Download - Rabindrasangeet, Psychotherapy, Consciousness, Integral psychology

MONER SHUSHRUSHAY RABINDRA SANGEET/RABINDRASANGEET IN PSYCHOTHERAPY

Dr. D. Dutta Roy, Ph.D. (Psy.)Psychology Research UnitINDIAN STATISTICAL INSTITUTEKolkata – 700 108International Conference on Bengali Literature organized by the Department of Bengali, West Bengal State University, Barasat, North 24 pgs., W.B.Date: 13.3.2009

Dr.D.Dutta Roy, ISI., Kolkata

Rabindrasangeet is a journey to Whole or completeness

Outer Layer:-Missing-Anomalies

Inner Layer-Vividness-Orderliness-Complexity

Inner Core Layer-Harmony with Environment-Aesthetics-Cleanliness

CONSCIOUSNESS PARADIGM


A Journey

Rabindrasangeet is a journey from outer layer to inner core through inner layer of consciousness.– "Chokher aloy dekhechilem

chokher bahire"; (outer layer)– "Antare aaj dekhbo, jakhan alok

nahi re" (inner layer)– "Dharay jakhan dao na dhara

hriday takhan tomay bhara, ekhon tomar apan aloy tomay chahi re" (innercore layer)


Characteristics of 3 layers

The outer layer or Murta : What we sense through our five sensory organs; It is tangible and measurable.

The inner layer or the Raaga : The meaning carried by the sensory stimuli. It is attached with emotion; It is apperception. It can be measured through quasi continuous scale. It is mixed with error variance.

The inner core layer or Saraswat layer : The feeling of harmony, the existence of truth, the feeling of white; It is partially measured by the quasi continuous scale and projective tests. It is free from error variance.


Playing in the outer layer

“Ami keboli swapan karechi bapan batase-

Tai akashkusum karinu chayan hatashe

Chayar matan milay dharani, kul nahi pay ashar tarani,

Manaspratima bhasia beray akashe”

“Emni karei jay jadi din jak na,

Mon ureche uruk na re mele diye ganer pakhna”


First stage of the journey

Outer layer properties suddenly find the existence of inner layer;

“ Amar hiyar majhe lukiye chile

Dekhte ami pai ni, tomay dekhte ami pai ni.

Bahir-pane chokh melechi, amar hriday-pane chai ni…..”

“Ami jwalbo na “Ja chilo kalo-dhalo tomar

range ranga holo.Jemon rangabaran tomar

charan tar sane aar bhed n ralo.

Ranga holo basan-bhushan, ranga holo shyan-swapan

Holo kemon dekh re, jemon ranga kamal talomolo. “


The Second stage

The journey is not very smooth. Lot of ideas are broken, built and rebuilt.– “Tomay niye khelechilem khelar gharete

khelar putul bhenge geche pralayy jhaarete

Thak tabe sei kebol khela, hok -na ekhon praner mela-tarer bina bhanglo, hriday-binay gahi re. "


Mixing with inner core/Saraswat layer

“Amar poran jaha chay tumi tai, tumi tai Gotoma chhara ar e jogote mor keho nai, keho nai Go.

Tumi sukh jodi nahi pao, jao sukher sondhane jaoami tomare peyechhi hridhoymajhe, ar kichhu nahi chai go.

Ami tomar birohe rohibo bileen, tomate koribo baasdhirgho dibos dhirgho rojoni, dirgho borosh-maas.”


Association among the layers occurs following the principles of perceptual organization suggested by the Gestalt schools followed by principles of searching.


Principles of Perceptual organization

Figure and GroundSimilarityProximity or contiguityClosureAreaSymmetry


Searching Principle : Growth of inquisitiveness

Feeling of scattered impulses,needs etc.

Searching cues

Does it give meaningful

pattern ?N Y

“Tomay Natun kare pabo bole harai khane khane .”


Faulty evolution


Assumption of Mental Illness

Faulty evolution of layers causes mental illness.Fault occurs due to

– Deformity in 3 layers; (Physiological explanation: sensory limitation, Limbic system/thalamic region problem, Problem in nervous system).

– Faulty learning during the journey (conditioning by faulty reinforcement, faulty attribution).


Faulty learning

“Swapnamadir neshay mesha e unmattata jagay dehe mone eki bipul byatha” (substance abuse)

“Keteche ekela biraher bela akashkusum chayane” (depression)

Jani tomar ajana nahi go ki ache amar mone.Ami gopan karite chai go, dhara pare du nayane. Ki bolite pache ki boli tai dure chale jai keboli. (Anx. Disorder)

Kandale tumi more bhalobasari ghaye- Nibir bedanate pulak lage gaye (Sadism of hysteric patient)


Introspection

“Keno jamini na jete”

“ Keno sara din dhire dhire

balu niye shudhu khelo tire.

