UNIT 16: INDIAN APPROACHES TO

COUNSELLING*

Structure
16.1 Learning Objectives
16.2 Introduction
16.3 Counselling in Indian Context: Indigenous Approaches
16.4 Implications of Indian Cultural Context for Counselling
16.5 The Way Forward
16.6 Let us Sum Up
16.7 Key Words
16.8 Answers to Self-Assessment Questions
16.9 Unit End Questions
16.10 References
16.11 Suggested Readings

16.1 Learning Objectives

After studying this Unit, you would be able to:
●● Appreciate the indigenous ideas and approaches to Counselling;
●● Understand different approaches to counselling enshrined in the
ancient Indian texts;
●● Develop a critical understanding of the Indian approaches to
Counselling; and
●● Become aware of the importance of social and cultural context in
counselling practices.

16.2 INTRODUCTION
In the counselling process, the social and cultural context of the individual
plays a significant role. People belonging to different cultures have different
ways of thinking, behaviour and personality. Moreover, the constructs of
health, normal, cure etc. are culturally defined. What is considered as a
normal behaviour in one culture can be considered as an abnormal behaviour
in some other culture. In this context, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
(DSM) of Mental Disorders by American Psychiatric Association (APA),
which is a standard classification system of mental disorders followed
internationally, has also acknowledged the importance of culture in
diagnosing mental disorders in order to provide an appropriate therapeutic
intervention. Despite this fact, the application of western originated
counselling approaches is widespread without giving due importance to
the social and cultural context. The appropriateness of generalising and
* Dr. Navin Kumar, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Dr B R Ambedkar
College, University of Delhi, Delhi
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universalising some theories is questionable in particular cultural contexts. Indian Approaches to
It is now being widely recognised that people belonging to different socio- Counselling
cultural backgrounds can have different ways of thinking and behaviour
which can be entirely different from these generalised theories. Therefore,
there is a need to understand and integrate the indigenous concepts related
to counselling for better therapeutic interventions.

