Notes on the article by Jaswinder Singh Sandhu “The Sikh Model of the Person, Suffering, and Healing: Implications for Counselors”

The article is aimed at educating western counsellors about the belief system of Sikh population. The author describes the problem of neglect of the culture-specific belief systems in general as potentially overlooking the important healing resources for that particular population. He stands for developing a more flexible approach in counseling that would view “foreign” religious beliefs as equally valid. 

The quote below proposes a good example of the core difference in the Eastern and Western views of the person and the world. 

“The Western model of psychiatric illness and mental health is premised on a mindbody dichotomy, rigid adherence to a classification system, and definite distinctions between psychology, religion, medicine, and spirituality. On the other hand, these different disciplines are integrated in South Asian cultures to form a holistic approach. “(p. 34)

Sandhu throughly describes the history and cosmology of the Sikh religion, the structure of the world. He gives a detailed description of the layers that each person is made of as described by the Sikhs, and how these layers function. Bases on the description of these layers, he explains how illnesses occur and how they can be healed. 

In fact, when it comes to suffering, it is viewed as a cure, because it allows the person to get in touch with himself and his own mortality, which in Sikh tradition is the key to healing. To get to this point one needs to pass all the layers of self from the surface physical layer all the way to the layer of Truth. 

The author makes a valuable comparison between the Sikh spiritual tradition and Western existentialism showing us that they hold many similarities, such as both being philosophical approaches that address universal human concerns, and concluding that taking responsibility for their own lives is primary key to change people’s lives.