Vedic Principles of Therapy

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quantum physics toward levels of nature more fundamentalthan the physical are briefly notedin order to help clarify whatis meant by the consciousness-based Vedic approach.

Consistent with the physicalist worldview in mainstreammodern science, consciousness is commonly defined as the abil-ity to be aware of an object of experience. It is attributed afunctional role in attention, intention, and the sense of self. It is

characterized as fading out during sleep and coma, restricted bybrain malfunctioning, and ceasing when the body no longersustains life. In this view, consciousness is an emergent propertyof complex neural processes in the brainthe common view inconventional therapies. The physicalist view has been criticallychallenged by major progress in quantum physics over the pastcentury, evidenced by recent developments noted here leadingto the rational conclusion now widely appreciated in physicsthatmatter doesnt have a material basis. This progress is also lead-ing to deeper understanding of mind and consciousness, withmajor implications for therapeutic practices.

Progress Toward Nonlocal MindA simple description of the original orthodox (Copenhagen)interpretation of quantum theory is that quantum wave func-tions are mathematical representations of nature rather than realquantum processes in nature.2,3 However, more recent interpre-tations propose that quantum waves interact with the physicalenvironment in a matter that spontaneously reduces ordecoheresquantum wave coherence into classical physical objectscalledobjective reduction. If quantum waves causally interact with theclassical environment, the quantum level is a real level of natureand not just a concept or mathematical model.2,3

Also, the major experimental finding in the 1980s of quantumentanglement verified the phenomenon ofnonlocality, in which

particles that interact with each other then separate remain con-nected no matter how far apart.4 This experimentally verifiedphenomenon is not accounted for in the classical physics viewthat matter interacts only locally (within light-speed). It furtherimplies that nature is interconnected on real levels beyond theclassical physical level.

Quantum gravity theories go even further. String theoriesposit abstract geometric objects (strings and branes) as thebasis of all physical matter.4,5 Loop quantum gravity theoryposits a pure geometry ofinformation spaceunderneath ordinaryspace and time that generates all physical objects.6 The neoreal-ist interpretation posits a real, nonlocal, nonphysical mind-likeinformation field permeating the physicalthe implicate or-

der.7,8

In this interpretation the gross local physical world orexplicateorder associated with the body (physical matter) andthe subtle nonlocal implicate orderassociated with mind bothemerge from a super-implicate order akin to unified field the-ory as thesource of everything.

It is crucial to recognize the monumental significance of thesedevelopments in quantum physics, which are fundamentallychanging the scientific worldview and its technological applica-tions. These cutting-edge theories interconnect nature, includ-ing individual human minds, in a way not envisioned in classicalphysics that has been the basis of conventional therapies as wellas conventional approaches to healing in general.

In the classical reductive physicalist view there is no logicalplace where conscious mind could exist, and thus it must be anepiphenomenon of the physical brain or even nonexistent.However, these new developments suggest that for the first timein modern science a logical framework is emerging to addressanew the age-old mind-body problem, based on theories of anonphysical, nonlocal field that is a real level of nature where

individual conscious minds might actually exist.

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The Unified Field as Universal BeingThe ancient Vedic tradition, as well as others albeit with variouscultural and language differences, further has long posited anunderlying transcendent universal essence of nature. This hasobvious similarities to the unified field as the source of every-thing. Most of these traditions hold that direct experience of thetranscendent universal essence of nature is possible because it isthe essence of individual consciousnessuniversal Beingas thebasis of individual being.12-14 This view contrasts dramaticallywith the physicalist view that can be characterized as a matter-mind-consciousness ontology in which conscious mind must be

nothing other than the physical brain. Just the opposite, it is aconsciousness-mind-matter ontology in which universal Beingheld to be consciousness itself, universal consciousnessis thebasis of mind and matter.10,11 It is in this most fundamentalsense that the holistic Vedic approach is distinctly identified as aconsciousness-basedapproach.

THEORY OF MINDThe scientist-practitioner model in evidence-based applied psy-chology reasonably would be expected to be supported by anaccepted general model of mind. But applying the outer indirectthird-person objective means to gain knowledge, it has been

quite difficult to establish a general model of mind even after3000 years of Western science and philosophy.

Scientific psychology began by using direct introspectivemethods to investigate the mind, which did not result in reliablefindings to build a general model. Unobservable mental con-cepts were then placed in a black box in the behaviorist para-digm and rejected as legitimate topics, in favor of studying onlyobservable behavior. However, the cognitive paradigm quicklysuperseded the behaviorist paradigm, focusing on indirect third-person means to investigate the unobservable mind experimen-tally, given no reliable means to investigate it directly usingfirst-person experiential means.

Certain conceptions have arisen repeatedly in experimental

research that point to a general model of mind. But the concep-tions had not been clearly mapped together. The two mainresearch strategies to develop models of mind are a disembodiedfunctional, information-based approach as in cognitive scienceand an embodied structural, biologically based approach as inneuroscience. The following is a brief summary of historicalprogress, showing that it is converging on the ancient Vedicmodel of mindwhich underpins the Vedic approach to mind-body healing. Reliable, systematic first-person direct means toinvestigate the mind has been missing in modern science and isprecisely what the Vedic approach as described here purports toadd.

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The Functional Cognitive ModelThe shift from behaviorism to the cognitive paradigm came withevidence that stimulus-response relationships depend on theunobservable, abstract information valueof stimulus input. Ex-tensive research led to the conclusion that inside the black boxbetween stimuli and responses are complex information process-ing functions of discrimination, attention, innate drives, and

intelligent decision makingall of which are now assumed incontemporary approaches to therapy.Initial functional cognitive models conceptualized a hori-

zontal linear sequence of stages through which parallel inputsnarrow down to serial behavioral output, such as Broadbents15

filter theory. Two-process theories proposed an automatizedor zombie-like unconscious mode and an effortful, controlledconscious mode of processing.16,17 Further research added avertical component calleddepth of processing, contrasting shal-low automatized unconscious processing with deeper consciousprocessing:

Similar two-process theories were prominent before the be-haviorist paradigm rejected unobservable subjective processes.These historical introspective theories delineated focal con-scious attention and a peripheral fringe.18-22 The fringe regioncan be viewed as including both shallow input processes and aninterior fringedeeperthan focal attention. This is somewhat im-plied in contemporary global workspace theory (GWT) inwhich consciousness is a generalized workspace analogous tocenter stage of a theatre with peripheral cognitive processes sur-rounding it,23 akin to a holistic conscious self.

