Rabindrik psychotherapy is a brief, positive, universal value-driven therapy developed from the works of Rabindranath Tagore. It aims to enhance happiness, tolerance and resilience. The therapy supports principles of unbounded consciousness and self-regulatory behavior. There are four main theories: consciousness theory involving three layers (Murta, Raag, Saraswat), universal value theory concerning path and goal orientations, control theory focusing on self-awakening and self-regulation, and flow theory regarding flow fields and dynamics across consciousness layers. Flow is analyzed using tools like flow quotient, loads, fields and turbulence. A case study describes using a Tagore song to help a woman with OCD issues gain insight into controlling her compulsive

1. Rabindrik Psychotherapy
Debdulal Dutta Roy
Psychology Research Unit
Indian Statistical Institute
203, B. T. Road
Kolkata – 700108
Venue: 2nd International Conference of Indian Academy of
Health Psychology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida
16th
December, 2016.

2. Rabindrik psychotherapy is confluence of multiple
psychotherapies

3. Here therapy refers to self awakening rather treatment for
specific complaints.

4. Unique
 Rabindrik psychotherapy
is unique, positive universal
value driven and brief therapy
that enhances happiness,
tolerance and resilience across
people of different ages.

5. It supports principles of unbounded consciousness,
non-labeling and self-regulatory behavior.

6. Theories of Rabindrik Psychotherapy
There are four basic theories in Rabindrik Psychotherapy
 Consciousness theory
– Layer dynamics
 Universal value theory
– Path and Goal orientations
 Control theory
– Self-awakening and self-regulation
 Flow theory
– Flow field and dynamics

7. Consciousness theory
Consciousness is composed of three layers
having distinct characteristics. They are
Murta, Raag and Saraswat.
 Deformity or faulty development of
Murta layer causes missing and
anomalies in response.
 Raag is composed of feelings or
emotions. Sometimes raag distorts
image of murta and cause deviant
behaviour.
 Saraswat layer is composed of the
feeling of harmony, non-dual existence,
aesthetic and peace.
Each individual struggles for whole life to
reach at Saraswat layer. To Tagore, man
does not want to move away when he
has reached at Saraswat.

8. Therapeutic effectiveness depends on hierarchical structure
of Rabindrik value orientations
 Values are the expressions of
worth, likes, dislikes concerning
things, persons, and principles.
 As determinant, value regulates
one’s choice of specific behaviour.
 It has a hierarchical structure.
 It involves ideals and practices
which are of immense importance
in broadening the social horizons
during adolescence.
 This hierarchy is crucial for the
identity formation and
development of self concept among
the adolescents

9. Control theory in Rabindrik
Psychotherapy
Tagore emphasized on self-awakening.
 Control comes out of self-awakening.
 Self-awakening occurs through
Rabindrik arts.
 Control tools and techniques are used for
filtering and controlling the flow.
 Control causes change in flow
characteristics above and below the
base line.
 How much control to be exerted by the
individual will depends on layer
dynamics of consciousness and stability
of Rabindrik Value orientations.

11. Equilibrium and Disequilibrium
approach
From Shyama – the dance drama composed by Rabindranath Tagore

12. Murta
-Missing
-Anomalies
Raag
-Vividness
-Orderliness
-Complexity
Saraswat
-Harmony with
Environment
-Aesthetics
-Cleanliness
Flow changes colors of consciousnessFlow changes colors of consciousness

13. Q: What is this ?
A1: This is a white object
(Murta)
A2: This is white beautiful
flower (Raag)
A3: This is light (Saraswat)

14. Scope of present paper
Present paper will focus on Flow theory
and one case study.

15. What is flow ?
 Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person performing
an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full
involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.
 Mihaly Csikszentmihályi and his fellow researchers began
researching flow after Csikszentmihályi became fascinated by artists
who would essentially get lost in their work. Artists, especially
painters, got so immersed in their work that they would disregard
their need for food, water and even sleep. Thus, the origin of
research on the theory of flow came about when Csikszentmihályi
tried to understand this phenomenon experienced by these artists.
Ref: Mihaly Csikszentmihályi (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal
Experience. Harper & Row. ISBN 978-0-06-016253-5.

16. Challenge and skill levels of
flow
 Flow theory postulates three conditions that have
to be met to achieve a flow state:
 One must be involved in an activity with a clear set
of goals and progress. This adds direction and
structure to the task.
 The task at hand must have clear and immediate
feedback. This helps the person negotiate any
changing demands and allows them to adjust their
performance to maintain the flow state.
 One must have a good balance between the
perceived challenges of the task at hand and their
own perceived skills. One must have confidence in
one's ability to complete the task at hand.
Ref:
1. Csikszentmihayli, M. (2000). Happiness, flow, and
economic equality. "American Psychologist, 55"
1163-1164.
2. Csikszentmihályi, M.; Abuhamdeh, S. & Nakamura,
J. (2005), "Flow", in Elliot, A., Handbook of
Competence and Motivation, New York: The
Guilford Press, pp. 598–698

17. Flow in Rabindrik Psychotherapy
 The term psychotherapy
refers to the treatment of
psychological disorders
through the use of
psychological theories,
the postulates, techniques
and tools rather than
physical means like
administration of drugs or
surgery
 The term psychotherapy
refers to the treatment of
psychological disorders
through the use of
psychological theories,
the postulates, techniques
and tools rather than
physical means like
administration of drugs or
surgery
 Rabindrik Psychotherapy includes
set of therapeutic postulates,
values and techniques to awaken
self extracted by the author from
the works of Rabindranath Tagore.
 In Rabindrik psychotherapy,
different flow experiences across
layers of consciousness have been
observed.

