Sense of Balance in Indian Conceptualisation of Psychological Well-being

• Authors: Joseph Jeyaraj Swaminathan , Giuseppe Crea , Zbigniew Formella

Title variants

PL

Poczucie równowagi w indyjskim ujęciu dobrostanu psychicznego

Abstracts

PL

Pojęcie dobrostanu psychicznego (PDP) przyciąga uwagę zarówno tych, którzy mieszkają na Globalnej Północy, jak i tych na Globalnym Południu. Podobnie jak zachodnia koncepcja PDP, jej indyjski odpowiednik ma długą historię, sięgającą co najmniej 3000 lat. Opracowanie to podkreśla, że w Indiach „poczucie równowagi” (sanskryt sama) jest nadrzędną zasadą, która kieruje dobrostanem ekologicznym, społecznym i osobistym. To poczucie równowagi jest omawiane w oparciu o takie pojęcia jak hedonizm i eudajmonia, które można znaleźć zarówno w zachodniej, jak i indyjskiej koncepcji PDP. Główne różnice obejmują kolektywistyczną naturę Hindusów, ich nacisk na duchowość oraz to, że cierpienie i szczęście są dwoma wymiarami jednej rzeczywistości. Dzięki porównawczej metodzie narracji dowiedziono, że takie indyjskie terminy, jak Sama, Dharma, Sattva, Rajas i Tamas, w znaczący sposób korespondują z takimi uniwersalnymi zasadami, jak etyczne życie, zaangażowanie społeczne i świadomość duchowa. Podsumowując, indyjska konceptualizacja PDP głosi, że jest ona holistyczna, zintegrowana i zrównoważona. Rozszerzoną perspektywą tego poczucia równowagi jest jego adekwatność w umożliwianiu ludziom osiągnięcia równowagi ekologicznej, niezależnie od ich przynależności kulturowej.

EN

The concept of psychological well-being (PWB) engages the attention of those who live in the Global North, as well as those in the Global South. Similar to the Western concept of PWB, its Indian conceptualisation too, has a long history dating back to at least 3,000 years. This article accentuates that, in India, a ‘sense of balance’ (sama in Sanskrit) is an overarching principle that guides ecological, social, and personal well-being. This sense of balance is discussed in the exposition of concepts, such as hedonia and eudaimonia, which are found in both the Western and Indian concept of PWB. Major differences include the collectivist nature of Indians, their emphasis of spirituality and their belief that suffering and happiness are two dimensions of a single reality. Through a comparative narrative method, it is evidenced that Indian constructs, namely, Sama, Dharma, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas resonate meaningfully with universal principles, such as ethical living, social commitment, and spiritual awareness. In short, Indian conceptualisation of PWB holds that it is holistic, integrated, and balanced. An extended prospect of this sense of balance is its appropriateness in enabling people to achieve ecological balance, irrespective of their cultural affiliations.

Keywords

PL

dobrostan; Indie; indyjska psychologia; poczucie równowagi; społeczeństwo kolektywistyczne; sama; trigunas; hedonizm; eudajmonia

EN

well-being; India; Indian psychology; sense of balance; collectivist society; trigunas; hedonia; eudaimonia; sama

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie
• Journal: Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae
• Year: 2021
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 55-68

Dates

published

2021

Contributors

author

Joseph Jeyaraj Swaminathan

• Don Bosco Institute of Psychological Services in Chennai

• https://orcid.org/0000000281271245

author

Giuseppe Crea

• Institute of Psychology, Salesian Pontifical University in Rome

• https://orcid.org/0000000278600730

author

Zbigniew Formella

• Institute of Psychology, Salesian Pontifical University in Rome

• https://orcid.org/0000000328460992

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Identifiers

DOI

10.21697/seb.2021.19.4.05

Biblioteka Nauki

1991633