Mind and Awareness in Indian Tantras: foundations for Meditation, Hatha Yoga and Ayurveda

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22409/1984-0292/v31i_esp/28997

Keywords:

Tantra, meditation, yoga, mind, Ayurveda

Abstract

Despite the widespread critique of the hegemonic Cartesian view of human nature, no alternatives adequately surpass its limitations in the field of health. The philosophical base which informs these western dominant approaches is implicit, even when eastern health practices are imported. These have been acknowledged and promoted in the public healthcare system in Brazil since the 2006 health policy and later government decrees. Adaptations and western creations based on eastern practices are severed from their original tenets, fueled by comercialism and ignorance of its history. In the process, its integrative approach is lost, as the complementary health practice is used in psychology or in the mechanical and biologizing biomedical model. This article thus presents the philosophical Indian tenets of the Tantras in their historical context, as a foundation for Ayurveda and the contemplative practices aimed at spiritual development. Its brief and necessarily incomplete contextualization is based on academic analysis of historical sanskrit texts by scholars, Indian, American and Tibetan authors and teachers of lineage traditions. The concepts of mind, body, awareness and energy compose this nondual approach to human nature integrated with the universe in a complex and dynamic way, developed and researched throughout thousands of years.

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Author Biography

Cecilia de Mello e Souza, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Professora Titular da UFRJ, colaboradora na Pós-graduação em Psicossociologia de Comunidades e Ecologia Social, do Programa EICOS, Instituto de Psicologia da UFRJ. Possui graduação em Antropologia com High Honors por Bates College (1983), graduação em Psicologia Cum Laude por Bates College (1983), Licenciatura em Psicologia e Diploma de Psicóloga (1985) pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (1984), mestrado em Antropologia Social pela University of California em Berkeley (1986), Ph.D. em Antropologia Social pela University of California, Berkeley (1993) e pós-doutorado no Institute of Health Policy Studies da Universidade da Califórnia em São Francisco (2005). Foi vice-presidente da ABRAPSO. Atua, com perspectiva interdisciplinar, nas áreas: Antropologia da Saúde e Psicologia Social Comunitária, se dedicando ao longo de sua trajetória profissional à movimentos sociais, estudos de gênero, exclusão social, sexualidade e saúde reprodutiva entre as camadas populares. Orientou mais de 30 dissertações e teses. Atualmente coordena o Prajna - Núcleo de Pesquisa e Práticas em Saúde Integral, Comunidades e Ambiente onde desenvolve pesquisas sobre medicinas tradicionais e práticas integrativas de saúde como também sobre comunidades intencionais.

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Published

2019-09-04

How to Cite

SOUZA, C. DE M. E. Mind and Awareness in Indian Tantras: foundations for Meditation, Hatha Yoga and Ayurveda. Fractal: Journal of Psychology, v. 31, p. 220-227, 4 Sep. 2019.

Issue

v. 31, n. esp. (2019): Dossiê Psicologia e epistemologias contra-hegemônicas

Section

Dossiê Psicologia e Epistemologias contra-hegemônicas

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To the extent possible under the law, Fractal: Journal of Psychology has waived all copyright and related rights to the Reference Lists in research articles. This work is published in: Brazil.

To the extent possible under law,Fractal: Journal of Psychology has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to Reference lists in research articles. This work is published from: Brazil.