Theories of a conscious fringe deeper than focal attention arerelevant to an important debate concerning the primacy of ei-

ther cognition or affect. The debate directly relates to cognitiveversus humanistic therapeutic orientations exemplifying thecurrent fragmented state of applied psychology. One side arguedthat emotions depend on cognitive evaluations in attributingmeaning to events.24 The other side argued that cognitive eval-uations depend on deeper undertones of conscious affect thatare more powerful contributors to the intentional direction ofbehavior than conscious cognitive thinking.25 The term affectincludes both emotions and feelings. Toemoteis to express sub-jective feelings in objective behavior. To delineate them, emo-tions are observable behavioral expressions associated with psy-chobiological processes in the body; and feelings are inner feltsenses that are unobservable, deeper interior processes in the

mind.26 Cognitive processes are deeper when comparingcogni-tionandemotion; affective processes are deeper when comparingcognitionand feeling.

Affect as feelings deeper than cognitive thinking adds to themodel of levels of depth. In the functional model consciousprocessing has a vertically deeper conscious inner fringe of feel-ings, including a felt sense of unitary self. The human infor-mation processing system as a unitary self is reactive tobottom-upinput, but also fundamentally proactive and consciously di-rected bytop-downfeelings and thoughts to achieve intentionallyits own valued internal and external states. The general func-tional model of mind below, which depicts shallower lower or-

der sensory functions on the top and deeper higher order func-tions on the bottom, summarizes a massive body ofexperimental research in the past 150 years that had not beenmapped together into a general functional model of the humanmind:11

Vedic Model of MindThe functional model (not considering physical structure) de-picted above is reasonably consistent with the model in the

Sankhyaaspect of Vedic literature. Sankhya enumerates what isheld to be the totality of nature from its source in the unifiedfield to the gross level of matter.14,27 A key part of Sankhya is amodel of levels of mind, depicted below (Vedic terms are on theright):

Similarities with the general functional model are apparent.However, of fundamental importance is that in the Sankhyamodel consciousness underlies all the levels of sensory, cogni-tive, and affective processes of the individual selfbothfunction-ally and structurally. This means that individual mind is not justin the brain. Rather, it is held to be a nonlocal mental spaceunderlying the physical, consistent with some cutting-edgequantum theories as noted earlierunderlain and permeated byuniversal consciousness or Being (Purusha) akin to unified fieldtheory. This sharply contrasts with therapies that still accept theFreudian model of the unconscious as underlying consciousmind. Such models are based on physicalism and ordinary wak-ing state experience within which conventional approaches to

therapy have developednow being superseded by recent devel-opments briefly noted earlier in this paper.

THEORY OF MOTIVATIONIn scientific psychology the most fundamental motivation istheorized to be meaningless biological survival. This widely ac-cepted view seems on its face to be inconsistent with therapiesthat emphasize personal responsibility and the natural impetusto self-actualize for higher levels of personal achievement.

Motivational theories attempt to account for inner needs andintentions that direct behavior. Maslows original need hierarchy

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theory described higher order needs that direct behavior as lower

order needs are met, from physiological, safety, social, and es-teem needs to self-actualization. This theory was expanded to a

synergistic model in which optimal combinations of needs, in-cluding basic survival needs deficiency motivationsupport

the more inclusive need for self-actualizationgrowth motiva-tion.28

Individual and species survival may adequately characterizemotivated behavior of lower animals. But in humans, survivalcan be placed into ameaningfulcontext of ethical, religious, and

spiritual motivations consistent with self-actualization. Theneed for safety and security can be viewed in terms of an ultimatesense of safety and security, beyond the sense of duality ofself

and other. This is associated with the deeper concept of self-realization or enlightenment in a nondual state that ultimately

transcends all dualities, including the fundamental subject-ob-ject duality of ordinary waking consciousness that characterizes

scientific thinking. Although with major controversial implica-tions, it further can be conceptualized in terms of the pursuit ofpermanent survivalthat is, the concept ofeternal life.

In many ancient cultural, religious, and spiritual traditionspermanent fulfillment in enlightenment is the overriding direc-

tion of evolution, not meaningless biological survival. In thisexpanded view the survival instinct, hierarchy of needs, and

self-actualization are special cases of a superordinate instinct ofincreasing happiness toward permanent fulfillment that natu-rally emerges in higher life forms.29

In the Vedic tradition as described here the principle of mo-tivation that shapes selective attention in an expanded model of

evolution is that the purpose of life is the expansion of happiness13,14appreciated in other traditions as well.30 All subordinate inten-tionseven those appearing to contrast with individual survival

or immediate satisfaction of desiresare held to be part of thisinherent superordinate instinct. It is also the basis for the prin-ciple thatthe natural tendency of the mind is to go toward increasingenjoyment or happiness.13 Attention is drawn by the integratedcomplex of needs, desires, and motivations in the natural pursuitof increasing happiness and fulfillment. This includes biological

survival, most prominent under threat. These two principles arefundamental to Vedic developmental technologies.

THEORY OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENTIt also seems reasonable to expect that therapies purporting to

develop the inherent potential of clients would have articulatedmodels of higher developmental stages and states. However,such models are not generally part of conventional approaches,

which typically have goals associated with symptom reductionin the context of the reductive, physicalist, disease-orientedmedical model.

Developmental psychologists have sought to identify the roleof developmentally higher and peak experiences in the range

of human potential, and further to characterize the highest or

end-state.31-34 Prominent theories are noted here to establish thecontext for their natural extension in the developmental modelassociated with Vedic principles of therapy.

Formal Operations or Abstract ReasoningPiagets influential perceptual-cognitive theory proposes quali-tatively distinct stages of cognitive development that emergethrough a childs active perceptual experience of the world.33,35

Formal operations conventional, abstract, representationalthought considered the necessary basis for scientific thinkingistheorized to be the end-state according to Piagets theory.33 This

theory of the developmental end-state is consistent with moderneducation, which is heavily committed to this type of psycho-logical development. Scientific reasoning frequently becomesthe end-state of development by default, due to fixation on thesurface, objective, materialistic physical level by virtue of theintensive focus of training typical of modern science and educa-tion.

Beyond Formal Operations and Abstract ReasoningHowever, contemporary developmental theories propose higherpostformal, postrepresentational36-38 and postconventional de-velopment, involving self-actualization and advanced moral rea-soning.28,36,39 Research suggests that less than 1% of the general

population may achieve a mature level of self-actualization.40

Loevingers theory of postformal development focuses ongrowth of individual ego or self to the highest level of self-actualizing and integrative experiences.41,42 Kohlberg and Ryn-carz43 theory extends moral judgment to a natural law orien-tation in which, . . . human responsibilities, duties, and rightsare not arbitrary or dependent upon social convention but areobjectively grounded as laws of nature. This highest stage is saidto involve transpersonal experiences of a connection betweenthe individual and the cosmos. It is sometimes associated withtranscendence of the experiential gap between self and other, thesubject-object duality of ordinary waking again typical of mod-ern science and education.