Chale gelo bela,rekhe miche khela….”

“Sakhi bohe gelo bela, shudhu hasikhela e ki aar bhalo lage”


Adjusting self

“Amar ekti katha banshi jane,

banshii jane. Bhare railo buker tala,

karo kache hoy ni bola, kebol bole gelam

banshir kane kane ”

“ Ami bhoy karbo na bhoy karbo na”

“Jadi tor daak shune keu na ase tabe ekla chalo re”


Case Study 1: Where all fail, Rabindrasangeet acts


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.


Patient’s behaviour

Very inhibitive;Hand clasping tightly;Strong resistance to

open clasping;Non-cooperative to

participate;Not able to administer

any available psychological tests.


Analysis of patient

Patient is searching for dirt in the outer layer. In the inner layer, dirt is perceived as threatening;Patient wants to move away from inner to inner core layer.

For the same, she spends most of the time in worshipping the God and keeping cleanliness.

She is not happy with soaping hands as this can not help her to reach at the innercore layer of consciousness.

This results approach – avoidance conflict. (Approaching to the soap in order to avoid dirt, again few

soaping is not sufficient, so more soaping is required ).


Analysis of family

Repeated soaping consumes more water;Family assumes that it is unreasonable but

patient assumes it as reasonable ;Family member is not aware of

consciousness dynamics playing inside the patient.


Therpeautic analysis

Target: Preventing clasping hands; Consciousness model:

– Outer layer (Murta) : Dirt perception;– Inner layer (Raaga): Dirt as threat; – Innercore (Saraswat) : Feeling of cleanliness;

Currently, patient is moving around outer and inner layers only. Therapeautic target: Providing her Feeling of cleanliness. Rabindrasangeet is non-dirt area; Explore the song suitable for feeling of non-dirt area;


Session-1

In the first session, patient was highly inhibitive to reveal herself. Due to difficulty in rapport establishment. I started singing - "Ananda loke, mangala loke" (moving to spiritual land).

Suddenly, she started singing with me in very low voice;

I paid my attention to her and started moving the hands keeping with the rhythm and waves of the song loudly. She participated into my hand movement and sang the song loudly.


Session-2

In the 2nd session after 6 days, the client sang with me same song by standing. She moved her hands above head when she sang " Grahataraka chandra tapana byakula drutabege" (the planets, satellites are moving speedily). It is noted that her hands now completely opened.


Session-3

In the 3rd sitting, patient reported that she alone practiced two songs – "Ektuku chona lage...." (feeling light touch), and – "Eto din je bosechinu" (waiting for long days) at

home. Finally, she sang with me both songs alongwith Ananda loke, danced and she never closed her hands.

Termination : Patient herself is able to prevent stopping hand clasping.


Case Study 2: Geetbitan as Projective test.


The Variables

Agent

Host

Environment

Dynamics of latent variables

Initial

E

X

P

R

E

S

S

I

O

n

Middle Terminal

A EH

H

H

Johari WindowINVESTIGATOR

C

L

I

E

N

T

Known

Known

Unknown

Unknown

OPEN

DARKBLIND

FAÇADE

Rabindrasangeet


Exploring techniques

FACADE

DARK

OBSERVATION PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION INTERVIEW FOCUSED GROUP DISCUSSION

FREE ASSOCIATION PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUE DATA MINING

– MAPPING– PROFILING– CAUSAL RELATIONS

Probability for variable exploration

Structured Unstructured

High prob.

Low prob


Projective test

Individual projects own feelings, conflict and desires on others; Psychologists use several projective tests for analysis of projection

of the patient. Some widely used tests are : Rorschach, TAT, Sentence completion test, Word association test etc.

They explore set of inner dynamics playing latent role in causation of mental illness by analyzing test responses. Later the findings are used for psychotherapy.

When patient is non-cooperative, it becomes difficult to administer projective tests.

Rabindrasangeet acts there.


Theories of hierarchy

Individual by singing, listening develops hierarchy of songs;

Hierarchy depends upon one’s understanding about capability of the song to achieve feeling of completeness.

Hierarchy can be measured using rank order scale. Here is a study:


Analysis of Projection

A neurotic depressed patient came to me with complaints of suicidal desires. She was co-operative. In stead of using common psychodiagnostic test, I used Geetbitan She was asked to select 10 songs from Geetbitan, the famous Book of songs composed by Rabindranath Tagore.

