Ashley Turner: Soma & Psyche

In this must-watch Speakeasy talk, Ashley Turner and special guest Dr. Ron Alexander discuss the intersection of yoga…

In this must-watch Speakeasy talk, Ashley Turner and special guest Dr. Ron Alexander discuss the intersection of yoga and psychology. They focus specifically on the place of these two practices within Eastern and Western medicine. One distinction is the separation of the mental and the physical in Western medicine versus holistic treatment in Eastern practices—something that Turner, a yoga teacher who recently received a master’s in psychology, says she observes when people practice yoga to build strength and flexibility but don’t anticipate the emotional breakthroughs and the aha moments.

“The benefit of the yoga practice is that when we’re on our mat, we’re effecting change at all levels.”

They also discuss:

  • The meaning and history of the words “soma” and “psyche”
  • How healing comes when we shift our identity from individual self to the infinite
  • Why pain is a beautiful pathway from symptom to solution
  • How the chakra system can be seen as a developmental psychology

To learn more about Ashley Turner, visit ashleyturner.org
To learn more about Dr. Ron Alexander, visit ronaldalexander.com