Proposed Higher StatesReports of transcendent experiences appear in the literature ofmost cultures.28,31,44-46 Until recent years, however, it had beenquite difficult to investigate such reports using outer, third-per-son, objective experimental methods. This was due to lack ofcomprehensive theories to interpret the reports, lack of experi-mental paradigms to examine the reports formally, and espe-cially lack of means to replicate them under testing conditions.44

It has been estimated that as little as one-tenth of 1% of thecollege population may have such experiences.41

According to the Vedic model as outlined in this paper,higher development is facilitated by direct experience of the

fourth state of consciousnessidentified by Vedic terms suchasturiyaand samadhi. The Transcendental Meditation (TM)

technique, drawn from Yoga, has been a reliable technologythrough which large numbers of practitioners report frequentexperiences of transcendence.44,47-51 Reports of even higherstate experiences in the direction of enlightenment also arebeing researched.36,52,53

Results of major tests of the Vedic model of human develop-ment have appeared in peer-reviewed journals.54-60 For example,research showing increased EEG coherence in TranscendentalMeditation practitioners has been shown to be positively corre-lated with emotional stability and moral maturitydirectly rel-



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evant to therapeutic goals and outcomes in the direction ofpsychological health.52,60-62

Seven States of ConsciousnessIn scientific research as well as most historical literature, a se-quential model of higher human development has been absent.It thus has been challenging to comprehend the guidance of

purported highly developed or even enlightened individualswho seem to differ among themselves, perhaps due to perspec-tives from different higher states.63

In the Vedic model the range of human development covers asequence of seven states of consciousness, each with its ownperspective or phenomenal reality. This model provides mile-stones that help clarify purported higher states and correspond-ing worldviews. Respecting cultural and language differences,historical and contemporary reports of higher states can beviewed in this developmental model. In simple terms, the sevenstates of consciousness are distinguishable by the experience ofself and environment (subject and object, self and other) on acontinuum from virtually no wakefulness to full wakefulness of

the total unity of nature:11,36

Sleep(Sushupti Chetana)virtually no experience of self or en-vironment

Dreaming(Swapn Chetana)imaginary individual self and envi-ronment

Waking (Jagrat Chetana)individual self and relative environ-ment

Transcendental consciousness (Turiya Chetana)unboundedwakefulness, universal Self only

Cosmic consciousness (Turiyatit Chetana)universal Self andseparate relative environment

Refined cosmic consciousness (Bhagavad Chetana)universal

Self and maximum value of relative environmentUnity consciousness(Brahmi Chetana)individual self and envi-

ronment are the universal Self

Clearly, this model describes development beyond ordinarywaking experience, abstract scientific reasoning, and self-actual-ization. Also, healing and health promotion are placed in avastly expanded framework with respect to therapeutic goals andinterventions, far beyond meaningless biological survival.

THEORY OF PERSONALITYA consistent theory of personality can make an important con-

tribution to the identification of functional and dysfunctionalbehaviors, as well as treatment strategies that match client needs.A major aspect of applied psychology is standardized tests toestablish reliable classifications of personality types with predic-tive and explanatory power regarding behavioral patterns.Ma-harishi Ayurveda,which deals with natural medicine and the lifespan, provides a framework for the Vedic theory of personality.Numerous published studies examine the efficacy of its ap-proaches to mind-body healing. It details the consciousness-mind-body relationship associated with Vedic principles of ther-apy as described in this paper. Importantly, it identifies afundamental correspondence between the senses, the body, and

the natural environment. It posits a profound integration ofpsychology, physiology, and the structure of nature itself, withmajor significance for diagnosis, planning, and treatment. Nosimilar integration has been proposed in conventional therapiesor in the history of scientific psychology.

In the Vedic approach there are three fundamental qualities orforces of nature,14,26 which can be associated with creative,

maintenance, and dissolution operators in physics. These threeforces structure five fundamental qualities or constituentssim-plistically translated as space, air, fire, water, and earth. It isreasonable to suggest that these five constituents relate to parti-cle-forces in physics.64 One speculative delineation generallyconsistent with sequential symmetry-breaking of the unifiedfield and Sankhya is that the gravitational force relates to space;gravitational and strong nuclear forces to air; gravitational,strong, and weak nuclear forces to fire; gravitational, strong, andweak nuclear, and electrical forces to water; and all the forcesincluding magnetism to earth.10,11 The five senses also corre-spond to these five basic constituents: hearing to space, touch toair, sight to fire, taste to water, and smell to earth. In other words,sensory qualia directly relate to the basic structures of the objectsof sense, allowing for an integrated system of health-promotingbehavior in accord with the fundamental structure of nature.11

Mind-Body TypologyOn the physical level the three fundamental forces correspondgenerally to the termsvata,pitta, andkaphacalled doshas. Thisis the basis for the system of classification into mind-body typesthat define features of individual personality.

In this modelvatadosha is most prominent in the qualities ofspace and air; it is associated with flow and motion, and primar-ily concerns regulation of motor functions. Centered in thecolon area, it concerns, for example, circulation throughout the

body, and controls the other two forces or qualities. Typicalpsychophysical tendencies of individuals with a predominanceof vata include light, thin build; cold hands and feet, dry skin;bursts of energy but quickness to becoming tired; tendency forinsomnia and irregular digestion; quick performance of actions,including grasping and forgetting new information; enthusiasm,imagination, excitability, restlessness, worry, and changeability.

Pittais most prominent in the qualities of fire and water; itprimarily concerns regulation of metabolic functions. Centeredin the small intestine, it regulates digestive and metabolic pro-cesses as well as many glandular, hormonal, and respiratory func-tions. Typical psychophysical tendencies with a predominanceof pitta include medium build, strength, and endurance; sharp

intellect and speech; tendency toward irritability or anger understress; strong digestion, hunger, and thirst; warm, flushed, fair orruddy, often freckled skin with heavy perspiration; determined,orderly, commanding or joyful demeanor.

Kaphais most prominent in the qualities of water and earth.Centered in the chest area, it concerns primarily cohesion in thebody. Typical psychophysical tendencies of individuals with apredominance of kapha include solid build, physical strength,and tendency to be overweight; steady, graceful action; slowdigestion and heavy sleep; cool, pale, soft, often oily skin; slowto grasp and forget information; affectionate, possessive, tran-quil, complacent, and earthy.



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Each individual is composed of the predominance of certainpermutations of vata, pitta, and kapha, which relate to specificbehavioral tendencies. These genetic aspects of personality reactdifferently to biorhythms and other natural cycles such as timesof day, seasons, and life span stages. Vata is associated approxi-mately with late autumn and winter, the periods of 2-6 a.m. and2-6 p.m., and later adulthood. Pitta is associated with midsum-

mer and early autumn, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.,and early/middle adulthood. Kapha is associated with springand early summer, 6-10 a.m. and 6-10 p.m., and childhood.

When the qualities or doshas are in proper balancecalledprakritimental and physical health are promoted. When aggra-vated or imbalancedcalledvrikriti disease can result. Illness isunderstood to be the consequence of behavior not in tune withthe natural balance for the individual mind-body or personalitytype in the time, place and conditions of daily life. This inte-grated system allows rapid identification of risk factors, preven-tive strategies, imbalances, and specific interventions.

