Joseph Le Page – Integrative Yoga Therapy

Interview 7/2005

“Yoga and all of the modalities that it represents is no longer an option, but a necessity,  for personal growth and care in our world,” says Joseph LePage, founder of Integrative Yoga Therapy.  He states that we are sitting on the horizon waiting for a total shift in a paradigm that has been forming for many decades in the western world – a shift to a full approach in Humanistic health and psychology versus the course we have been on of a more mechanistic medication-oriented society.  Although the fields of integrative and alternative medicine have been building in momentum and credibility over the last 30 years, they are still seen as an adjunct to modern medicine. With the continual rise in the cost of traditional health care comes a more motivated general public to find more authentic forms of self-care.  Economics is now leading in the reasons why this is changing – with health care costs ever-rising.  As the majority of our American population turns 50 and moves into the senior years – all within the next 10 years; the concepts that yoga teaches, all based upon a humanistic model – need to come to the forefront of the changing of our medical model.  Science and technology are no longer leaders in medicine, when most of what is needed is health preventative, promotional, palliative and energetic in nature.  “It is no longer a luxury to bring yoga into an inner city clinic, or a cardiac rehabilitation program; but instead therapeutic yoga offers a low cost, long term, reality based set of tools that are proven over the centuries – and that fit well into our stress-based society.  And, there is beginning to be a mainstream awareness of this need.” says Joseph. 

 Joseph LePage has a vision that he has spent the last 35 years pursuing.  The founder of Integrative Yoga Therapy, Joseph LePage is at first glance very unassuming.  He has an air of quiet and calm with an inner focus.  As he begins his lectures and experiential workshops you get a full view of his passion for and deep understanding of the art and science of yoga.  Whether you are in a packed room of seekers, or sitting in a small intimate group setting, Joseph’s words speak directly to your personal experience, and seem always so pertinent and clear. 

I caught up with Joseph at his home and yoga retreat center in Garopaba, Brazil.  We’ve had many previous talks regarding his concepts of yoga as a therapeutic healing science, as well as his goals of sharing these ancient teachings with societies across the globe.  Today was different.  Joseph had just completed an integrative yoga retreat focusing on meditation for Brazilians – he taught the whole retreat in Portuguese.  Being American, and having English as his primary language, I considered this to be quite a feat.  For Joseph, it is just another necessary step on his path to sharing the concepts of Integrative Yoga Therapy.  But, now it was time to relax, and share some of his ideas with all of us. 

HOW DID YOUR JOURNEYS LEAD YOU TO DEVELOPING IYT?

I founded IYT in 1993.  I was already Yoga teacher in the Kripalu tradition and body-worker whose special focus was energy healing. The design of the IYT program developed out of my dedication to yoga as a way of life, my studies of the traditional healing arts in cultures all over the world, and  with my masters degree work in experiential education.

When I began studying yoga at Kripalu, I began to ask myself the larger questions related to liberation and unity.  This began my journey around the world to over 100 countries exploring belief systems and healing practices.  I realized the underlying commonalities – and from this began my vision of yoga as an integral and integrative practice. 

WHAT IS YOGA THERAPY AND WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM IT?

Our vision with Integrative Yoga Therapy is to train Yoga professionals who can bring the ancient insights of Yoga into mainstream wellness programs.

Our programs are based on a vision of health as a Unity of body, mind and spirit. Yoga is a vehicle for deepening this experience of Unity and bringing it into the world as a resource for personal growth, healing and awakening.

Over 2000 of our graduates around the world have developed a variety of Yoga, wellness and stress management programs to meet the needs of people in hospitals, mental health settings, corporations, wellness centers, education, senior care, community centers, the performing arts and athletics as well as in Yoga classes and centers.

Many Yoga practitioners choose our approach because it gives them the flexibility to teach in a wide variety of settings including the Yoga classroom as well as going beyond it into the community.

Body workers, educators, nurses, physical therapists, psychotherapists, physicians and other professionals with a mind-body focus have chosen our programs in order to incorporate Yoga based wellness into their professions.

