Radical Wholeness: Depth Psychological Healing in IKS

Abstract

This paper explores the fundamental concepts and healing methods within Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), particularly as they relate to yoga and Upanishadic philosophy. As the ultimate aim of healing, it presents the idea of radical wholeness (svāsthyaň), a state of profound psychological, emotional, and spiritual integration. The paper explores the philosophical framework of IKS in four dimensions: ontology (the nature of being), epistemology (the methods of knowing), axiology (the value systems), and praxeology (the principles of right action). It draws on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Upanishads, and Ayurvedic thought. It challenges the shortcomings of Western scientific paradigms that reduce the psyche to quantifiable phenomena and suggests an all-encompassing model based on the inner journey of the self and caturděṣṭi (the four lenses of knowledge). The paper traces a clear path from a fragmented, afflicted mind (vyutthita citta) to an anchored, luminous state of wholeness, the tranquil mind (samāhita citta), using the story of Bỹgu and the five kośa-s (sheaths of being). Additionally, it describes the stages of Yogic practice, which culminate in transformative awareness and jīvanmukti (liberated living), from deep inner inquiry (antarāṅga sādhanā) to outer discipline (bahiraṅga sādhanā). The authors present Citta Vidyā, a contemporary synthesis that revitalises the therapeutic potential of IKS by fusing ideas from depth psychology, performing arts, and experiential processes. The paper invites a reorientation toward inner stillness, dharma, and conscious living, offering a compelling vision of human flourishing that goes beyond symptom reduction.