Inner Healing through Indian Values: Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Compassion in Cancer

Description

Rajesh Kumar Jha and Satya Gopal Ji (Department of Psychology, DAV PG College (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)

Cancer is a life-threatening, chronic and not just a physical disease. It has a tremendous impact on a person’s psychological, social and spiritual health. In more recent times, health psychology has transitioned from a disease-based approach to one that is more holistic and emphasizes emotional and spiritual support for coping and recovery. The present study delves into the role of three moral-emotional ideas deeply entrenched in Indian philosophy and culture, namely, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion, in the promotion of inner healing in the context of cancer. Healing from an Indian perspective is a blending of body (śarīra), mind (manas) and spirit (ātman). The Bhagavad Gītā, the Ayurvedic texts and Upaniṣads place great importance on the creation of positive attitudes, such as kṣamā (forgiveness), dayā (compassion), and kṛtajñatā (gratitude), in order to achieve balance and freedom from suffering. Gratitude improves positive emotions, relationships and meaning in challenging situations (Algoe, 2012; Wood et al., 2010). In Indian culture, one expresses gratitude not only to people, but to the divine, to nature and to life circumstances, and with this they express their spiritual acceptance of prārabdha karma (destined experiences). Forgiveness has been defined as letting go of resentment and replacing negative emotions with acceptance or kindness towards oneself and others (Worthington, 2006). Thus, it may be inferred that the inner healing through Indian values provides a culturally relevant and psychologically sound approach in cancer recovery in the present narrative review paper.