16.3 Counselling IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT:

INDIGENOUS APPROACHES
Counselling is not new to India. From ancient times, our sages have tried
to understand the mental processes and different ways to control it. As it
is widely accepted, psychology in India is basically interwoven with the
philosophical and religious texts. It is a blend of philosophy, mythology,
theology and cosmology. Ancient Indian texts provide detailed and
sophisticated explanations of many psychological constructs like mind,
cognition, personality, emotions etc. In this context, traditional literature
provides plenty of evidence that Indian approaches to psychology and more
specifically counselling does exist. Recently, many researchers have also
pointed out this fact by highlighting the resemblance between many western
psychological concepts and the ideas proposed in ancient Indian writings.
Ancient Indian texts and scriptures are rich with psychological constructs
that provide useful insights for counselling practices. Furthermore, a variety
of culturally relevant psychotherapy models are in practice in India since
time immemorial. Vedas and Upanishads can be considered as the primary
source of information related to counselling practices in India. There are
four Vedas namely, Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda.
Rig Veda and Yajur Veda provide explanation of various psychological
constructs including mind and mental illness. The Upanishads give
explanation to concepts like perception, consciousness, thought etc. Mental
health problems and psychopathology, more specifically, are understood in
terms of disequilibrium of Tridoshas and Trigunas (we will learn about it
in later sections). Traditionally, the elders, mainly parents and teachers are
considered as the primary agents of counselling during different stages of
one’s life. Thus Counselling is in-built in the process of socialization as a
part of growing up, and aims at developing all the faculties of the child and
becoming a good human being.
Various indigenous approaches to Counselling can be described as below.
• Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita is a part of the epic Mahabharata. It consists of 18 chapters
and 701 verses which are deeply embedded in the Hindu psyche and serve as
spiritual guide to many people. This is one of the most proclaimed citations of
a counselling process wherein Lord Krishna assists Arjuna in the battlefield
of Kurukshetra. Arjuna got depressed when he realised that he had to fight
with his own relatives. It was through dialogue and communication that
Lord Krishna guided Arjuna to overcome stress and anxiety. Lord Krishna
counselled Arjuna and guided him to overcome his problems and achieve a
state of mental equilibrium. The dilemma Arjuna faced in the battlefield is
an allegory of our lives where we face the internal conflicts in the battlefield
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Contemporary Trends of our minds. This context of Lord Krishna and Arjuna is often equated
with various psychotherapeutic approaches of the West, for example,
Behaviour therapy, Client Centered therapy and Cognitive Behaviour
Therapy (Bhatia et. al., 2013; Balodhi & Keshavan, 2011). But it has been
found that the text is very rich and subject to multiple interpretations, and
requires more research. It offers explanations to effective counselling and
the characteristics of a good counsellor. If used judiciously, the teachings
of Bhagavad Gita can help in conflict resolution and better management of
psychological conditions like anxiety and depression (Reddy, 2012).
Bhagavad Gita provides insights into the therapeutic solution of many
distressing problems. Jnana, Karma and Bhakti are considered as the three
important approaches to understanding and leading a fruitful life. Jnana
which can be called as the cognitive appraisal, is the first task that a person
should do while facing any situation. It points out the deep understanding
of the spiritual nature of the human being in contrast to the individual ego
experiencing pain and pleasure. This concept can be helpful in reducing
the impact of negative life events. Karma refers to one’s actions (we will
discuss it in detail in the next point). Bhakti is the faith in God. It stresses the
importance of identification of the soul of an individual with the supreme
soul through complete dedication and surrender. All these three approaches
to life can help one deal with the various problems and sufferings of life,
and help one to focus on the supreme knowledge and power.
Activity 1
Take one story from Indian mythology which reflects Counselling aspects
and analyze the nature, process and strategies/techniques used in
Counselling.
• The Karma theory
Ancient Indian texts highlight the importance of Karma (deeds) in the life
of an individual. Karma means the appropriate action. The Karma theory
is based on the belief that every event in a person’s life has a cause and
effect relationship. It is based on the philosophy of “as you sow, so shall
you reap”. The law of karma states that every individual has to pay for her/
his actions and according to this belief, mental illnesses are considered as
the consequences of one’s bad karma of the past. However, this does not
indicate a deterministic or fatalistic approach. Rather, it highlights personal
responsibility as it states that with good karma a person can change their
destiny, thus changing what happens in their life. Such concepts can help in
motivating a person in a therapeutic situation.
The construct of karma plays a significant role in the Indian context when
it comes to adaptation, adjustment and coping processes. It provides a value
oriented explanation of an individual’s life conditions. People in Indian
context actively construct the meaning and causality of their problems on
the basis of their karmas. This also influences the way people deal with
their problems.
• Mindfulness
Mindfulness basically means awareness. It refers to the way of paying
attention, which is accepting, sensitive and independent of any thoughts
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or judgement. It is about being aware and fully conscious of the present Indian Approaches to
moment experience without attaching any value to it. Mindfulness has its Counselling
roots in Buddhism but the experience of mindfulness is mentioned in many
sacred texts.
Practicing mindfulness can be understood as a way of relating to one’s
own experiences that helps in decreasing the pains associated with life’s
difficulties especially the self-imposed ones. It includes awareness, attention
and remembering. In counselling, practicing mindfulness can be beneficial
in many ways, some of which are as follows:
●● Mindfulness may help in developing emotional regulation. Mindfulness
promotes metacognitive awareness and enhance attentional capacities,
which can help in effective emotional regulation.
●● Practising mindfulness can help in cultivating better relationships. It
is associated with better relationship satisfaction.
●● Mindfulness promotes empathy which can help the counsellor to
communicate with the client in a better way.
●● Mindfulness can cultivate patience which can help in accepting
reality. Acceptance helps in perceiving things as they really are. It
helps in clarity of thoughts.
●● Mindfulness helps in developing valuable insights regarding the
difficulties of life. Such insights can be useful in having a better
understanding of one’s life.
Activity 2:
Let’s practice mindfulness
Mindful breathing: Focus on your inhalation and exhalation only, how it
is happening.
Mindful eating: Pay attention to the sight, smell, aroma, taste and texture
of what you are eating.
Mindful moving: Notice your own body movements. How you are moving
different body parts. Notice the feel of your hands and feet against different
textures.
Mindful drawing: Notice the process of drawing, starting from how you
are holding the pencil, how it is touching against the paper, how you are
moving it on paper etc.
• The Integrative Approach
The integrative approach considers an individual as an integration of
mind, body and soul. Contrary to many western theories, this approach is
focusing upon the interconnectedness of different aspects of a person’s life.
The integrative approach towards a person has its origin in the Taittiriya
upanishad in which a person is considered to have five dimension, the five
Koshas:
Annamaya kosha: It refers to the physiological systems of the body and
their functions. It is the outermost kosha and called as the sheath of food.
Pranamaya kosha: It refers to psychophysical dimension which basically
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Contemporary Trends includes experiences of sensation. This sheath is composed of prana, the
force that holds together the body and the mind. The physical manifestation
of this kosha is breath.
Manomaya kosha: It refers to the mind but is more than mind and includes
other mental mechanisms and emotions also. This sheath is central to human
existence.
Vijnanamaya kosha: Vijanamaya Kosha refers to the higher cognitive
functions and is related to the intellect and knowledge. Vijnana means
intellect. This sheath is the faculty of intelligence and reasoning.
Anandamaya kosha : Anadamaya Kosha is the spiritual dimension of a
person. The word Anand refers to a state which cannot be explained in
words. It refers to transcendence, something that is beyond explanation. It
is the innermost kosha.
All the pancha koshas are integrated with each other. Although they are
considered as separate entities but they are inseparable from each other.
Change in one of the Koshas is likely to affect other Koshas. In the
counselling process, the first task of the counsellor is to identify the Kosha
from where the problem is originating. Depending upon the Kosha, an
appropriate therapeutic intervention is then provided to the person. Thus,
the effectiveness of counselling, from this perspective, depends upon the
identification of the Kosha.