HOW CAN ONE BEST TRANSLATE THE YOGA TRADITION OF ANOTHER CULTURE TO OUR WESTERN CULTURE AND MAKE IT RELEVANT TO US TODAY?

The yoga “integrative” tradition has already been translated and even combined with the western culture– as early back as the late 1800’s.  Elizabeth DeMichael points out in her groundbreaking book, “The History of  Modern Yoga,” that the mid-1800’s brought in a new political era to India.  Coined as the “modern Hinduism,” and seen as a movement of western educated scholars and scientists to reclaim the old philosophies of India.  Within this movement such noteworthy people as Swami Vivekenanda, Sri Aurobindo, Paramahansa Yogananda, Swami Sivananda – and then later on Krishnamacharya; and finally BKS Iyengar, Patabi Joies, TKV Desikichar – found answers to deep seated spiritual questioning.  Already having western educations, they easily became bridges to our two cultures.  And, within this context, they also began the movement of Sanpurna – roughly translated as integrative or integral; taking the ancient yogic knowledge and re-creating it for the times in an intelligent manner. 

In the manuscripts titled, “Astadala yoga mala” by BKS Iyengar, he describes how he had to create his version of yoga from his own practice.  In the 1930’s in Mysore, his was the first center to start teaching group yoga – he called it “mass yoga.”  In order to teach in the schools they had to conform to the British system or not teach at all.  This was where the modern yoga class that we are familiar with today came from, it was taught in English, and considered part of the PE programs in India. 

IYT is following the tradition Sanpurna, that of recreating and integrating the ancient yogic teachings, in an intelligent manner for the cultures of our time.  (See article at end of this interview).  I began asking the question:  “How do I use yoga as a vehicle for healing; rather than how do I learn this posture.”  It became evident to me that in order to get the ancient philosophies and healing tools out to the mainstream population, it would be important to teach in group settings, in clinics, in neighborhood centers, etc.  The 1:1 approach, which is traditional, is still very essential, but doesn’t fully fit the needs of our society at large.

HOW DO WE BUILD A BRIDGE FROM THE TRADITIONAL ROOTS OF YOGA TO WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY?

Our IYT training programs give students the skills, insights and practice to bring Yoga into mainstream life in ways that are inspiring, enjoyable, safe and easily accessible. With three different professional level training programs offered, this model makes it fully integrative and appropriate to a variety of lifestyles and needs.  Although it is important to remember the importance and roots of ancient yoga as being based upon 1:1 learning, it is also important to note that our society as a whole would benefit greatly from incorporating yogic concepts into its identity.  Group classes and clinic models are a necessity, as are 1:1 therapeutic yogic treatments.  IYT offers the full spectrum.   

IYT REFERS TO ILLNESS AND IMBALANCE AS BEGINNING AT THE SUBTLEST OF THE KOSHA LEVELS – EVENTUALLY MANIFESTING PHYSICALLY.  PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS CONCEPT AND DESCRIBE HOW AN IYT PRACTITIONER WORKS PRACTICALLY WITH THIS CONCEPT? 

Utilizing the model of the 5 koshas (or layering/sheaths of every human; i.e. physical, breath/energy, mental/emotional, higher mind, and bliss/liberation) – sickness begins at the most subtle level (losing touch with our inner awareness) – and slowly works its way thru to the most gross of the layers – the physical body.   For healing to occur, each of the 5 koshas needs to be addressed.  Each kosha can be seen as having therapeutic tools to guide that specific koshic layer in healing.  And, to be fully integrative and complete, all of the important elements of yoga are somehow involved in the care.  Asana, pranayama, mudra, mantra, meditation,  and yoga nidra.

Ultimately, within the yoga philosophy framework, all humans can be seen as suffering from separation (separation from unity consciousness).  Meditation and Yoga Nidra, becoming aware of our thoughts and actions, coming into deep communion with the real self to release all of the tensions at the other levels – this is yoga therapy. 