This brief introduction lays out some of the Vedic principlesthat directly translate into practical therapeutic applications. Inthe next section specific Vedic technologies are described. In thefinal section similarities and differences with contemporary ther-apy approaches are considered.

APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL TECHNOLOGIESThe Vedic approach applies the principle that the individual iscosmic.65,66 This means that the individual human being isdrawn from the ultimate unity and is composed of all levels ofnature. Also, each developmental technology is drawn from thetotality or unity. In other words, the parts come from the whole,opposite of the whole emerging from a compilation of parts as inreductive physicalism. All the parts, and the specific technolo-gies, are connected to the whole. That is the basis for this holisticapproach. The numerous conventional approaches based onfragmented reductive views of nature that have developed inrecent years reflect insights, intuitions, and sometimes evidence-based theories not established in the understanding and experi-ence of the unity of nature. They produce some benefit in onepart, but tend not to be well coordinated with other parts, andthus can have negative side effects. For example there has longbeen criticism that the strategy in pharmacotherapy of isolatingand extracting active ingredients removes them from the largerintegrated context of natures intelligence.

THE TM

PROGRAM

An important principle in the Vedic approach as described hereis that rest is the basis of activity. This is consistent with deeprest as the natural antidote to stress and disease, and the firstcommonsense prescription. The deepest rest is said to be gainedwhen activity in the mind settles down to the deepest level ofinner silence, the fourth state, or transcendental consciousness,held to be the most restful ground state of the mind. Comparedto either ordinary rest or sleep, there is strong evidence for in-creased EEG coherence associated with restful alertness and si-multaneously greater reductions in stress markers such as corti-sol, respiratory rate, skin resistance, and plasma lactate duringTM practice.67-69

According to this Vedic approach, lack of understanding ofhow the mind effortlessly settles down to a deep state of innerstillness has resulted in a long historyof confusionin mental andspiritual development. Intryingto still the mind, the commonexperience is that the mind is fickle and wandering. Traditionshave developed based on the view that the mind must be con-trolled to attain inner stillness. Methods based on this common

understanding apply forms of either contemplationreflectivethinking on some idea or object of attentionorconcentrationeffortful focus on a particular object such as an image or thebreath. In contrast, an essential Vedic principle revived by Ma-harishi is that transcending is accomplished through lesser andlesser mental activity and softer thinking in an effortlessprocesslikened to a wave naturally settling back into the unboundedocean.13,14 Effortlessness is held to be essential for the efficacy ofTM practice. It is claimed that it is in transcending mental activ-ity to pure unbounded awareness that the state of consciousnessof the individual naturally expands, the theorized basis for itsdocumented benefits. Over 600 studies on TM practice havebeen published, about 400 in refereed journals,67-70 such as ma-

jor meta-analyses on anxiety reduction, psychological health,and self-actualization,71-75 as well as research on neurophysio-logical indicators of reversal of chronic stress conditions andstress reactivity.62,76-79

The TM technique is said to be a reliable, systematic proce-dure for avoiding mental effort or engaging in sensory, intellec-tual, or emotional processing that can interfere with the naturalsettling process and even prevent transcendence. Although sim-ple and natural, it is subtle and in vivo instruction by a qualifiedteacher is initially needed.

The Process of Normalization

Transcending is described as relaxing, enjoyable, and frequentlyblissful. Spontaneously maintaining transcendent inner silenceis said to require purifying the mind-body system of deep-rootedimbalances. This refines the system and allows it to stay in thedeeply settled state for more than brief episodesand eventuallypermanently as an unbounded inner wakefulness underneathand along with waking, dreaming, and sleep in the more ad-vanced fifth, sixth, and seventh states. From the deep groundstate, healing mechanisms that remove obstacles to healthyfunctioning are said to be naturally activated, similar to howsleep and dreaming rejuvenate from fatigue. Research has shownthat subperiods during which subjects report having experiencedtranscendental consciousness are positively correlated with

breath quiescence or virtual breath suspension indicative of pro-found physiological rest. It also is positively correlated withsimultaneous increases in skin conductance and peak alpha EEGpower, again indicative of a unique integrative state of deep restand increased alertness simultaneously.71-73

The contrast of transcendental consciousness and active men-tal states associated with other practices is becoming clearerbased on experimental comparisons. Some mental practicescorrelate with increased gamma synchrony, proposed as thebest measurable neural correlate of consciousnessthat is, theordinary active waking state.9,17 This EEG pattern is not cor-related with the theorized fourth state of consciousness,



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which typically involves peak alpha power indicative of rest-ful alertness.52,61,68,80

Advances in neurophysiological findings on EEG coherenceand brain integration show that EEG alpha coherence and syn-chrony are positively correlated with neural integration and im-proved mental health, such as emotional stability and moralmaturity.52,81-83 Extensive research has accumulated on the ben-

efits of TM practice in areas such as the neuroendocrinology ofstress, stress reactivity, cardiovascular health, rehabilitation, sub-stance abuse, academic performance, IQ, cognitive efficiency,attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, posttraumatic stress,and self-actualization as well as reduced anxiety and depres-sion67,68,84-86all directly relevant to therapeutic outcomes.

With sufficient degree of deep rest, biochemical, and struc-tural imbalances in the nervous system are said to dissolve nat-urally, termed theprocess of normalization. Correspondingly, thisactivity in the body increases mental activity, bringing the mindoutward into active mental states. Because thoughts arising inthis way during the practice occur subsequent to physical pro-cesses of normalization, they do not directly facilitate it; atten-tion is not placed on them, and time is not spent analyzingthem. On occasion, some of the resulting thoughts can be some-what distressing or uncomfortable. Alertness is understood to beexpanded and stronger when experiencing deeply settled states,and the strongest when mental activity is transcended. This issaid to strengthen the mind during normalizing processes. Casesin which individuals report experiences such as depersonaliza-tion are placed in the context of normalization, and proceduresare included to reestablish correct practice and smooth out theseoccasionally reported experiences.

The TM technique has been taught to a wide range of indi-viduals with different educational, religious, and cultural back-grounds in diverse conditions, including prisons, psychiatricwards, substance abuse treatment programs, nursing homes, aswell as discipline-challenged school settings. Extensive researchshows significant benefits across these challenging groups andsettings. In addition, insurance statistics indicate that utilizationrates for many chronic medical and psychiatric conditions arelower in regular TM practitioners compared to matched samplesfrom the general population.47,50,68,69 These findings documentits safety and wide applicability.