Fig. 16.1: Pancha Kosha Model

Source: [Link]

Self Assessment Questions 1

1. ___________ veda provide explanation of various psychological
constructs including mind and mental illness.
2. _____________ approach emphasizes the importance of
identification of the soul of an individual with the supreme soul
through complete dedication and surrender.
3. __________ theory is based on the philosophy of “as you sow, so
shall you reap”.
4. ___________ kosha refers to the higher cognitive functions.
5. According to the pancha kosha model, effectiveness of Counselling
depends upon ________________.

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• Yoga and Meditation Indian Approaches to
Counselling
Yoga is one of the most followed practice of Indian origin which was first
described by Patanjali in his classic text on yoga, called “Yoga Sutras”. Yoga
literally means joining together or union. The word “yoga” is derived from
the Sanskrit word yuj which means to unite, bind or join. It basically aims
at making an individual understand herself/himself at all levels by gaining
control over one’s own body, mind and senses. It is a holistic practice that
integrates and develops mind, body, breath and soul. It is helpful for both
physical and mental health. It includes different type of exercises, body
postures, breathing exercises which aim to eventually lead to higher level of
consciousness. Regular practice of these yoga techniques can help in stress
management and positive mental health. Various studies (e.g., Woodyard,
2011; Collins, 1998; Arora & Bhattacharjee, 2008; Shohani et. al., 2018)
highlight the benefits of yoga practice which include improved physical and
mental well being; reducing anxiety, stress and depression; better emotional
regulation; improved cognitive functioning; enhanced neuromuscular
performance; and increase one’s well-being. Yoga promotes both physical
and mental health. These research studies point out the potential therapeutic
benefits of yoga. When yoga is used as a therapeutic intervention for treating
various physical and mental health conditions, it is called therapeutic
yoga. Following are some of the benefits of integrating yoga practice into
counselling:
Increase in self-awareness, making an individual more aware about his/her
own feelings, experiences, mind and body.
Developing a sense of connection and relatedness with oneself and others
including the environment and the universe.
Cultivating and strengthening healthy attitudes and behaviour.
Reducing stress and tension.
Developing self-acceptance, thus promoting better connection with oneself
and others.
Yoga involves eight steps or ‘ashtanga’ (the eight limbs) to control the
fluctuations of the psyche, conduct oneself with discipline and ethical
conduct, leading life with a purpose, and attain enlightenment. Also known
as the eight-fold path, it includes Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama,
Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. Yama includes moral conduct
and commandments like truthfulness, non-violence and non-greediness.
Niyama refers to various practices, positive duties, observances and habits
in one’s daily life such as cleanliness, discipline, study and contentment
that helps you lead a good life. The next two steps, Asana and Pranayama,
include various physical posture and practising various breathing techniques
respectively. The fifth step is Pratyahara which involves withdrawal
of the senses and introspection to have access to the psyche. The sixth
step is Dharana which means concentration. Next step Dhyana refers to
meditation, and finally Samadhi is a standstill state of psyche where one
attains a blissful state.
The word “meditation” has come from the Latin word meditatum which
means “to ponder”. It means to engage in contemplation or reflection. It can
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Contemporary Trends be described as a state of thoughtful awareness and mental silence at the
same time. Meditation is a process that transform the mind into a state of
equilibrium and harmony. It can be understood as a means of controlling the
mind and turning its focus on the transcendental realm of being. The practice
of meditation calms down the mind and relieve stress and anxiety. Practising
meditation may lead to the experiences of higher states of consciousness.
• Ayurveda
Ayurveda is one of the traditional systems of medicine in India. The term
Ayurveda is made up of the combination of two words Ayu which means
life and Veda which means knowledge. It basically refers to the science
of life and involves caring for one’s physical, mental as well as spiritual
health. It is based upon a holistic approach towards health and deal with
person as a whole. Ayurveda defines health as a state of a perfect balance
between body, mind and soul. It describes three Gunas as dimensions of
one’s personality: Sattva Guna, Raja Guna and Tama Guna. Sattva Guna
