The Utility of Ancient Complementary Therapies
in Modern Mental Health Treatment
Ronnie I. Newman, Ed.M., C.A.S.

According to the NIH, thirty-six percent of adult Americans use some complementary or alternative medical therapy(CAM) in their quest for wellness. Are there CAM therapies that can consistently produce positive outcomes in themental health arena? This article seeks to answer that question by investigating a long standing CAM therapy, the Yogic
Science of Breath.

Georgia Psychologist Spring/2008

Description of CAM Breathing
Techniques:
Three precise breathing techniques
derived from the Vedic text of India by
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be described(and presented in more detail at theupcoming GPA meeting). These threetechniques work synergistically torelieve emotional distress and create asubjective experience of wellbeing. The
breathing techniques include:
1) Three-stage Ujjayi, or “VictoryBreath”. Ujjayi is a slow and deep
breathing practice utilizing slightcontraction of the laryngeal muscles andpartial closure of the glottis to increase
airway resistance and breath control.
Three-stage Ujjayi is an advanced
form which adds specific inhalation toexhalation ratios, breath-holds and arm
postures .
2) Bhastrika, or “Bellows Breath” isvigorous and fast breathing (about twenty
to thirty respiratory cycles per minute),
with arm movements to increase thedepth of inhalation and exhalation.
3) Sudarshan Kriya [Sue-darshanKree-ya], or “Healing Breath” is thecentral breathing technique. It is a uniquecyclical breathing technique of slow,
medium, and fast rates in succession.
Collectively these three techniques
are referred to as ‘Sudarshan Kriya
and accompanying Practices’ (SK&P).
SK&P is offered through the nonprofit Art of Living Foundation,
an educational and humanitarian
foundation, and non-governmentalorganization of the United Nations.
Over eight million mainstream andspecial needs individuals in 146 nations
have learned these practices. Instructors
undergo standardized training and are
certified, thus producing consistent
results worldwide and making SK&P anexcellent candidate for research.

Research Findings:
Depression: In multiple studies
SK&P has demonstrated a 68-73%
remission rate in the treatment ofdepression regardless of the severityof depression (Janakiramaiah,Gangadhar, Naga Venkatesha Murthy,Harish, Shetty, Subbakrishna, &Meti, 1998; Janakiramaiah, Gangadhar,
Naga Venkatesha Murthy, Harish,
Subbakrishna, & Vedamurthachar, 2000;
Naga Venkatesha Murthy, Gangadhar,
Janakiramaiah, & Subbakrishna, 1997;
Naga Venkatesha Murthy, Janakiramaiah,
Gangadhar, & Subbakrishna, 1998) or
degree of biological brain dysfunction(Naga Venkatesha Murthy et al.,
1997; Naga Venkatesha Murthy et al.,1998) . Remission was experienced
at three weeks and was sustained atthree months. It was determined byindividual psychiatric assessment andstandard psychiatric measures (e.g., Beck
Depression Inventory, Hamilton Rating
Scale for Depression, Clinical GlobalImpressions).
In addition, SK&P produced highly
beneficial effects on patients’ brain
and hormone function. Patient EEG
recordings of cognitive function improved(Naga Venkatesha Murthy et al., 1998),
and plasma prolactin levels increased after
the first SK&P session (Janakiramaiahet al., 1998). Further, in a randomized
comparison study of melancholia,
SK&P used as the sole treatment was aseffective as standard antidepressant drug
therapy, and almost as effective as ECT.
(Janakiramaiah et al., 2000).
SK&P has also demonstrated
significant anxiolytic effects (Suarez,2002)) in several populations. Tsunami
refugees showed dramatic improvement
in PTSD and depression scores
after SK&P training. (Descilo et al.,manuscript in preparation).
11

