our personal psyche that benefits from our attention.

Think about any consistent patterns in your dream life. Are there any recurring scenarios or characters? If they could speak to you as a part of your own psyche, what would they be calling your attention to? Underwater, underground, basements and caves, enclosed spaces without walls as well as the act of getting dirty, mucky or sticky, “digging in the dirt” – or conversely, recurring dreams that feature flight from, departure from the ground, the earth, rootedness – these places and experiences as they occur in our dreams can be correlated with the root chakra. Addressing the psychological issues these elements bring forth in your dreams is one way to begin working with the prima materia.

Prima Materia and the Root Chakra

Bringing forth our unconscious content is a process of reintegrating it with our waking consciousness. In the Kundalini system this work is taken on in the muladhara (translated as “root support”) chakra, and here we begin to see perhaps more direct parallels with Yogic psychological theory. An interesting correlation is the dual meaning of prima materia as

“radix ipsius (root of itself). As the prima materia is able to root within itself, it remains completely autonomous and dependent on nothing. This is what allows it to be ever-present, in every way…As the prima materia can root itself without any external forces acting upon it, we may also liken it to the earth.”  (Harris, 16)

In the Kundalini system the three lower chakras represent our more primal and instinctual needs and impulses and are located in the lower body, at or below the navel: the solar plexus (manipura), the lower abdomen (svadisthana) and the root chakra or muladhara at the base of the pelvis.

Though with the chakra system we are working with the notion of the “subtle body” energetic imbalances in any one chakra may manifest as physical symptoms in the gross body. When issues of basic security and survival are unaddressed through for example, repression of a specific emotional or psychological trauma, we may work our way through life generally ignoring the lower body, living in the higher chakras (which become overdeveloped). Specific lower body ailments such as bowel and intestinal disorders, disorders of the bones or teeth, issues with the legs, feet, knees, hips or the base of the spine, eating disorders and/or frequent illness[4] can be attributed to a deficiency or excess of energy in the root chakra.

Splitting Apart – Coming Together: Individuation

Harris goes on to explain the differentiation of the prima materia into pairs – of the split that happens when we are born, of opposites that must then again be reconciled. Craig Chalquist describes this process as one in which:

…fire and meditation soon bring about the first coniunctio oppositorum, or the reunification of prima materia split into its opposites: Sol (consciousness) with Luna (the unconscious, as personified by the anima), ego with id (body), male with female, sulphur and salt, spirit and nature, heaven and earth, Logos and Eros, son and mother. The increasing heat of awareness fuses the unconscious content, divided and differentiated by a conceptualizing consciousness, into a new, partly conscious substance.

Prima materia is the “first” or “prime” material in Aristotelian thought, the “true foundation of reality.” In the Yogic work of understanding the self, it is both the basis of who we become as individuals, and the collective unconscious our individual psychic selves are born from. We’ve all heard someone speak of “becoming one with the universe.” It is this idea of the conjoining of opposites, of reintegrating the contents of the unconscious with consciousness, of becoming whole, of realizing we all derive from a single, unified source, the universe, and that indeed that universe is within us. A very Yogic idea indeed.

[2] Judith, Anodea. 2004. Eastern Body Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self. New York. Celestial Arts/Random House. This is an excellent introduction and manual for working to recognize and address mind/body issues within the chakra system, heal the psyche of past traumas, and grow toward psychological wholeness.

[3] Chalquist, Craig. A Glossary of Jungian Terms. chalquist.com/jungdefs.html

This is a deep restorative, donation-based, all levels class. Lots of breathwork and supported postures, with time for short meditation at the end.

This is a reflective, slow-moving, low-impact practice perfect for closing a busy, hectic, high energy week. You will leave feeling relaxed, but energized and opened up!

Doctors who treat Fibromyalgia and who want to offer their patients something other than pharmaceuticals often agree that Yoga, specifically the kindler, gentler approach of Restorative Yoga, offers several benefits:

*Restores healthy blood circulation

*Builds healthy muscle tissue

*Reduces stress & anxiety

A Yoga practice that combines bodywork (asana or postures), breathwork and meditation, along with healthy changes to diet and perhaps other forms of bodywork such as chiropractic and/or rolfing, can produce much sought-after relief from symptoms and can in many cases replace traditional pharmaceutical remedies (which often mask the root causes of muscle dysfunction and can lead to unhealthy addiction).

