Modern Psychotherapy Vs Ancient Indian Psychotherapy

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Modern Psychotherapy vs. Ancient Indian Psychotherapy" by S.N. Bhavsar:

The article Modern Psychotherapy vs. Ancient Indian Psychotherapy by Dr. S.N. Bhavsar argues for the rich legacy of ancient Indian approaches to mental well-being, particularly highlighting Yoga and Ayurveda, as a crucial counterpoint and potential enrichment to modern psychotherapy.

Modern Psychotherapy's Evolution and Limitations:

• Transition from Philosophy to Medicine: Modern psychotherapy emerged from classical psychology, which itself was once a branch of philosophy. Its development has been driven by industrial, scientific, and socio-political revolutions.
• East-West Encounter: The meeting of Eastern and Western cultures, facilitated by modern transport and communication, has significantly influenced the philosophical and cultural aspects of modern psychotherapy.
• Subjectivity vs. Objectivity Debate: A fundamental tension exists between the scientific, objective approach of modern medicine (viewing life as a bio-physical/bio-chemical complex) and the more holistic, subjective view of life as a union of body, mind, and spirit. This debate led to the near-neglect of the "mind" and especially the "soul" in modern scientific discourse.
• Depth vs. Height Psychology: While Freud and his followers focused on the "unconscious" (depth psychology), figures like Assagioly introduced "height psychology," exploring the positive and higher aspects of the mind.
• Challenges of Modern Life: The increasing complexity of modern life, driven by population growth, over-urbanization, and industrialization, has created unprecedented stress and strain. Current modern psychotherapy struggles to keep pace with these escalating problems.
• Chemical Approach and its Drawbacks: The view of the mind as merely a chemical complex has led to reliance on tranquilizers and other chemical solutions, which the author suggests are ultimately insufficient and can be detrimental when considering pollution and other factors.
• Need for Enrichment: The author emphasizes the need to enrich all branches of modern learning from any possible source, irrespective of time, space, or cultural considerations, especially for psychotherapy. This is where the East can contribute significantly.

Ancient Indian Psychotherapy (Yoga and Ayurveda):

• Yoga as a Bridge: Yoga is presented as a key element of Indian culture that has acted as a prophet to Western culture and serves as a bridge between the two.
• Yoga's Independence and Integration: Yoga is independent of any religious dogma, even within its Indian origins (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism). It's seen as an integration of philosophy and science, not a rigid distinction.
• Eight Limbs of Yoga: The text details the eight limbs of Yoga, showing how they encompass socio-ethical (Yamas, Niyamas), bio-physiological (Asana, Pranayama), and psychological (Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi) aspects, forming a comprehensive system.
• Yoga and Ayurveda as Twin Products: Yoga and Ayurveda are presented as twin products of Indian culture, with a shared origin and purpose.
• Holistic View of Health: Ayurveda defines health not just as the absence of disease but as an equilibrium of bodily humors (doshas), digestive fire (agni), bodily tissues (dhatu), and waste products (mala), coupled with a happy state of soul, senses, and mind. The concept of svastha (seated in oneself) is intrinsically linked to self-realization, the ultimate goal of Yoga.
• Psycho-somatic Understanding: Indian culture inherently views health and ill-health as psycho-somatic phenomena, a stark contrast to the earlier purely somatic focus of Western medicine.
• Fundamental Principles of Indian Culture:
  • Unity in Diversity: The Ultimate Reality (One) expresses itself in diverse forms.
  • Identity of Macrocosm and Microcosm: The universe and the individual are interconnected.
• Practical Principles: These metaphysical principles lead to practical principles like samanya-vishesha (commonness and difference), which are applied across various Indian disciplines, including medicine and psychology.
• Purusharthas: The four aims of human life (dharma, artha, kama, moksha) are central to Indian culture and provide a framework for societal and individual well-being.
• Ethics and Psychological Balance: Indian ethics focuses on managing the three desires – for wife, wealth, and fame – to maintain individual and social harmony. Imbalance in these leads to psychological disorders.
• Tri-guna Theory: The mind is characterized by three basic properties: Sattva (purity/goodness), Rajas (activity/passion), and Tamas (inertia/darkness). Balancing these is crucial. The "six enemies" (lust, anger, greed, delusion, ego, envy) are seen as factors disrupting this balance.
• Karma and Rebirth: The concepts of karma and rebirth are fundamental, recognizing consciousness as a continuous flow influenced by past, present, and future actions.
• The Role of Samskaras and Social Structure: Rituals (samskaras) and societal structures were designed to cultivate the conscious mind and instill desired qualities. The decline of traditional social structures like the joint family system is seen as contributing to modern psychological problems.
• Prana and its Significance: The article emphasizes the crucial role of Prana (life force) in ancient Indian thought, particularly in relation to the mind. Prana is seen as the controller and leader of the mind. Modern medicine's ignorance of Prana is considered a major deficiency.
• Aetiology and Pathogenesis:
  • Mental Aetiology: Prajnaparadha (deviation from higher intelligence) is identified as a key mental cause, leading to imbalances in the gunas and life activities. The Bhagavad Gita's description of the descent from desire to destruction is cited as an example of psychological pathogenesis.
  • Pranic Aetiology: Mental disorders are often linked to the vitiation of specific pranic modes (Udana and Prana) and bodily doshas.
• Treatment: Treatment involves reversing pathogenesis and removing aetiological factors. Ayurveda recognizes the controlling role of Vayu (Prana) over the mind. When mental approaches are insufficient, ancient Indian systems wisely turn to Prana and even metaphysical remedies, with Yoga playing a vital role.

Conclusion:

The author concludes by stressing the need to investigate and understand "Prana-Vidya" (the science of Prana) for human welfare. He posits that this ancient knowledge can serve as a scientific liaison and scaffolding for the East and West to meet, offering a more holistic and effective approach to psychotherapy and the well-being of humanity. The current stagnation of traditional psychotherapy in India, being replaced by its modern counterpart, is a regrettable trend that overlooks the profound wisdom of ancient Indian practices.