Patient selected following 10 songs:

1. Akash bhara surya tara2. Aloker ei jharna dharay3. Ananda dhara bahiche bhubane4. Ananda loke mangala loke5. Aji jato tara tabo6. Amar mukti aloy aloy7. Ami chini go chini8. Aro aro prabhu aro aro9. Alo amar alo ogo10. E ki labonye punya

Next, I told her to rank them. Her rank was :First : 3, Second : 10, Third : 4


Finally, she sang the first rank song (Ananda dhara bohiche bhubane). I followed her in singing.I have noticed that each line of this song reflects her current mental state and it is interesting to note that the song also provides the answer as how to recover from such problems.

I have used that song for her psychological counseling.Therefore, I have developed following assumptions:1. Geetbitan as Psychological test;2. The words of Geetbitan advances knowledge of psychotherapy.

“Anandadhara bahiche bhubane, dinarajani kato amritarasa uthali jay ananta gagane.

Pan kare rabi shashi anjali bhariya- sada dipta rahe akshyaya jyoti- nitya purna dhara jibone kirane.

Bosiya acho keno apanmone, swarthanimagana ki karane?

Chari dike dekho chahi hridaya prasari, khudra dukhosab tuchcha mani

Prem bhariya laho shunya jibone. “


Case Study 3: Self-understanding


Complaints

Over learning Poor academic

performance Apprehension of

danger


Analysis of client

Layer dynamics:– Outer layer (Murta) : Perceiving the book;– Inner layer (Raaga) : Book is perceived as source of completeness;– Innercore (Saraswat) : Feeling of completeness;

Reason for over learning: He tends to be complete being. Problem lies on over study due to extrinsic reading motivation

(reading to get other’s affection, recognition and to avoid punishment);

Target of change : Study for intrinsic motivation (reading to acquire and to apply knowledge, to develop mastery over reading); This helps man to be complete.

Case history : He can play tabla and can sing Rabindrasangeet. It is practiced in family.


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.


Some postulates based on Case studies

Man searches for feeling of completeness or harmony among all the impulses or desires scattered in consciousness.

Frustration and conflict occurs when he is searching for harmony around the outer and inner layer of consciousness. His consciousness is guided by Maya (errors).


Following the principles of pattern perception (Figure-ground, similarity, Proximity or contiguity, Closure, Area, Symmetry), man tends to organize the impulses.

Feeling of incompleteness causes tension and prolonged tension leads to mental illness.

Rabindrasangeet therapy is not simple music therapy as it is not detached from the words. Here each word is very powerful.

Rabindrasangeet therapy acts on both left and right hemispheres of the brain. It appears to me that when left hemisphere resists, right hemisphere stimulates it by the stimulation of Rabindrasangeet. Possibly due to this reason, current OCD patient performs well.

Rabindrasangeet provides feeling of positive well-being. It does not develop any feeling of guilt.

Self-realization comes through spontaneously through Rabindrasangeet.


In therapy using Rabindrasangeet, therapist should analyze the consciousness layer dynamics for the unreasonable behaviour.

The words of Geetbitan advances knowledge of psychotherapy.

For both co-operative and non co-operative clients, analyst can use Rabindrasangeet to understand above layer dynamics.

By singing the songs and through realization, client sometimes get insight behind the complaints and sort out the path to innercore layer of consciousness.

To sum up, Rabindrasangeet is not the ultimate but acts as the supporting system for psychotherapy.


Future researches (for Bengali Lit)Exploring songs related to different properties of

outer, inner and innercore layers;How do they cause change in changing attitude

towards self and to others across different age groups specially for pediatrics and geriatric groups ?

Explore the songs related to adjustment in crisis situation.


Future researches (for Psychologists)

How are the three layers associated ? Can we explain the associations in terms of Gestalt theories of perception or learning ?

Why do people find inhibition to move towards saraswat layer ? Is it due to conditioning ?

How can we decondition man using performing art like Rabindrasangeet ?

Does Rabindrasangeet affect both hemisphere of the brain system as it is intermingled with words/ reason (left hemisphere) and music (right hemisphere) ?


Acknowledgement

Subir Bose, Sudipta, Susmita of Srijon o Gunjan, Orkut

Ms. Sahana Roy, Dept. Applied Psychology, C.U. , Kathak dancer

Available:http://www.slideshare.net/ddroy/

rabindrasangeet-psychotherapy-consciousness-integral-psychology


References

Dutta Roy,D.(2006). Development of picture drawing test to assess consciousness layers of tribal children of Tripura, Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology,Vol. 32, No. 1, 20-25

Dutta Roy, D. (2004). Analysis of drawing of tribal children in Tripura to understand different patterns of consciousness levels. A Quarterly Research Journal on Tribal life and Culture, 13, 45,17-23.

Dutta Roy, D. (2008). Sustainable Reading Motivation. Pratyay, 3, 1, 6-12


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