To keep TM practice itself simple and avoid straining or in-terfering expectations, the emphasis is on cumulative benefitsoutside of the practice with gradual progress as expanded aware-ness grows underneath mental activity and is naturally integratedinto daily activity toward permanent higher states. In contrast toproblem-focused unconscious-based therapies, Vedic princi-ples emphasize gentle naturalness to refine and integrate con-sciousness, mind, and body. Effortless transcending is held to bethe key missing elementtheholistic active ingredient. Once estab-lished as a daily routine, additional technologies accelerategrowth, including the advancedTM-Sidhi programalso based onYoga.11

THE TM-SIDHI

PROGRAMYoga is increasingly popular with todays focus on healthierlifestyles and appreciation of the mind-body connection in al-

ternative and preventive medicine. Frequently the emphasis ison the part of yoga associated with body postures and physicalexercise, hatha yoga, a beneficial physical approach; but yogaprimarily is a mental technology. Detailed in the Yoga Sutras,yoga refers tounion,and sutra tostitchorthread. The Yoga Sutrasinclude mental practices to stitch or thread together the con-sciousness-mind-body relationship, called sidhis, revived and sys-

tematized as the TM-Sidhi program. In a scientific context theYoga Sutras serve not only as means to develop higher states butalso empirical tests of the degree they are stabilized. Practice of theYoga Sutras is said to involve softer thinking to the finest levelsof individual attention while maintaining unbounded inner si-lencecalledsamyama.

The Yoga Sutras cover a wide range of empirical outcomes.For example one sutra develops compassion, another refines thedistinction between intellect and consciousness itself, and othersrefine the five senses and enliven intuition. One of the mosttangible sidhi practices is yogic flying,described as developingin stages including a hopping stagesomewhat analogous to ajumping frog. This stage is frequently reported among TM-Sidhi

practitioners. Electrophysiological recordings have shown thatthe highest global EEG coherence occurs during yogic flyingpractice.87 More advanced stages of yogic flying have not yetbeen documented, although anecdotal reports have appearedthroughout religious and spiritual historical literature in bothWestern and Eastern traditions.88

Experimental research supports the claim that regular experi-ence of transcendental consciousness produces increased coher-ence in psychophysiological functioning, evidenced, for exam-ple, in increased EEG coherence. It is a reasonable thesis thatindividuals who are less stressed and more coherent in mind andbody have a more orderly influence in their environment. Theindividual coherent effects are said to be magnified to a socio-

logical scale in large group practice, associated with the conceptofcollective consciousness. About 50 studies have been published(33 in peer-reviewed journals) that report significant improve-ments in health, economic growth, crime rate, and other positiveindicators of quality of collective life on local, state, national,and international levels when large groups practice this technol-ogy together.88-93

Social effects are typically explained in terms of the commu-nication of ideas and feelings between people via direct contact.For example, a courteous response, compliment, or random actof kindness may result in the recipient extending a similar cour-tesy to others, and in this way the positive influence transmitsthrough a social network via ordinary physical means of com-

munication. But these processes do not account for the empiri-cal findings of the coherent influence of collective conscious-ness.

In many physical systemssuch as magnetism, laser light, crys-tallization, primary organizer cells in the embryothere is aphase transition to a coherent state in a system when about 1%of the elements function coherently. A physical analogy is thequantum mechanical version of the Meissner Effect, associatedwith superconductivity and superfluidity. A similar field effect istheorized to occur in social systems when mental temperatureis reduced to deeply settled states and a threshold level of col-lective coherence is produced. It is proposed to be a field effect



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on the nonlocal level, consistent with quantum field theoriesnoted earlier.12,94 This subtle field effect is generalized from aphysical system to a social system including a region, nation, andworld population.12

Collective coherence suggests a practical means to influencesocietal trends in healthy and more orderly directions. It is heldto be a systematic approach to healing on a sociological scale. It

could be viewed as a type of group therapy, but far subtler thanhow this concept is applied in contemporary therapies. A grow-ing body of well-designed research supports the bold thesis thatthis may be a viable means to create a more peaceful globalsocietyin contrast to failed treaties and repeated wars.12,89,95

BIOBEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONSIn the Vedic approach sensory experience is directly related tothe effects of objects of sense in the form of smells, tastes, sights,touches, and sounds. For example, with respect to the gustatorysense there are six basic tastessweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent,astringenteach with its own effect on bodyand mind. Ingesting

foods in a balanced or imbalanced manner promotes or disturbsnatural psychophysiological balances in the individual. Thisprinciple is applied to all stimulus input from any of the fivesenses, whether through eating, respiration, or even visual andauditory inputsuch as watching TV or movies. Counteractingthe negative effects of unhealthy personal habits involves estab-lishing balance in behavioral lifestyles and routines that encom-pass all five senses.

Mind-Body Types and Behavioral TechnologiesThe Vedic approach also includes diagnostics to identify imbal-ances due to behavior that does not sustain natural health.Ayurvedic experts, called Vaidyas, are trained to identify the

individual mind-body type, the basic constitution orprakriti,and the vrikritior current state of the three doshas, introducedearlier.

For example, one important diagnostic procedure, calledNadi Vigyan,involves feeling the pulse. Activity in the body isunderstood to send information to the heart via the blood-stream, coded in the heartbeat, and accessed through the carrierwave of the pulse. The pulse is said to contain information onthe condition of the whole person as well as the various parts ofphysiology. Each of the three doshas has five subdoshas relatedto particular areas and functions, such as the liver, stomach, skin,and spinal column. Information about these 15 subdoshas canbe accessed through the pulse. Applying this method, an expert

pulse diagnostician is said to be able quickly to obtain consider-able information about the mind-body system relevant to healthstatus and treatment needs.

In addition to mental techniques, there are numerous body-oriented approaches that address the five senses. These includeVedic sound vibration therapy, music therapy called gandhar-vaveda,a wide variety of herbal regimens including rasayanas,body purification therapies called panchakarma, gentle bodymovement and exercise routines based on principles of hathayoga calledasanas, simple breathing exercises calledpranayama,Vedic light therapy, dietetics, aromatherapies, and daily andseasonal routines calledbehavioral rasayanas.

Another important and interesting approach, called Vastu,addresses architectural design and construction of structuressuch as homes and office buildings, as well as city planning.Chaotic environments typical of suburban sprawl, for example,are thought to decrease coherence in mental and physical func-tioning. Orientation with respect to the four cardinal directions,relationship to bodies of water, approaching and surrounding

roads,energy flow including air and light through a building, theproportions and dimensions of rooms and their layout for pur-poses such as studying, cooking, and sleeping are considered inthis approach. The shape and slope of the building site andrelationship to the local ecosystemas well as the health effectsof construction materialsare considered as well. Also, the cen-ter of a building is designed to be an open area called theBrah-masthanthat establishes a core of silence in the building. Hall-ways and windows are positioned to facilitate unrestricted flowof light, air, and energy through the core of the building in orderto reduce physical and psychological restrictions and supporthealth-promoting behavior.