18. Tools for flow analysis
By repeated singing, dancing,
acting, playing music or by
painting, one can experience
flow.
Rabindrik art provides flow
across different layers of
consciousness
By repeated singing, dancing,
acting, playing music or by
painting, one can experience
flow.
Rabindrik art provides flow
across different layers of
consciousness
Path and Goal oriented value
theories

19. Equilibrium and Disequilibrium
approach
From Shyama – the dance drama composed by Rabindranath Tagore

20. Flow is created in Consciousness
 When event takes place,
mental images are formed that
cause changes in the stream of
consciousness. This is flow.
 Flow changes stimulus
characteristics when passing
across layers.
 Stimulus characteristics are
shaped by the characteristics of
layers.

21. FLOW CHARACTERISTICS

22. FLOW QUOTIENT
The flow is movement of consciousness
wave that passes a point per unit time. So
the flow quotient will be:
Flow quotient (FQ) = (Wo / We) *100
Wo= Observed wave per second
We=expected wave per secon

23. FLOW LOADS
Flow has three levels - the base, high and
low.
100 is the base level(Wo=We).
Above 100 indicates high load (Wo > We)
and
below 100 indicates low load (Wo<We).

24. FLOW QUOTIENT &
TURBULENCE
When flow quotient is less than 100,
consciousness becomes non turbulent or
there is laminar flow.
When it is more than 100, it becomes
turbulent. Turbulence depends on the
dynamic properties of external force vis-a-
vis music and the surface condition of
consciousness.

25. FLOW FIELD
The area of consciousness affected by flow is
flow field.
Flow causes change across layers of
consciousness. When flow occurs, it
spreads from murta to raaga and raaga to
Saraswat layer.

26. WEAK FLOW FIELD
When the force is weak, flow field covers
only murta or murta and raga not the
saraswat.

27. SUBMERGED FLOW FIELD
It would be misnomer
to assume that force
field is only above the
base level. Mental
imagery can be
submerged.
Submerged force can
cause buoyancy

28. DOWN AND UPWARD
PRESSURE

29. FLOW ASSOCIATION
When flow associates
with another flow.
Flow may or may not
be dissolved.
There will be three
possibilities.
Both flows can exist,
can be overlapped or
one can engulf other.

30. Case study on OCD

31. Response control of OCD
A woman of 52 years old came to me
with complaint of OCD to dirt.
Patient reported her inability to
control washing compulsion.
For last 30 years, she regularly went to
toilet for washing and cleaning
hands.
She always closed her hands tightly so
that her hands would be completely
cleaned.
Before visit to me, she was treated by
many psychiatrists and one
psychologist. No notable changes
are noticed except long time sleep.

32. The therapy

33. Observation
 Client was guided by stigma initially. Client could not develop insight to
control unaccepted response.
 In Rabindrik psychotherapy, client was not guided by any psychiatric
classification.
 In therapy, by therapeutic customization, client suddenly develops insight
about response control.
 Next client herself explored few other songs for controlling her response.
To sum up, Rabindrik psychotherapy is self-awakening process where in
individual can give autosuggestion for response management. Tagore’s song
creates flow in client’s consciousness that helps client crossing the boundary
of Murta and Raag layer.

34. Thank You

35. FLOW IN PSYCHOTHERAPY
Psychotherapy causes turbulence flow in
consciousness.
Structuring and restructuring occur across layers
of consciousness - murta, raaga and saraswat
layers.
Finally, equilibrium comes and layers are
structured in different forms resulting change in
perception and motivation of the client.
New structure gives feeling of well-being in
physical, mental, social and spiritual health.

36. Case Study : flow in school
psychology

37. Complaints
 Over learning
 Poor academic
performance
 Apprehension of
danger
 Temper tantrums

38. Analysis of client
 Layer dynamics:
– Outer layer : Perceiving the book;
– Inner layer : Book is perceived as source of completeness;
– Innercore : Feeling of completeness;
 Reason for over learning: He tends to be complete being.
 Problem lies on over study due to extrinsic reading
motivation
 Target of change : Study for intrinsic motivation
 Case history : He can play tabla and can sing
Rabindrasangeet. It is practiced in family.

39. Session
Requesting him to sing any song of Tagore;
He selected “Jadi tare nai chini go se ki amay
nebe chine ei naba falguner dine---- jani ne, jani
ne”.
I asked if your book asked you the same what
would be your answer ?
He: Jani ne (I do not know)….after brooding…he
said that from today I would study the lesson to
understand it.
Termination: Client is able to understand how to
be complete.

40. THANK YOU

41. MUSIC & MENTAL IMAGERY
Mental imagery is quasi-perceptual (something
that is not real) experience. It resembles
perceptual experience but occurs in the absence
of the appropriate external stimuli. So, it is the
picture in the mind in the absence of
environmental input. Musicians often rely on
musical imagery to guide their performance and
to memorize or compose new music.

42. BRAIN AND MUSIC
 Some neurological studies using positron emission tomography
(PET) supported effect of music on imagery (Snodgrass, and
Vanderward, 1980; Halpern and Zatorre, 1999).
 in which auditory cortical areas (in the temporal lobes, bilateral)
were activated during musical imagery and musical perception
 A related finding was recently reported in an fMRI-study of vivid
auditory imagery associated with auditory hallucinations in patients
with schizophrenia, which activated sensory auditory cortex (Zatorre
et al., 1996). Aleman, Böcker and De Haan (2000).
.