comprises of purity and contentment, thus a sattvik person lives a life of
purity, absence of desires and expectation and a service-orientation. Raja
Guna is characterised by love for power, action, fame and lust. A Rajasik
person emphasizes more on achievement and success. Tama Guna include
anger, ignorance and greed; and a tamasik person is characterized by selfish
attitude, inertia and harming others for personal benefit.
For a psychologically healthy person, the equilibrium between the three
gunas are required. A disturbance in the equilibrium is likely to cause
mental disturbance. The practitioner/counselor first need to identify the
Guna or the personality dimension of the person. The ayurvedic practitioner
also considers the Tridoshas as the basis of the treatment. The Tridoshas
are based on body humors namely, Vata (wind), Pitta (bile), and Kapha
(phlegm). These are the three vital forces in the human body based on the
elements of air, fire, and water. They influence our physiological as well
as psychological functioning. Balance in these three doshas leads to health
whereas lack of balance causes diseases. The tridoshas are also considered
as the reason behind mental disorders called as Unmad.
Ayurveda considers the person as a whole, known as Purusha. Every Purusha
is unique in terms of the Prakriti s/he has according to the proportion of
doshas in their body. Prakriti refers to nature, and in this context, it means
the innate nature of the person as per the balance of the tridoshas. The
counselling process in Ayurveda starts with an assessment of Prakriti of
an individual. Every therapy should be applied keeping in view the nature
and constitution of the person. Studies (e.g., Bhalerao, Deshpande &
Thatte, 2012) point out that identifying the prakriti would help in predicting
proneness to specific disease and designing therapy interventions tailored
to individual needs.
• Vedantic Counselling
Vedantic counselling or Vedic counselling is based upon the Vedas and is
primarily focused upon self knowledge and cosmic knowledge. There are
four vedas: Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharava Veda. The vedas
give detailed explanation of various mental conditions and their treatments.
One of the most renowned counselling practice comes from Ayurveda,
which is an upa-veda of Atharva Veda.
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Vedic counselling emphasizes the concept of Dharma which includes Indian Approaches to
the importance of right actions, right living and right awareness. Vedic Counselling
counselling aim to enhance the self understanding of the person so as to
uncover their true potential which would lead them towards a harmonious
relationship with the universe as a whole. It basically considers the
following as the four main goals of life: (a) Dharma (the righteous action),
(b) Artha (wealth), (c) Kama (pleasure), and (d) Moksha (liberation). Thus
an individual is engaged in the pursuit of these goals to different extent
which determines living a good life.
The vedantic counselling focuses on having a proper outlook towards
life, absence of which leads to various mental health problems and mental
illnesses. The purpose of vedic counselling is to help individuals unfold
their lives with self awareness and self realisation. Our distorted notions of
self makes us trapped in a state of ignorance and suffering. Removal of this
ignorance and restoration of our self-awareness to its true self is the goal of
Vedanta.
• Guru-Shishya Relationship
In Indian context, Guru-shishya parampara (the teacher-disciple tradition)
is an epitome of counselling practice. In ancient India, the students were
expected to live with their gurus or teachers in the Gurukul. There was a
relationship of mutual trust and care between students and teachers. The
teacher taught the disciples with dialogue and discussion. The teacher
used to give lessons relevant for life and was more than a teacher for his
students. The guru was the teacher, the parent, the friend and the guide
for the students. All these qualities should also characterise a counsellor
for effective counselling process in the Indian context. There are numerous
examples depicting the guru shishya relationship in its truest form, in the
Indian mythologies. From the story of Yama and Nachiketa to Lord Krishna
and Arjuna, there are many examples of the guru providing Counselling to
the shishya and helping him cope with psychological issues.
In Indian thought, it is important to understand that not everyone can be
considered as a guru. A person who has moved far on the path of self-
realisation can be a guru. The guru-shishya relationship should not be
understood as a relationship with dependence. The guru assists the shishya
in the process of discovering the real meaning and significance of the life.
In this process, both the guru and shishya evolve.
Activity 3
Explore some of the traditional Counselling methods that are practiced in
India for mental illnesses.

