10 months ago
Exploring the Soul: Religious Beliefs, Freud, and Eastern Concepts
Imagine your body is like a car.
Some people think there's a driver inside, called the soul, that controls the car.
Religious people believe in this driver.
Others think the car just drives by itself.
A famous thinker named Freud talked about a hidden part of the driver, like a 'secret wishes' part called the unconscious, which can make the car act in strange ways.
In places like India, people have ancient ideas about 'Sanskaras,' which are like deeply ingrained habits or lessons that also affect how the car drives, even if the driver doesn't always realize it.
The writer thinks that to make the world a better and more peaceful place, we need to understand and improve these inner habits and lessons, not just build better cars or roads.
The body functions as long as the soul resides within it, according to some beliefs.
The world is divided into those who believe in the soul (religious) and those who do not (non-religious).
Sigmund Freud proposed 'The Unconscious' as a repository of repressed desires (Id), influencing behavior.
Eastern traditions, particularly in India, believe in 'Sanskaras' which are akin to 'The Unconscious' and significantly shape personality and actions.
True peace and positive change require understanding and altering these inner 'Sanskaras', not just technological progress.
- Who
- Humans, religious people, non-religious people, Sigmund Freud, people in the East
- What
- Discussion on the existence of the soul, contrasting religious beliefs with psychological and Eastern philosophical concepts like Freud's 'The Unconscious' and Indian Sanskaras.
- Where
- The East and the West
- When
- Ancient times (Eastern beliefs) and modern times (Freud's theories)
- Why
- To understand the nature of consciousness, the soul, and its influence on human behavior and world peace, suggesting that true peace requires a change in inner 'Sanskaras' rather than just technological advancement.
Key facts
- Primary Division of Belief
- Religious (believe in soul) vs. Non-religious (do not believe in soul)
- Freud's Concept
- 'The Unconscious' comprised of repressed desires (Id)
- Eastern Concept
- Sanskaras (similar to 'The Unconscious', influencing personality and behavior)
- Writer's Background
- Spiritual educator and columnist with over 9000 published columns
Quotes
The writer
The writer of the article, identified as a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal & UK.
“On the other hand, in the East, religious people of India have, since very ancient times, been believing in Sanskaras which are to some extent, like ‘The Unconscious’ of Freud’s Theory because these do not form the content of The Conscious because man is normally not aware of them or their sources even though his personality and his behaviour, at all times, is influenced by the Sanskaras that he possesses.”
thehansindia.com
“In fact, these are so intimately related with man’s peace and war or good and bad personality that it would be meaningless to talk of world peace or a social, political or cultural change without talking of and planning and working for a change in the man’s Sanskaras.”
thehansindia.com
A well-known psychologist
A psychologist whose views on the Soul or consciousness are discussed in the article, and who did not believe in the existence of the Soul as an entity separate from the body and brain.
“He considered ‘The Unconscious’ as comprising mainly of the repressed desires which manifest themselves in dreams and find expression in the form of neurotic habits and phobias.”
thehansindia.com
“He called this as Id (or instincts and drive) and said that man’s desires were so censored by his Super-ego and those desires which were considered as not conforming to social norms or to accepted ethical standards were repressed.”
thehansindia.com