The important emerging field of green technologies canbenefit from focus on family homes, community buildings, andneighborhood designs applying principles ofVastuthat are saidto foster subtle healing energies. These biobehavioral and envi-ronmental approaches are considered quite important compo-nents in the multimodal system of therapy, healing, and humandevelopment associated with this Vedic approach.96

TALKING THERAPYVerbal aspects of the Vedic approach to therapy can be placed inthe broad category of psychoeducation, which integrates thera-peutic communication and practical knowledge. An example isthe prototype case study of the classic Vedic text the Bhagavad

Gita.14,97 In this context it is viewed as a counseling sessionbetween the exemplary counselor of total knowledge, Krishna,and Arjuna, the exemplary warrior.14 According to this proto-type case study, Arjuna arrives at a point due to the apparentopposing demands from his loving heart and dutiful mind atwhich he is unable to take action. Principles of counseling,teaching, and communication are portrayed in preparing Arjunafor practical knowledge of the ultimate integration of heart andmind for effective action according to the particular duties in hislife. It provides a systematic model of therapeutic communica-tion and knowledge to address the inevitable dilemmas arising indaily life that are commonly addressed in therapy.

The verbal aspects of therapy, and also TM practice, do not

involve probing and bringing to conscious attention past trau-matic memories, pathogenic beliefs, or irrational schemas towork through them in the ordinary waking state of consciousmind, or conversely trying to put them out of the mind.Verbal communication is subtler and purposely simpler. Thisis based on the fundamental principle that what you putyour attention on grows in your life.13,14 Placing attentionon what was wrong in the pastperhaps necessary in certaincircumstancesis considered to reflect lack of subtlety of un-derstanding about the natural functioning of the mind and isnot generally encouraged. In the following quote, Maharishimakes this point quite strongly:



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Analyzing an individuals way of thinking and bringing tothe conscious level the buried misery of the past, even forthe purpose of enabling him to see the cause of the stressand suffering, is highly deplorable; for it helps to strengthendirectly the impressions of the miserable past and servestosuppress his consciousness in the present (pp. 258-259).13

Contemporary approaches most consistent with this funda-

mental principle are solution-oriented. Attention to solutionstends to be more enjoyable, constructive, and proactive thanstruggling to end problems. The entire focus in the Vedic ap-proach is on developing higher states of consciousness, whichare understood broadlyin this context to occur as a natural resultof progressrather than directly focusing the mind on psycho-logical and behavioral problems or symptom relief. The generalemphasis is direct experience of pure consciousness, which nat-urally expands the mind for growth-oriented and solution-ori-ented personal evolution in daily activity. When strong emo-tions arise, however, it is of course helpful to allow them to beexpressed in a safe environment. This is exemplified in thecounseling dialog in the Bhagavad Gita, which demonstrates

careful timing in dealing with the levels of behavior, thinking,and feeling.98

In this framework the basic approach to healing of settlingdown the mind can be viewed as also applicable to talking ther-apy. In the model of mind described earlier, levels of mindinvolve outer emotional behavior, inner rational thinking, andeven deeper inner feelings and sense of self. Effective listening,validating, and empathic skills help settle down emotions todeeper inner levels consistent with the principle of rest for nat-ural healing.7 Although applying observational and listeningskills, it is said to avoid thinking patterns resulting from past-oriented and problem-focused interventions that complicate themind and train it in a manner that could dissipate health-ori-

ented psychological energies.To exemplify these principles of talking therapy further, many

issues in psychotherapy deal again with the relationship of cog-nition and affect. The major orientations in psychotherapy, cog-nitive and humanistic, can be viewed as due to lack of integratedunderstanding about these levels of mind. Cognitive therapiesfocus on thinking to recognize and test irrational beliefs; andhumanistic therapies focus on emotional awareness, gettingin touch with feelings, and working through unfinished emo-tional business. In this Vedic approach to therapy deep feelingsguide thinking, and thinking directs behavior. The level of themind associated with rational thinking is in between inner feel-ings and outer behavior. It integrates information from inner

goals or motivations deep inside and outer environmental inputin order to plan and direct effective behavior. It is a fundamen-tally differentand purposefully simplerview about how themind naturally functions and how to train it in the therapeuticcontext to promote mental health and higher development.

The deepest and most refined feelings are sometimes attrib-uted to the inner intuitive sense. Intuition can be an importantbasis for decision making and behavioral choices when thesedeepest levels of feeling are not overshadowed by accumulatedstress and strain. As body, mind, heart, and ego or self are in-creasingly refined and stress-free, the intuitive sense is enlivenedand gives more reliable input for behavioral choices. But when

overshadowed by deep-seated imbalances, it can be less reliable.Under these common circumstances, the rational thinking mindis usefully relied upon to gain more knowledge and evaluateintuitive-like feelings carefully before taking action on decisions.Assuming that an intuitive feeling is right because it comesfrom the heart, or just following your heart, frequently resultsin relationship problems with negative consequences over the

longer term, even with the best of initial intentions. These arecommon issues presented in therapy, which can lead to confu-sion and ineffective counsel without an integrated model ofmind that identifies how cognition and affect subtly interact.98

The Vedic model of levels of mind is helpful for understand-ing how to integrate inner levels of heart and mind for assertivebalance that respects both personal goals and the goals of othersin the social environment. The integration of Vedic principlesand psychological models summarized in this paper, as well ascomparable work in a wide array of disciplines including foun-dational mathematics, physics, physiology, chemistry, literature,art, education, management, and sustainable living environ-ments, can be found in research publications of Maharishi Uni-versity of Management.99

BRIEF COMPARISONS WITH OTHER APPROACHESWith this overview of principles and practices associated withthe Vedic approach as described here, it now can be compared tothe major contemporary psychotherapies, using very brief sum-mary descriptions of them. This section highlights the contrasts,and importantly shows an integrative progression that is clearlyin the direction of holistic Vedic principles of therapy.

PSYCHOANALYTIC/PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACHES

The psychoanalytic approach derived primarily from Freudsinsights and speculations on unconscious psychobiologicaldrives, emphasizing sexuality and animalistic instincts from ge-netic evolutionary history. It focuses on the first few years of lifeas setting the stage for inner conflicts that play out later. Itgenerally views humans as motivated by uncontrollable, uncon-scious psychological forces with no overall purpose or meaningother than biological survival. It is for the most part pathologyoriented, with no clearly articulated model of psychologicalhealth or higher development. It generally views life as chronicintrapsychic conflict with no end-state other than trying to copewith the challenges of daily living and eventual complete extinc-tion at death. Further, it is time-consuming, typically involving

multiple sessions weekly, perhaps for a decade or longer. It alsotypically is provided to highly intellectual, financially wealthypatients. There has long been critical concern it is overly psy-chologizing and pathologizing. Research outcomes tend toshow quantifiable benefits are at least not appreciably differentfrom rates of spontaneous recovery; and direct comparisonsusually support other approaches. As discussed earlier, theFreudian model of mind common to many contemporary ther-apies that emphasize underlying unconscious processes is inmany ways opposite of the Vedic model.