Self Assessment Questions 2

1. What is the classic text on yoga ?
2. ______ limb of Ashtanga yoga includes moral conduct and
commandments.
3. ________ ‘guna’ is characterised by a love for power and action.
4. According to Ayurveda, every ‘Purusha’ is unique in terms of
_________ in her/him.
5. What are the four main goals of life according to vedic
counselling?
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Contemporary Trends • Integral Psychology of Sri Aurobindo
The Integral psychology of Sri Aurobindo has added new dimensions to the
field of counselling. It considers a holistic view of the individual and aim
to increase the self awareness in order to help an individual develop his/her
latent capacities. The harmonious well-being and self-actualisation should
be considered as the ultimate aim of counselling from the perspective of
integral psychology.
Following are some of the key ideas extracted from the integral psychology
of Sri Aurobindo, with implication on the counselling process:
●● Sri Aurobindo emphasises on the evolution of consciousness at the
collective and cosmic level along with the evolution of consciousness
at the individual level. This view of consciousness has implications
for the understanding of human life as it provides a completely
different perspective to understand self, cognition, personality,
emotions and motivations. A counsellor following this perspective
would help the client in the evolutionary process of his consciousness
using every experience of his life. Furthermore, the consciousness of
the counsellor should also be on the path of evolution so that he can
facilitate the development of others.
●● According to the integral view, the main task of a counsellor should
be to enable the counselled for self-observation. This way the person
can be helped to identify the root cause of his problems and heal it
through his own unique relationship with the Divine.
●● From this perspective, the process of counselling can be understood
as a journey of the Divine in the person. The person moves from an
infra-rational (animal) existence to a more rational (human) existence
and further towards a supra-rational (divine) existence. The counsellor
helps the person in this journey by being a fellow traveller who
have simply walked ahead of him in this journey. It is important the
counsellor practice spiritual oneness and inclusiveness to overcome
the sense of ‘other’ so as to facilitate the process of evolution of him
as a counsellor and the counselled both.
●● According to the integral view, the outer conflicts of a person are the
reflections of his inner conflicts. Another source of conflict, according
to integral psychology, is the contradiction between what one is and
what one aspires to be. Learning to question and challenge one’s
own assumptions, values, thinking can help. Taking responsibility for
one’s own life can a step towards resolving such conflicts.
●● Integral Yoga: Integral yoga can be considered as a way of moving
from the mental to the supra mental stage of evolution. It aims for the
complete integration and transformation of the personality. In integral
yoga, the person starts with becoming more and more conscious
about himself, with the motive of gradual detachment and liberation
from his impulses and desires. Integral yoga integrates the spiritual
knowledge of the past and at the same time it seeks to evolve the
individual to the level of the supra mental consciousness.
●● Sri Aurobindo has brought an element of spirituality in the
understanding and practice of psychology. Spiritually informed
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 psychology has enlarged the scope of psychological sciences and its Indian Approaches to
application in the therapeutic procedures. Sri Aurobindo believed that Counselling
there is a light within each person, the higher light of psychic and
spiritual being, which can be used to find and transform the dark light,
for true healing and reintegration of personality.
●● From the perspective of integral psychology, a situation of crisis or
conflict should be seen as an opportunity for growth, thus emphasising
the power of hope and faith. The counsellor works on creating an
environment of inner and outer harmony through the counselling
process. It involves not just reducing the mental noise and repetitive
thoughts but also increasing positive energy by focusing on the inner
light and controlling the tendencies for self-blame and criticism. It
also involves creating a harmonious body culture. Art and music can
prove to be helpful in creating an environment of quietness paving
way for healing.

