Health and Popular Psychology

Ayurveda in the Western Holistic Health Sector

Authors

  • Maya Warrier University of Winchester Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.37511

Keywords:

ayurveda, health, popular psychology, seekership, spirituality, therapy culture

Abstract

This article examines a small selection of popular anglophone publications on ayurveda, authored by three well-known US-based writer-practitioners: Robert Svoboda, Deepak Chopra and David Frawley. It argues that these individuals' interpretations of ayurveda's principles and practices are deeply influenced by popular psychology, and by the therapy culture that it has spawned in Euro-American contexts. These writers draw upon some key tenets of popular psychology in their works: that physical illness is an outward manifestation of a psychological problem; that self-awareness and personal growth are essential for attaining optimum health; that individuals must assume active responsibility for maximizing health and wellbeing. Through their psychologized interpretations, Chopra, Frawley and Svoboda greatly expand ayurveda's scope. In their hands, ayurveda is not simply a medical tradition for remedying illness (its predominant focus in mainstream South Asian practice) but, more importantly, a means for personal growth, human potential optimization, and self-actualization.

Author Biography

  • Maya Warrier, University of Winchester

    Maya Warrier is Reader in Religious Studies at the University of Winchester, UK. Her research and publications explore Hindu identities and traditions in modern, transnational contexts. She has published on aspects of modern guru traditions, Hinduism in the UK, and the transformations undergone by ayurveda in its contemporary anglophone manifestations. She is author of Hindu Selves in a Modern World: Guru Faith in the Mata Amritanandamayi Mission (Routledge-Curzon, 2005) and co-editor of Public Hinduisms (Sage, 2012).

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Published

2018-11-13

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Warrier, M. (2018). Health and Popular Psychology: Ayurveda in the Western Holistic Health Sector. Religions of South Asia, 12(1), 56-77. https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.37511