Lord Krishna’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Krishna discussed on the natural inevitability of birth and death of life cycle, immortality of soul, performance of your own Dharma (duty) otherwise running the risk of shame and public defame. Goal of therapy is removal of guilt and re-motivate for action. He emphasized on KARMA (ACTION), Intelligent action (Gnana Karma) without performance anxiety and without the greed for the fruits of the work (Nishkama Karma) and never to have the choice of nonperformance of duty (Akarma). 

Versus

Karmany evadhikaras te

Mma phalesu kaddacana

Ma karma-phala-hetur bhur

Ma te sango’stv akarmani 

Aim of the counseling: Emphasis on the power and capabilities of individual self, and how the person alone will be responsible for his actions, growth or otherwise. “You are your choices”. “You are your destiny”

     I.        You have the right only on Action, Not on the fruits of your work never own responsibility to the result, Must never lose interest in work

   II.        You worry about events you are not supposed, and speak like a learned man, Wise people do not worry about things that are perishable, or immortal

 III.        Everything born must die, Everything dead must get born again and you should not worry about these events

(1)  Discussion on the natural inevitability of birth and death of life cycle, immortality of soul, performance of your own Dharma (duty) otherwise running the risk of shame and public defame

    (2)  Goal of therapy is removal of guilt and re-motivate for action

Therapeutic components

(1)  Satisfactory Pre-morbid Personality of the patient with adequate coping skills

(2)  Therapist is a trusted Friend, Philosopher, Guide

(3)  Cognitive and Rational emotive approach! Cognitive Distortions, Misinterpretations (SANKHYA YOGA)

(4)  Emphasis on Work with renunciation (KARMA YOGA), Smart Action without performance anxiety (GNANA KARMA SANYASA YOGA)

(5)  Behavior Therapy - Flooding!– Prolonged, continuous exposure to the anxiety provoking situation as the therapy was in the battle field itself

(6)  Insight Oriented - (GNANA VIGNANA YOGA)

(7)  Viswa Rupam – Hypnosis - (VISWAROOPA SANDARSHAN YOGA)

    (8)  Trust (BHAKTHI YOGA)

Therapeutic significance of Bhagavad Gita

(1)  Bhagavad Gita has immense value with enormous intellectual depth that analyses and explains a variety of life's experiences, and attempts to reach out to everyone with any kind of intellectual and philosophical background

(2)  The therapeutic model sounds eclectic, as the therapist does not seem to be bound or restricted by any particular theoretical approach

(3)  The determined focus on the end result – removing the guilt and re- motivating to fight the battle – and the practical and common sense approach in clearing the blocks is palpable throughout the dialogue

(4)  Emphasis was equal on all – Logic, Action, Renunciation, Power of Self, Knowledge, Wisdom, Trust, Universality and immortality of human spirit

(5)  This appears to me a “Person-Centered Therapy” (not in the strict sense of Carl Rogers’)

(6)  Lord Krishna seem to have succeeded in making Arjuna rediscover his emotional balance and power as described in the last sloka of Bhagavad Gita

 MANIVANNAN RJ