State NewsThe Yogic Science of Breath is
a 5,000 year old precise, integrated
science of self-development and healthpromotion. Historically, it is the firstscience to recognize the interconnection
between mind, body, emotions andspirit, and the role these relationships
play in restoring and promoting optimalhealth. It offers specific breathing
techniques to restore and maintainrobust mental health.
How can specific breathing
techniques impact mental health?
There is a strong relationship between
the breath and one’s emotional state.
Every emotion creates a specific rhythmor pattern in the breath. For example,
when one is afraid the breath becomes
fast and shallow. When depressed, thebreath is a short inhale followed by aprolonged, heavy exhale. And, whencontent the breath is light, with eveninhalation and exhalation.
Observation reveals that every
emotion does create a specific rhythmor pattern in the breath. Emotions andbreathing patterns are like opposite
sides of the same coin. One can allow
the emotions to alter the breath andcause physiological changes that can
exacerbate and perpetuate a state ofemotional distress. Or through skillfuluse of the breath, one can actuallytransform mental and emotional states.
Research below demonstrates theirbeneficial effects for many conditions.
A particular strength is that the Yogic
Breathing described can be utilized
as an adjunctive treatment with othermodalities, such as psychotherapy ormedication. And in some instanceswhere individuals are unable orunwilling to receive conventional care,it may be considered as an alternative.

State NewsAnd what about moving people beyond amelioration ofpathology to higher levels of satisfaction and fulfillment? SK&P
has been found to enhance brain function (Bhatia, Kumar,Kumar, Pandey, & Kochupillai, 2003), resiliency to stress(Sharma, Sen, Singh, Bhardwaj, Kochupillai & Singh, 2003),
and overall wellbeing and optimism in healthy populations(Kjellgren, Axelsson, Norlander & Saatcioglu, 2007).
Conclusion: Medical science is currently rediscoveringand validating many of the ancient mental health practices
from traditional cultures worldwide. SK&P is one standardized
practice that is undergoing extensive research to show it as anevidence-based treatment. It is cost and staff effective, welltolerated and self empowering for clients. It can be easily
integrated into more standard mental health protocols anddiverse community care models. The more science expands
its understanding of mind/body medicine and such fields as
Psychoneuroimmunology, the stronger the bridge between
modern and ancient, traditional and complementary mental
health practices becomes.
Ronnie I. Newman, Ed.M, C.A.S., is Director of the Researchand Health Promotion Center of the Art of Living Foundation. She
can be reached by email at rnewman@artofliving.org She will begiving a workshop on these techniques at the upcoming GPA annual
meeting on May 31.

12References

Bhatia, M., Kumar, A., Kumar, N., Pandey, R.M., & Kochupillai,V. (2003). Electrophysiologic evaluation of Sudarshan Kriya: an EEG,BAER, and P300 study. Indian J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 47, 157-163.
Janakiramaiah, N., Gangadhar B.N., Naga Venkatesha Murthy,P.J., Harish, M.G., Shetty, T., Subbakrishna, D.K., & Meti, B.L.
(1998). Therapeutic Efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) indysthymic disorder. NIMHANS Journal, 1, 21-28.
Janakiramaiah, N., Gangadhar, B.N., Naga Venkatesha Murthy,P.J., Harish, M.G., Subbakrishna, D.K., Vedamurthachar A. (2000).
Antidepressant efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) in melancholia:
a randomized comparison with Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) andImipramine. Journal of Affective Disorders. 57(1-3):255-9.
Kjellgren, A., Axelsson, K., Norlander, T., & Saatcioglu,F.(2007). Wellness through a comprehensive Yogic breathing
program-A controlled pilot trial. BMC Complementary and AlternativeMedicine , 7, 43-51.
Naga Venkatesha Murthy, P.J., Gangadhar, B.N., Janakiramaiah,N.,& Subbakrishna, D.K. (1997). Normalization of P300 Amplitude
following Treatment in Dysthymia. Biological Psychiatry, 42,740-743.
Naga Venkatesha Murthy, P.J., Janakiramaiah, N., Gangadhar,
B.N., & Subbakrishna, D.K. (1998). P300 amplitude andantidepressant response to Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY). Journal of
Affective Disorders. 50(1):45-8.
Sharma, H., Sen, S., Singh, A., Bhardwaj, N.K., Kochupillai,V., & Singh, N. (2003). Sudarshan Kriya practitioners exhibit better
antioxidant status and lower blood lactate levels. Biological Psychology
63:281-291.
Suarez, V. (2002, February). Anxiety Study At Lancaster Violence
Alternative Program. Presented at The Science of Breath Conference atthe All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Georgia Psychologist Spring/2008