Psychodynamic psychotherapies developed in reaction topsychoanalysis, deemphasizing sexual issues but still emphasiz-



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ing unconscious processes, childhood experiences, and interven-tions such as dream analysis, free association, and their intellec-tualized, sometimes complicated speculative interpretationssimilar to psychoanalysis. Treatment is time limited, more inter-active, and outcome studies are more supportive of their effi-cacy. Jungs Analytic Psychotherapy emphasizes personal re-sponsibility and the search for meaning. A key addition is the

theory of the collective unconscious based on Jungs reflectionsabout universal patterns of behavior in symbols and mythsacross cultures, orarchetypesquite different from collective con-sciousnessin the Vedic approach.

HUMANISTIC/EXISTENTIAL APPROACHESDeveloped by Rogers, the client-centered aspect of humanistictherapy is nondirective. It holds that under appropriate thera-peutic support with genuine concern, unconditional positiveregard, and empathy the client can improve self-esteem,strengthen self-control, and become more open to new ways tosolve problems and apply positive attitudes, without explicit

direction. There is less focus on past history, diagnoses, or prob-lems, and more emphasis on healthy acceptance of the individ-ual as a whole, unique person. As with analytic approaches, it isconsidered less effective with individuals who are severely dis-turbed or have lower intelligence. In this context it is due to notproviding substantive guidance, which is generally consideredimposing limitations on the client. Its principles have been in-corporated into other therapies, rather than being applied as aformal approach in itself.

Existential Therapy was influenced by philosophies in theaftermath of World Wars I and II. It emphasizes individualuniqueness, personal meaning, and coping with the depressingstate of human civilization and loss of a grounded sense of right

and wrong. It encourages confronting life challenges of existen-tial isolation, lack of inherent meaning, coping with freedom,and individual extinction. It shares the analytic model of con-scious and unconscious processes, but focuses more on the pres-ent rather than childhood traumas, toward acceptance of thetransience of life and inevitable annihilation at death.

Gestalt Therapy emphasizes the whole person in the contextof his or her environment including family, friends, past andpresent. Viewing conventional morality as constrictive, it fo-cuses on what is going on inside and outside oneself in the hereand now. It is highly interactive, relying on trust between clientand therapist to apply engaging techniques such as role playing,letter writing, visualizations, and body awareness. Techniques

are used to facilitate emotional expression and work throughblocked past experiences and develop meaning in the face offreedom, existential isolation, and death.

Broadly within the humanistic approach, Interpersonal Ther-apy (IPT) focuses on social relationships as a major source ofdistress. It emphasizes the exploration of social roles and expec-tations in romantic partners, family, friends, and coworkers, andon building new skills such as assertiveness. Family Therapyfocuses on the clients family of origin as a system of relation-ships resistant to change. It examines different roles taken byfamily members, and intervenes to change entrenched dysfunc-tional enmeshment and disengagement. Strategies frequently

involve role playing, confrontation, and in some cases buildinga generational mapgenogramof family patterns. Narrativefamily therapy somewhat similarly involves reflecting on anddevising stories of family histories to gain insights into familyroles and dynamics toward developing more self-sufficiency andbalance in relationships.

Generally these humanistic approaches view the individual as

an integrated whole who is striving for acceptance, meaning, andbalance individually and socially. They emphasize insight andgeneral coping skills within ordinary daily experience, and alsosometimes emotional release. They generally have not incorpo-rated specific means to expand conscious mind, and tradition-ally have not recognized and included such means to develophuman potential. However, importantly, they do accept the ba-sic principle of the natural ability to grow psychologically asinherent to human life.

COGNITIVE/BEHAVIORAL APPROACHESBehavior Therapy, which also developed in reaction to psycho-

analysis, emphasizes conditioning processes that can be objec-tively measured. Treatment is time limited, highly structured,with specific problem-focused interventions. Analysis of pasttraumas is not involved. It includes recording of behaviors, re-laxation training, and practicing alternative behaviors in and outof therapy. It is considered useful for specific symptom patternssuch as phobias, and not as applicable for generalized disorders.

Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) focuses on changing think-ing patterns that maintain specific dysfunctional behaviors. Likebehavior therapy, it is problem-focused and formulaic in thedisease-oriented medical model. It is interactive, generally pres-ent-oriented, emphasizing the challenging and testing of dis-torted beliefs and coping skills such as assertiveness and relax-

ation. Research frequently shows positive outcomes. Itsemphasis on diagnostics is helpful for treatment specificity andexplanatory value, but also can subtly add negative schemasfrom authority figures that can complicate treatment.

Closely related approaches are Rational Emotive BehaviorTherapy (REBT), which emphasizes direct confrontation of ir-rational thinking and beliefs, Reality Therapy (RT), which em-phasizes choice theory and personal responsibility, and Schema-Focused Therapy to identify old patterns stemming fromnegative childhood experiences and systematically testing outpositive alternatives in daily interactions. Acceptance and Com-mitment Therapy (ACT) is a more recent development incorpo-rating aspects of behavior therapy with self-acceptance. It in-

volves recognition of failed control strategies as a step towardgenuine openness to new ones. New strategies emphasize self-observational skills focusing on present awareness, less entangle-ment in self-critical automatic thoughts, and acceptance of bothdesirable and undesirable experiences and fostering commit-ment to work toward achieving personal goals.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), also a more recent de-velopment, focuses on reducing emotional dysregulation, typi-cally applied in treating substance abuse, eating disorders, anxi-ety, and depression including self-harm and suicidal ideation. Itincludes working in and out of individual sessions, group work,and skills training to manage dysfunctional thinking and emo-



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tional patterns. It also emphasizes dialectical acceptance of con-tradictory thoughts and building tolerance for distressing situa-tions by fostering an observing self that is said to increaseresilience. It is influenced by Buddhism, especially Zen, but notnecessarily other religious aspects of the tradition.

Mindfulness Therapy draws further from Buddhist teachingsapplying focused attention and concentration. It emphasizes

sustained attention to the present moment, said to facilitateletting go of painful thoughts and emotions and learning how toget out of automatic reactions and habitual behaviors. It incor-porates training in dispassionate observation and monitoring ofmental content to gain perspective or psychological distancethat reduces judgmental interpretations and increases compas-sion and tolerance. Sometimes it also incorporates group work,which may involve challenging of restrictive patterns of self-image and self-concept.