WHAT DOES LIBERATION MEAN?

Liberation is the natural state of a human being.  What needs to occur is that all of the beliefs at each level – there are beliefs in the body in terms of postural holding.  The posture of the body is a belief system.  Those same patterns uphold and also exist in the chakras and nadis.  Constrictions exist n the mind.  In terms of tensions and emotions and thoughts exist as core beliefs.  When all of those beliefs of body and mind are brought to the surface, examined and released – then liberation occurs.  Then we can fully use the body, the energy mind, etc.  They become choices because they become conscious instead of mandates.   

A fully conscious person is like a carpenter with a full set of tools.  These tools are heavy and cumbersome.  They don’t always know which to use.  The enlightened or liberated person is going to have the same tools – but instead has them hanging on the wall or tool shed.  When he needs to use a tool, he knows where to get it, instead of carrying all of them.  And, he can just rest when he doesn’t need them.  The enlightened person is truly “lightened.”  These tools are not him they are just tools to use.  The lightened carpenter is much lighter – he can use them, but has no confusion  regarding their role with him.  They are not him – just tools to use as need. 

 DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF LIBERATION? 

I get a little “lighter” everyday.  More tools put to the wall.  You can see which tools to use when.  The carpenter is so confused and doesn’t know what to use what when.  The way I live and work in the world, the way I utilize the concepts of IYT,  is as a tool - they are not me or mine.  All of the different aspects of yoga are also tools, but they are different from the self.  As we become more objective, lighter then we can see which tool is necessary when.

 YOU ARE A PROLIFIC WRITER ON YOGA PHILOSOPHY AND YOGA THERAPY, ALL IN THE FORM OF TEACHING MANUALS FOR YOUR STUDENTS?  WILL YOU BE PUBLISHING FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC?

This is already in the works, with some publications slated to come out in the new year – both in English and Portuguese.    

Where can people go to study with you?

Look at our website:  IYTYogaTherapy.com

Our training sites include Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in the Pennsylvania Poconos, Mount Madonna Center overlooking the Monterey Bay in California, and DaySpring Retreat Center in Florida. We have also opened our own retreat center in Southern Brazil, at Enchanted Mountain.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT TERAMUNDI WORLD WELLNESS AND HOW IT RELATES TO YOUR VISION?

Teramundi World Wellness is a not for profit that we envisioned several years ago as a way to bring out ideas of “health for the world,” out to the general public.  This Foundation grants seed dollars to yoga therapists across the country and in South America to research and evaluate prospective therapeutic yoga based programs for underserved populations.  TeraMundi not only provides dollars, but also provides expertise and guidance in establishing these programs and looking for co-sponsors to help in the communities where they are based.  Some of the projects funded are:  Yoga for Alzhiemers, Yoga for Depression, Yoga for the Deaf and Blind, Yoga for breast cancer survivors, Yoga for a summer camp setting for inner city children, yoga in the prison system, etc.    In the future all of these types of programs will become mainstream.  For now there needs to be someone who believes in them.  TeraMundi World Wellness can be seen as that seed for a more Humanistic society.  TeraMundi is totally dependent upon donations and volunteers – as all dollars brought in are given right back to communities in need.   

TELL US ABOUT ENCHANTED MOUNTAIN CENTER IN BRAZIL.

Enchanted Mountain is:  sanpurna yoga, putting things together intelligently.  Needed own space to do this.  This is the lightened place,  they can bring their own energy and they won’t find a lot of baggage from other places:  ocean, nature, air, understanding that other people can come and share the space without our energy forced upon them.  One of the best things is the amount of prana here.  From being 100 acres of rain forest on property – and the ocean. 

 WHAT DOES THE YOGA OF THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?

Yoga will be a primary vehicle for the wellness programs of the future because of its ability to promote health and healing at physical, emotional, and spiritual levels simultaneously. Yoga-based wellness programs will be at the very heart of healing as all our social institutions including business, education and medicine integrate self care and wellness as elements in their approaches to health.