16.4 IMPLICATIONS OF INDIAN CULTURAL

CONTEXT FOR Counselling
Each culture is characterized by its’ own features and practices. Venkatesan
(2010) has mentioned certain unique features of Indian families: more
emphasis on interdependence, extended family structure, supremacy of the
parent-child relationship, hierarchy of relationship in the family, expression
of emotions more through actions than words, avoidance of overt and
excessive expression of sexuality, less focus on materialism and more focus
on spirituality and value-based living. These specific cultural aspects can
have implications for Counselling in Indian context. Family is the focal
point in the Indian social cultural context (Chadda & Deb, 2013) which
prescribes and shapes the value system of individuals.
In our culture it is also said, “Mata, Pita, Guru and Devam”, meaning mother,
father, teacher and God who play a very important role in our socialization,
development of our character, personality and values. Counselling is
involved as part of their influence and guidance to the growing child and
developing person. Hence Counselling is more of directive in nature given
the collectivistic context of India (Mullati, 1995). Western psychotherapies
focusing on psychoanalysis, gestalt, existential approaches etc. become
difficult and may not be that successful given the collectivistic context of
India (Venkatesan, 2010; Bhargava, Kumar, & Gupta, 2017). Hence there
is the need for a more eclectic approach, and integrating both the Indian
approaches and the existing Counselling theories so that the cultural context
is taken care of which is an important influence on a person’s life.

16.5 THE WAY FORWARD

In recent times, there is a growing realisation that the traditional Indian
philosophical thoughts should also be incorporated in the therapeutic
practices to make it more context sensitive. Utilizing the Indian approaches
to counselling to solve the mental health issues of indigenous people
can have the following advantages over using other popular counselling
approaches that are majorly rooted in western approaches to psychology.

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Contemporary Trends ●● The Indian approaches to counselling focuses on the person as a
whole and not on the parts of the mind or body only that are affected.
These counselling approaches focuses on the holistic development of
the individual.
●● It is important to understand the socio-cultural background of a
person before thinking of a therapeutic intervention to be provided.
The indigenous approaches to counselling can prove to be more
effective as it will be more culture specific. The people will be able to
relate themselves more with the Indian ideas of counselling than the
western ones.
●● There is strong relationship between the mental health of a person and
his socio-cultural beliefs that often influence his worldview. Worldview
can be understood as the lens with which people understand the world
around them. It affects all aspects of life including physical, mental,
emotional and social.
●● In India, the problems related to mental health of a person often
becomes a reason for stigmatisation. There is stigma related to mental
illness and people taking therapeutic interventions for that. Integrating
the indigenous methods of counselling can help in reducing this
stigma.
Thus, a culture sensitive counselling approach is the need of the time.
An indigenous approach to counselling that makes use of the cultural
values, beliefs, and symbols can prove to be more beneficial in successful
counselling. An integration of western and eastern therapies/Counselling
will require adapting the former in methods of implementation rather than
in the core content of therapy (Choudhary et. al. 2014). This will address
the specific cultural needs of people and lead to an eclectic approach to
Counselling.