Mindfulness-based practices in cognitive therapy are derivedfrom long traditions involving various forms of mental attentionto manage cognitive processes through states described as bareattention, presence of mind, and lucid (sometimes evencalled pure) awareness.100,101 These active mental states aredistinct from pure awareness in the sense of transcendence ofmental activity in transcendental consciousness, which has beenshown to have different psychophysiological correlates. Accord-ing to Maharishi, mindfulness practices have developed in theabsence of systematic means to transcend.13,14

In further contrast to mindfulness-based practices, the ap-proach applying Vedic principles is most fundamentally tostrengthen the mind and body directly by repeated experience ofinner bliss in the natural process of transcending mental activity.Transcendental consciousness is unbounded self-referralawareness, distinct from the mental activity of being aware ofsomething as in ordinary thinking and feeling. When increas-ingly fulfilled from the inside due to repeated experience ofunbounded awareness and resultant reductions in accumulatedstress and tension, more freedom and less bondage to the gainsand losses associated with the inevitable ups and downs of dailyliving is said to grow automatically through time. Inner silence,growing awareness, and contentment spontaneously developself-sufficiency, compassion, acceptance, and nonattachment.Ultimately, inner bliss is said to be the foundation for naturalfreedom from boundaries, even in the midst of boundar-ies.102,103 According to the Vedic model, in permanent enlight-enment the limitations that characterize individual life are per-meated by fulfillment in unity and are no longer overshadowingor binding to the individual. Inner contentment is said to bringbalance and freedom in daily life spontaneously, not practice ofa mood or intentional mental state of nonattachment, equanim-ity, or unity in the individual boundaries of the ordinary wakingstate.13,14

SOMATIC PSYCHOTHERAPIES AND RELATEDAPPROACHESApproaches focusing on the mind-body relationship emphasizeemotional stress held in the body, frequently associated with theconcept of cellular memory, which can be released throughphysical manipulation. These body-oriented approaches include

gentle as well as more strenuous deep tissue massage for emo-tional release, and other body movement techniques includingyogic postures and breathing exercises, as well as music andaroma therapies for relief from tension and stress.

Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) isa more recent technique that involves forming a snapshot infocal attention of a traumatic memory and combining it with a

visual tracking task that may provide distraction and disruptionof the distressing memory. This and similar methods involvingvisual tracking or repetitive touch such as tapping are used toreduce trauma-based anxiety.

Hypnotherapy is an old mental technique now used for avariety of health concerns including pain management, phobias,smoking cessation, as well as enhancement of athletic perfor-mance. It applies the power of suggestion to alter ordinary wak-ing experience into a state in some ways similar to sleep whilealso responsive to instructions. Physiological patterns are mixed,suggestive that aspects of experience are dissociated from eachother. The neural mechanisms associated with hypnosis are notunderstood, and its effectiveness may be limited to those whobelieve it will work.

As described earlier, there are extensive body-oriented treat-ments associated with holistic Vedic principles of therapy. Theseinclude such interventions as dietetics, body purification thera-pies, gentle exercise routines, simple breathing exercises, aroma-therapies, music and sound vibration, and light therapies men-tioned earlier, as well as many others in the context of Ayurvedicnatural medicine.

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY/SOLUTION-FOCUSEDAPPROACHESPositive psychology emphasizes personal virtues commonacross cultures. Expressions of positive feelings associated with

altruism, optimism, humor, and gratitude are encouraged as partof the therapy work. Solution-Focused Therapy applies similarprinciples to guide attention toward positive evaluations of ac-tions and their results. Actions are not thought of as successesand failures as much as feedback toward solutions. It is designedto provide subtle guidance for inevitable change in the directionof solutions, applying the principle that even a small change cantrigger change in a whole systema relationship, family, or largersocial organization such as a company.

Every therapist action is considered an intervention. Diagnos-tic labels using pathological terms, historical reviews of pasttrauma, conditions that amplify the clients sense of problemssuch as medical-type settings, testing as well as other procedures

focusing on negative symptoms, irrational thinking, and atten-tion to dysfunctional behavior are minimized. The role of thetherapist is more of a consultant than an authority figure such asan analyst or doctor. As a subtler approach to therapeutic com-munication, it is more consistent with the important principleguiding the verbal aspects of Vedic principles of therapy thatwhat you put attention on grows in your life.63

TRANSPERSONAL/INTEGRAL APPROACHESTranspersonal/integral approaches explicitly apply spiritualprinciples that address the broader connection of the individual



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to human culture, the oneness of nature, and even sense of theDivine. Experiences beyond traditional scientific understandingincluding intuitive, psychic, shamanistic, and mystical ways ofknowingespecially in the transpersonal approachare encour-aged as strategies to integrate body, mind, and spirit. This mayinclude different mental techniques in the general framework ofmeditation, religious practices such as prayer and forms of pos-

itive affirmation, and a wide variety of other treatments that aresimilar to, but also in some cases outside of, conventional ther-apies. These approaches draw from a range of religious andspiritual traditions including Buddhism, which have their ori-gins in the Vedic tradition. Thus, they tend to be more similar tothe approach described in this paper with respect to philosoph-ical principles, especially compared to more conventional ap-proaches. However, specific methods such as meditation tech-niques, mind-body integration interventions, and talkingtherapy procedures differ significantly, as noted in this paper.Also, the Vedic approach has emphasized rigorous experimentalvalidation of its technologies, in addition to direct experientialvalidation.

This brief overview importantly reveals a progression towardpositive approaches in therapy and counseling that are client-empowering, present and future-oriented, health and solution-oriented, client-therapist interactive, with multimodal treat-ments moving from dysfunctional neurosis and pathology toself-actualization, and toward spiritual realization. However, forthe most part there continues to be neither generally acceptedmodels of mind nor systematic stages of human development asa foundation for treatment strategies, largely reflecting the frag-mented physicalist worldview still prominent in modern sci-encebut also clearly extending beyond it such as in transper-sonal/integral approaches. The overview shows that theprogression is toward principles that are consistent with themodels of mind and higher development in the holistic Vedicapproach of Maharishi Vedic Science and Technology based onthe work of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

CONCLUSIONSThe intent of this paper is not to add another therapeutic ap-proach to the hundreds already available. It rather is to empha-size simpler, subtler, more integrated methods based on a holis-tic understanding of the consciousness-mind-body connection.A key point is that consciousness is understood quite differentlyfrom the common therapeutic notion of becoming more awareofin terms of insight and mindful attention within the ordinarywaking state. It views expansion of awareness as occurring sys-

tematically through effortless transcending of mental activity.Direct experience of the fourth state, pure consciousness itself, isheld to be the most fundamental holistic active ingredient forhealing. Further, the verbal aspects of this Vedic approach aswell as communication skills, dietetics, herbal formulas, gentlepurification treatments, balanced daily routines, and health-pro-moting living environments also are consistent with the princi-ple of settling down and refining emotions and thinking thatexplicitly avoids common overly intellectualized, psychologiz-ing, and pathologizing methods.

This introduction to Vedic principles of therapy underscoresthe value of historically rich perspectives in international psy-

chology and ancient traditions of knowledge. It points out thatcontemporary approaches are unconscious-basedfor themost part embedded in the physicalist worldview that is becom-ing recognized as untenable given theoretical and experimentalprogress in quantum physics over the past century. The ancientholistic Vedic approach as described here can be viewed as a newalternative to the view of nature that has shaped our disinte-

grated and stress-laden modern civilization fixated on frag-mented reductive physicalism, fundamental randomness, andmeaningless biological survival. Its core technologies are increas-ingly validated by rigorous research for their efficacy and wideapplicability. It purports to be a holistic system of healing andhuman development that actualizes the integrative direction inwhich applied psychology fortunately has been steadily pro-gressing.

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