Positive psychology is the
scientific study of what makes life worth living. It is a new branch of psychology to help
normal human beings lead happy, fulfilled lives with a sense of well-being as
contrasted with the study of abnormalities and dysfunctions of the human mind.
It is a departure from the Freudian focus on making life less miserable to
making life more happier. In short its
emphasis is on “What is right with you mentally” rather than “what is wrong
with you mentally.” Martin Seligman the
founder of this branch of psychology defines it as the branch of psychology
that uses scientific understanding and effective intervention to aid in the
achievement of a satisfactory life rather than merely treating mental
illness. This is reflected in an
interview with CNN on the current state of psychology. When asked to describe in one word Seligman
said “Good”. When he was asked to describe in two words, he changed it to” Not
good”. The interviewer taken aback asked
him to describe in three words and he came out with the reply “Not good
enough”. That is in the field of
treating unhealthy minds it is good, while in the field of helping healthy
minds not good, and so overall not good enough. This study originated in 1998 when Martin
Seligman was elected the President of American Psychological association and he
made positive psychology theme of his term.
As per Martin Seligman good life is “using your signature strengths every
day to produce authentic happiness and abundant gratification” i.e. to continuously
be happy and fulfilled. Seligman has classified
happiness in three broad categories.
1)
The happiness that one derives from a “life of enjoyment”, the Pleasant life. The emphasis here is on savoring as much
pleasures as possible through the normal avenues of entertainment, relationships, hobbies etc..
Seligman says this is most transient and ranks it low.
2) The happiness that one
derives from a “life of engagement’, the Good life. The happiness comes from
one’s accomplishments, achievement of goal, meeting a challenge. This happiness ranks only average as the
feeling of fulfillment or satisfaction does not last long.
3) The happiness that one
derives from “a life of meaning and purpose”, a meaningful life, The happiness
comes from the feeling of satisfaction, one derives, when contributing to something
bigger than themselves and more permanent than themselves like organizations,
social groups, belief systems etc.. This ranks high on the scale when rendered
selflessly and affords enduring satisfaction.
After this short outline of Positive Psychology, let us go to a brief study
of the Purusharthas. Purushartha
is a word used in our scriptures to describe human goals. Though the individual goals may be different
and numerous they can be broadly grouped under four heads; Dharma, Artha,
Kama, and Moksha. Now we shall see them, though not in the same order as
stated above. Artha is one that gives security, economic, emotional or
social. So it can be basic physical
needs like food, shelter, clothing and health and also higher emotional needs
that come from fame, status, fortune and success and from relationships. All forms of luxury needs to enhance the
comfort or for sense gratification, entertainment and social pleasures come
under Kama. Dharma lays
down the code of righteousness and the moral values that must govern all
actions whether of Artha or of Kama. Moksha is the goal of
liberation from the cycle of birth and death which is characterized by let-go and
withdrawal. The scriptures have also
clubbed together all the paths of action and called it as Pravritti marga
and the path of withdrawal as Nivriiti marga. Whatever may be the goal the end-aim of all actions is one’s happiness and well-being only. So we can consider Purusharthas
as our scriptural divisions and compare it with the modern divisions of Practical
Psychology in the area of enhancement of human happiness and well-being.
Kama
corresponds to Life of enjoyment, Artha to Life of Engagement and Dharma
to Life of meaning and purpose. All of
these come under Pravriiti marga only and so cannot give one lasting
total happiness, which can be achieved through nivriiti marga only. Withdrawal does not mean taking to Sanyasa
or total cessation of activities. It is
not even what the Positive psychologists call “the learned helplessness”, which is
resignation born of a belief, or beliefs, that one has no control over what
occurs, and that something external dictates outcomes, e.g., success. Withdrawal or detachment is not only internal
renunciation of attachment to results while being active in the activities of
the world i.e. family, profession, and society; but also the internal
renunciation of the feeling that you are the conglomeration of body, mind and
intellect by replacing it with the knowledge of your true Higher Self. So here
you renounce internally even the feeling of being a doer or enjoyer. This is as indicated by Lord Krishna in Gita (5-13)
सर्वकर्माणि मनसा सन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी । (Sarva karmani manasa sanyasyasthe sukham vasi)
नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन् ॥ (navadware pure dehi naiva kurvan na karayan)
Mentally relegating all the actions
to the city of nine gates (the body with nine openings), be the the embodiment
of Bliss without stress of doing oneself or of getting done by others.
Positive psychology which is less
than a decade old and which lists spirituality, calling it “a search for the
Sacred” (Sacred can be inferred as God), as one of the contributing factors to
the feeling of well being and happiness may one day move to the millenniums-old wisdom of Vedas that realizing that ‘the Sacred’ one is searching is one’s own Higher Self and living this Truth is the ultimate
prescription for Absolute uninterrupted happiness, with a feeling of total
fulfillment.
-------------------------------------