16.6 LET US SUM UP

In this Unit you learned about the Indian approaches to Counselling. Indian
scriptures and ancient texts provide a rich source of various approaches
used for providing Counselling. These indigenous sources of Counselling
include the Bhagwad Gita, Karma theory, Mindfulness, Pancha Kosha
model, yoga, meditation, vedantic Counselling, Guru-Shishya relationship,
and the Integral psychology of Sri Aurobindo. The unique characteristics
of Indian culture were described and their implications for Counselling
highlighted. Since culture is an integral part of one’s life, Counselling
needs to be based in the indigenous approaches to be effective. An eclectic
approach to Counselling with a focus on the cultural needs of people will
build up more acceptability towards Counselling among people.

16.7 KEY WORDS

Karma refers to one’s deeds or actions, and states that every individual has
to pay for her/his actions.
Pancha Kosha refers to five different layers or sheaths (annamaya kosha,
pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha, vijnanamaya kosha and anandamaya
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kosha) which highlights the integration of mind, body and soul in a human Indian Approaches to
being. Counselling

Mindfulness refers to paying attention, being aware and fully conscious of

the present moment experience without attaching any value or judgement
to it.
Tridosha refers to Vata (wind), Pitta (bile), and Kapha (phlegm) which are
based on the elements of air, fire, and water according to ayurvedic tradition.
They influence our physiological as well as psychological functioning.
Guru-Shishya Parampara refers to a relationship of mutual trust and care
between students and teachers in the ancient India where the students were
expected to live with their gurus or teachers in the Gurukul.
Integral Psychology considers a holistic view of the individual and aim
at increasing self awareness, harmonious well-being and self-actualisation.

16.8 ANSWERS TO SELF-ASSESSMENT

QUESTIONS
Answers to Self Assessment Questions 1
1. Yajur veda
2. Bhakti
3. Karma
4. Vijanamaya Kosha
5. the identification of the Kosha.
Answers to Self Assessment Questions 2
1. Yoga Sutras
2. Yama
3. Raja guna
4. Prakriti
5. Dharma (the righteous action), Artha (wealth), Kama (pleasure), and
Moksha (liberation)

16.9 UNIT END QUESTIONS

1. Why is it important to incorporate Indian approaches in counselling
practices?
2. Discuss some Indian approaches to counselling that can be helpful in
counselling people with mental illnesses.
3. What role can Ayurveda play in effective counselling practices?
4. How are the Indian approaches to counselling and psychotherapy
different from the western approaches to counselling?
5. Critically analyse the counselling techniques suggested by ancient
Indian texts. Support your views with examples.
6. Discuss the relevance of the ideas of Sri Aurobindo in the field of
counselling.
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Contemporary Trends
16.10 REFERENCES
Arora, S., & Bhattacharjee, J. (2008). Modulation of immune responses in
stress by Yoga.
Int J Yoga.; 1(2):45-55.
Balodhi, J.P., & Keshavan, M.S. (2011). Bhagavadgita and psychotherapy.
Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 4 (4), 300-302.
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16.11 SUGGESTED READINGS

●● Behere, P. B., Das, A., Yadav, R., & Behere, A. P. (2013). Ayurvedic
concepts related to psychotherapy. Indian Journal of Psychiatry,
55(Suppl 2), S310.
●● Cornelissen, R.M.M., Misra, G., & Varma, S. (2014) Foundations
368
 and Applications of Indian Psychology. Delhi: Pearson Publication. Indian Approaches to
Counselling
●● Gerdje Van Hoecke (2006). Paradigms in Indian psychotherapy:
Applicability in a Western approach, Mental Health, Religion &
Culture, 9:02, 119-125, DOI: 10.1080/13694670500071687
●● Gupta, M. (2014). Sri Aurobindo’s vision of integral human
development: Designing a future discipline of study. Springer
Publications.
●● Janetius, S.T. (2011) Indigenous therapeutic counselling in the Indian
context. [Link]
Indigenous_therapeutic_counselling_in_the_Indian_context
●● Manickam L. (2013). Integrative change model in psychotherapy:
Perspectives from Indian thought. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 55
(6), 322-328.
●● Soundararajan, R., & Balachandra, A. Urgent need for indigenous
models of counselling. In N.R. Sharma, A.K. Kalia, & A. Husain
(Eds.) Counselling: Theory, research and practice. Global Vision
Publishing House.
●● [Link]
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