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I N D I A N I N S T I T U T E O F T E C H N O L O G Y K H A R A G P U R

Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Model: What Geeta says?

What is BPSS model?

How BPSS model evolved ?

Earlier medical/ biological model was in practice. Biological model dealt only with physical body and ignored other

associated factors. It considered that diseases and other health conditions are the product of only physical body.

About our existence, it was the notion that we are just the body. Our current medical education based on biological model, mostly

study of human anatomy In 1976 George Engle expanded this model and it became “

Biopsychosocial” model. Since then psychosocial factors are being recognized in health

sphere. In 2002 Daniel P. Sulmasy expanded this model further by adding “

Spiritual” component, now it is known as Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Model

Why Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Model?

We can understand health better, when we can understand our existence, and the factors affecting our existence.

Health is a matter of whole existence, all components of our existence play a vital role in that.

We are not just the body

The more we know other dimensions of our existence, the more we can resolve health related issues and improve our quality of life

Spirituality and Health

As per definition of World Health Organization, health is a state of complete physical, social, and mental well being and merely absence of disease. The component of spiritual well being is yet to include in WHO definition.

In DSM-4&5 ( Diagnostic Statistical Manual of American Psychiatric Association) recognizes spiritual problem in its manual.

Sulmasy (2002) in his research while expanding the BPS model, he limited the spirituality to death only as it sooths the dying, it improves quality of death rather than quality of life.

While spirituality enhance the quality of every segment of life. There is ample research evidences of positive correlation of spirituality and health related well being (King & Koing, 2008)

What Geeta says ?

What is our existence?

We are not just body

There are senses that are beyond our gross body

Our mind is subtler that senses

Our intelligence is subtler than senses

Our soul is subtler than mind, it is deepest one

Our body is a temple, soul resides in it. So maintain the body by optimum diet and sleep

We are beyond time and space

We are eternal, this body is temporary.

This body is a medium, it is just a cloth, we change in each life.

In each life this body also goes through some development milestones.

In each life it dimensions of Biopsychosocial-spiritual: intraperson and extrapersonrelation.

Intrapersonal relation: mind and body

As told earlier, Krishna told to maintain optimum sleep and diet, because those who eat and sleep too much, they can’t accomplish yoga

There is bilateral relation between nature of diet and personality. Nature of diet affect our body and cognition and vice versa

Diet

personalitydiet

personality

We are like a boat, our mind is like a wind, it drifts us from here to there, to control this wind is not easy, we cannot force it.

We have to understand it in friendly manner.

Bhagwan Krishna explained to Arjun about the characteristics of sthitipragya( Equanimity). This concept has been redefined by Daniel Goleman as Emotional Intelligence

Nature of mind

How to manage mind?

Extra personal relations

We doesn’t exist in isolation. We are associated with this world, where we reside.

This world is a system. We take number of things from nature to run our life.

In return, we have to contribute in this world, in this nature, and in this ecosystem.

Those who lives only for himself/herself, his/her life is not worthy, there should be ample contribution to the welfare of society also

Bhagwan Krishna describe the ecosystem of world. Sun creates rain, and rain creates grain, and grain nurture our body.

Ecosystem of the world

This earth is enough for our need but not for greed ( Mahatma Gandhi).

When we began to meet our greed, and exploit the nature, we have to face its disastrous effect in form of many calamities.

Nature cannot tolerate disequilibrium.

we

naturewe

nature

The journey of our soul

Bhagwan Krishna told that we all are originated from one soul Brahma.

The research on entity of soul has been in controversy among scientist, but Robert Lanza (2011) produced some evidences of existence of soul in the journal Biocentrism.

We enjoy and suffer of our karma, we goes to different lokas ( superior worlds) when we perform good deeds, till the Brahma Loka, we come back to this earth, when our karmas are exausted.

When we crosses the ESCAPE VELOCITY of our karmas, them we goes to Baikunth and never comes back, this is the salvation.

Reincarnation

This journey of soul is known as reincarnation, As Krishna told, we are eternal, and told Arjuna, there are many previous life of you and mine, you don’t remember but I do.

Current research on reincarnation by Dr. Ian Stevention, Dr. Brian Weis, deptt of perceptual studies, Verginia university and many others validated the notion of reincarnation.

The biology of reincarnation

The research of Dr. Ian Stevension, who committed almost his whole life on reincarnation research concluded that soul also has its biological manifestation.

His research found that birth marks have some connection with previous life.

Researches of NIMHANS (2007) also found out that many people are born again in family, relatives or near family.

Bhagwan Krishna also told,whatever you remember at last time, you get those things only ( like the case of JAD BHARAT)

Therapeutic aspect of reincarnation

As per Indian vedic notion, disease lies deep rooted in our psyche and soul, complete resolution requires to uproot it.

Research of Dr. Brian Weiss and others shows that number of our psychosocial, family, interpersonal, grief, disease, success, failure, especially phobias are related to past lives.

Resolution of reincarnation

Many people underwent PLRT ( Past life regression therapy) there are common phenomenon associated with it:

1. There is particular trends in past lives, start from one life and continued to many lives.

2. When person witness those events in past live or relive it

3. When through catharsis those trauma or conflicts are released, then many present problems are resolved automatically

4. So the seed of our issues / conflicts/diseases lies deep in psyche and in the distant time.

5. So these conflicts/diseases are our Karma

Karma and its scientific explanation

We stuck with our karmas, we carry our karmas from one life to another lives.

We perform our karma, we are responsible for that. We are friend of ours and enemy of ours

One karma begets another karma. These karma goes like a geometric series, if not resolved, they have deep root in our psyche and soul.

Carl Jung called it “ archetype” cognitive therapist call it

“schema” Transactional analyst call it “ life

script” we write our life script and we can suffer from it, and we can change it.

The cycle of karma

time

karma

karma

karma

karma

Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Model as per Geeta

Biological• Karma• Karma

• Karma• Karma

Biological Psychological

SpiritualSocial

Ways of resolving karmas

Bhagwan krishna told in Geeta that:

Adopt a witness aspect

He gave the role model of himself, he doesn’t stuck in karma just like a flower of lotus

Perform karma, but don’t become karta

Don’t centered for the fruit of karma, whatever you do in good faith, just offer to me,

Remain detached from the result of karma, but perform karma like gyani ( well calculated not arbiterary)

References

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/biocentrism/201112/does-the-soul-exist-evidence-says-yes

Beck, AT (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the emotional disorders, Newyork International University Press.

George Engle ( 1977). The need for a new Medical Model: A chellenge for biomedicine Science, 196; (4286) 129-136

Sulsmasy D.P (2001). At wits end: dignity forgiveness and the care of dying , Journal of Internal Medicine, 16: 335-338

Geeta As it is ( Swami Prabhupad) Geeta ( Geeta press Gorakhpur) Reddy (2012). Psychotherapy: Insight from Geeta.Indian Journal of

Psychological Medicine, 34(1), 100-104. Brian Weiss ( 2006). Many master, many lives Brian Weiss (2007). On reincarnation Ian Stevension , twenty cases suggestive of reincarnation

Hari om tat sat`