Healing
According to Sikh thought, suffering arises through the misidentification of the empirical ego and its attachments, yet the cure also lies in suffering.
The illusionary ego is the cause of ones suffering; yet required for its cure. (sggs 466).
Psychology is aware of how a person’s mortality profoundly affects their life. Post traumatic growth, PTG, findings suggest that facing a life crisis, especially one’s own mortality or that of close others, can lead to “positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances,” (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 1999, 2001; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004, p. 1)
Sikh tradition emphasise mindfulness (simran) of one mortality, and its acceptance is the key to healing, shifting ones intrinsic goals, engendering humility, change of priorities, experience of present moment, intimacy in relationships, innate sense of gratitude, acceptance and openness or optimism. (sggs 581-582) Simran (skt. Smrti or mindfulness) is also translated as sim (mindful) + maran (death).
Anxieties and fear generated by this encounter with mortality is addressed internally through meditation on Naam (Naam Simran or mindfulness on Naam) and externally through engaging in ethical selfless service (seva) towards existence.(sggs 176).
Compassion depends on being able to recognise something about the other in ourselves. The inevitability of death enables us to see something about our self within all, giving rise to contentment for oneself and compassion for another. (sggs 3, 350)
Both suffering (dukha) and non-suffering (sukha) are seen as two sides of the same coin and even described as two garments wore by human beings. (sggs 149). Therefore, the Sikh personality encounters both pain and pleasure alike, inevitable yet transient. (sggs 57)
The process of healing involves the holistic approach to the realisation of the spiritual self and involves consciousness experiencing five realms (Singh 1990). Ethical living and righteousness or Dharam Khand; Gyan khand (realm of wisdom), Saram khand (effort); Karam khand (grace or synchronicity) and Sach khand (Truth or True nature). (sggs 7-8; Kohli, 1974).
Dharam khand is the external sphere, while wisdom, effort and grace are regarded as the tri-dimensional inner sphere (Singh 1970),as consciousness progress through the tri-dimensional spheres, ones True Nature or original face is realised.
Contentment and compassion are considered as two essential qualities towards self-realisation and both self and non-self healing. (sggs 3, Maskeen 1990)
Contentment is achieved through the control of flow of sensory stimuli through dhyan sadhana (general term for meditation) and realisation of the uniqueness of one’s existence, here and now.
Gyan sphere requires the person to engage in spiritual dialogue, (Gurbani vichaar) in order to understand the nature of the human condition. Essential to the process of healing and self-realisation, is the company or community one engages in. Sikh thought lays great emphasis to seek out Sadh Sangat (community of those seeking self-realisation) and discourages Kasangat, (community of those engrossed in semi-consciousness or maya) (sggs 42)
Sangat provides one with the support, enabling to get a better understanding of one condition and redirects the motivation to make an effort (saram) towards constructively change their life situation. Within the realm of effort, the person puts scriptural and intuitive knowledge into practice. (Doabia 1998). Selfless service or sewa help in cultivating new behavioural patterns and also combat the empirical ego’s self-centeredness. The result of the Sikh path is the attainment of Sahej Avasta.
Sahej can be described as an inner balance or harmony devoid of distraction from emotional or mental content, abiding in ones unchanging True nature. The practice of Naam Simran combined with Seva leads to this inner state of balance, of knowing and being.
Knowing and Being are intimately linked. Awareness of certain epistemological truths can only available in certain epistemological states. Calmness to cognise emptiness (sunn samadh), ultimately these two are one, by Being is to know and being is, intrinsically, aware of being.