Always check with your doctor or other health care provider before beginning a Yoga practice. Special precautions should be taken if you are pregnant or have specific blood-related disorders. Some poses are contra-indicated for conditions such as high blood pressure and glaucoma. Always maintain a slow, even breath cycle throughout your posture work. If the breath becomes labored or short, stop and rest or modify your posture to a level that lets you correct your breath.

Restorative Yoga is meant to help quiet the mind while also gently opening space in the body. Feel free to stay in these poses for as long as you feel comfortable and can focus the mind inwardly. Here are some Restorative or gentle Yoga postures recommended to treat the symptoms of Fibromyalgia:

Balasana or Child’s Pose – From a seated position on the knees, take your knees wide and bring your toes together behind you. Fold your torso to the floor, letting your arms fold back over your thighs. This pose stretches the back and hips, and releases tension in the neck and shoulders.

Viparita Karani or Legs Up The Wall Pose – A supported “inversion”, where the heart is below the head. Sit close to a wall on a couple of narrowly folded yoga blankets or thick towels. Turn your torso first to face the wall, then leaning over and back towards the floor, bring the base of your pelvis to the wall, and take your legs up to rest against the wall. The entire back of your torso, arms and head then rests on the floor. This pose reverses blood flow, improving circulation, and gently stretches the backs of the legs.

Halasana or Plow Pose – Lying on your back, kick your legs up and over your head, bringing your toes to or toward the floor behind you. Bring your hands up to support your back, letting weight fall firmly into your elbows, upper arms and shoulders. This is a good stretch for the back and neck.

Savasana or Corpse Pose – Lie in a full resting pose on your back. Use blankets or towels to support your head and knees (which releases the hips and lower back). Close your eyes, relax your entire body from your feet to your head, then let your mind focus gently on the cycle of your breath.

Standing poses simultaneously strengthen the legs, back and shoulders while also opening space in the hips and joints of the legs. Hold each pose for 8-10 breaths each. Specific strength building Yoga postures that are recommended include but are not limited to:

Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog Pose – Come to your hands and knees, aligning your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Spread your fingers wide and fully press your palms into the floor. Turn your toes under and gently lift your knees up, pressing into your palms to lengthen your arms as you brings your heels toward the floor and your legs to straight. Keep a micro bend in your knees to allow your hips to lift and spread. Feel your back stretch as you reach your tailbone to the sky. This pose stretches and strengthens the entire body.

Trikonasana or Triangle Pose – Step your feet wide and turn your right toes forward and your left toes in to about 45 degrees. Keep both legs straight as you engage the leg muscles. Take a strong breath in as you lengthen your torso and extend your arms out in both directions. On your exhalation, reach the right arm forward, angling your torso in the same direction. Once you feel a strong (not painful) stretch in your right inner thigh, bring your right hand down to rest on your shin or an upturned block. Your left arm extends skyward, and your gaze turns to your left fingers. Hold for several breaths then repeat after switching your legs.

Parsvakonasana or Extended Side Angle Pose - Step your feet wide and turn your right toes forward and your left toes in to about 45 degrees. Bend your front knee, keeping it aligned over your heel and bring your right elbow to rest on the top of your right thigh. Press strongly into your left foot, lengthening and firming the entire leg. Lift your left arm first to the sky, then to an angle over your left ear. The right hand can also be lowered onto the floor or to a block. Hold for several breaths then repeat after switching your legs.

These two poses in particular strengthen not only the legs, but the muscles of the back. Try to keep the chest stretching open in these poses by pulling the shoulder blades together towards the spine. This action also reduces strain in the shoulders by consciously lowering or “de-hunching” them away from the ears.

For more poses and pose sequences that are helpful in treating Fibromyalgia or other specific ailments, please feel free to email me.

The class format is All-Levels with some flow, but is not a super intense power class. I think you can do it! I’m saving a good ten to fifteen minutes at the beginning and end of every class for longer meditation and breathwork periods. So, it’s a good balance of asana, pranayama and pratyahara.

Private yoga instruction works very well for men who are coming a little late to the game of taking charge of their physical and mental/emotional well being. As my male clients can often attest, there are very few group yoga classes out there that address the specific needs of men in their age range (45-55). A man in this group makes a concerted effort to find such a class, and nine times out of ten finds himself standing alone in a room of 20 women in their 20’s and 30’s. The instructor’s goals for this group are not going to meet the man on his level; they are not going to address what he needs addressed. They will frustrate, disappoint, intimidate and overwhelm him.*

My primary private client is in his mid-forties, and works a 60-70 hour, very high-stress workweek. Like many folks on the less-active side of the fitness scale, he is chronically tight in the shoulders, back, and hips, and in addition suffers from chronic tightness and stiffness in the feet and ankles. He allows time for recreational sport about once a week at the most, and walks the dog, but his job demands a seated, chair at desk posture, watching a computer screen and clicking a mouse for many hours at a time. The pressure this posture puts on the respiratory and skeletal-muscular systems has far-reaching effects on his overall health and happiness.

Over the past several months, he has stopped his workday one day a week to practice yoga for 75 minutes. We spend a good portion of our time initially slowing and deepening his breath, often with him lying on his back with support under the spine to open the chest, with long holds in postures that open and stretch the muscles in the back, hips and shoulders. We balance this with poses to strengthen muscles in the upper back and legs that will support increased flexibility as it continues to come. When we first began to work together, he complained of pain in the lower back/tailbone that made it hard to do what he has to do all day: sit. Now he is pain-free. I see an ease and openness in his posture now that tells us his yoga is working for him.

There is a genuinely safe, individually appropriate space for men to begin addressing the effects of un-ending stress on their bodies and minds. Private yoga instruction offers a personalized approach, ideally worked into his work schedule in his own home, that helps him begin to take an active role in reversing the habits of health-compromising posture and breathing.

* A “Beginner Series” of yoga classes at a reputable yoga studio (rather than a fitness center or gym) is often the next best place for new students of any age, fitness level or body type. The Iyengar studios and classes in my opinion, offer the safest, best-trained instructors for the beginning student.

I’m not sure why that didn’t happen at the five-star hotel, but it did happen in Plano. A bit of a hike, but well worth the trip, Pranaa Ayurveda Spa and Yoga’s roster of services may have you scheduling treatments every three months for years to come just to sample everything they offer. Their head Ayurvedic practitioner, Ritu Bhala, is prepared to deliver Abhyanga, Swedana, Shirodhara and more in a serenely beautiful spa setting. Worth the extra pocket change is the full Ayurvedic lifestyle and nutrition consultation, where you will learn about your specific dosha, or constitution, and steps to take in your diet and Yoga practice to bring your body to its natural state of health and self-healing.

For Christmas last year I asked for a gift certificate to Pranaa (thanks awesome step-kids!). I booked an appointment for the Udvartan, an herbal body-scrub massage done with oils, sandalwood and chickpea powder, and dried herbs that stimulate the lymph system to detoxify the body while leaving my skin polished and silky soft. I booked an appointment for three months down the road for the Marma Point Massage, where Ritu, using generous amounts of warmed Sandalwood oil focuses her massage on the energy points in the body, including the scalp, temples, sinuses, stomach feet and limbs. Transcendent. I’m eager to add Shirodhana, the stream of warmed sandalwood oil poured directly across the middle brow, or Swedana, or traditional steam therapy.

In addition to the full roster of Ayurvedic treatments, Pranaa also offers a full range of Western facial and massage treatments and packages, as well as a full schedule of Yoga classes and workshops.

Pranaa Ayurveda Spa & Yoga

4017 Preston Road, Ste. 352 Plano TX 75093

Phone: 972-608-0402  * Email : info@pranaa.com * www.pranaa.com

MONDAYS – CHI Studio, near Fair Park in Dallas, TX

5:15-6:30pm Yoga Tune-Up: A beginner level class that covers that basics. All levels welcome. $10 Drop in.

7:00-8:30pm Vinyasa Flow: A breath-synchronized class that builds heat and challenges you in deeper hip openers, arm balances and inversions. $5 Donation.

On Tuesdays I teach a class to my Mother and one of her dearest friends. It’s private. Sorry!

On Wednesdays I’m teaching to my favorite teachers and staff at the Winston School in north Dallas. We’ve been practicing together now for almost three years. I am most proud of this group of women and what they’ve accomplished.

On Thursdays I’m currently teaching two kids’ yoga classes. Talk about a challenge.

I’m also about to start subbing up at the Gold’s Gym in Garland the next several Saturday mornings from 11-12pm, and Thursdays in November from 7:15-8:15pm. I love this class. They are the friendliest bunch of dedicated gym-yogis I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.

I like it that my regular classes leave me the flexibility to sub teach a lot when I can. Let me know if you’re interested in starting your own private class! Either at CHI Studio or a location you have available.

Finally, here’s an upcoming event you might be interested in:

Dirt Cheap Yoga’s Chandra Namaskar: Moon Salutations

Maybe I’ll see you there…