Anasakti (non-attachment): An Indian concept for positive mental health

Jyotsna Agrawal*

*Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, NIMHANS, Bangalore

([email protected])

Background

Although in the past, the field of psychology had given equal importance to treatment of mental illness, as to promoting good mental health and excellence, since the Second World War, a disproportionate amount of attention was given to mental health issues and very little towards human growth and positive functioning. Given the need of the hour to apply psychological insights beyond mental illness, there has been resurgence in the field for study of optimal human experiences, as well as those conditions that lead to such flourishing. Thereafter increasing number of studies are emerging which look at variables such as happiness, emotional balance, well being, character strengths and virtues etc. To gain deeper understanding, the field is also looking at what philosophers have discovered by their reflection and contemplation over the centuries. Greek philosopher Aristotle has been one guiding light for the field, whose ideas have led to the research on eudaimonic well-being. Indian spiritual tradition and ‘darshana’ are another rich source of such insights, which may help humans to go beyond existential suffering and towards long lasting well-being and excellence in action. meditation, which has emerged from this tradition, is increasingly being used for psychotherapy of various common mental illnesses. However there is much more scope to apply ancient Indian strategies for current psychological problems. One such strategy is to develop non-attachment or ‘anasakti’. In common English, attachment means fixture, bond or affection, while non-attachment means dispassion or lack of concern with material things (oxford English dictionary).

In Indian literature, different terms have been used to denote a sense of attachment, such as asakti, raga, upadana and it is considered to be behind much of our sufferings. On the other hand using a variety of terms, anasakti has been discussed across major schools of Indian darshan, as a healthy sense of separation and inner freedom, accompanying the ability to accept whatever comes in life without clinging to pleasure or a preferred outcome (Agrawal and Jaiswal, 2013).

As per , raga is the attraction which accompanies pleasure, while dwesha is the repulsion accompanying pain and these are caused by identification of self with ego, resulting in a loss of freedom (Taimini, 1961). On the other hand anasakti or non-attachment is the freedom from attractions, and in broader sense also repulsions. In the Bhagvad Gita, anasakti has also been discussed as niskama , which emphasizes the focus on work, but not on its outcome and associated rewards and pleasures or as Sakshi bhava, a mental state of witnessing.

Based on Bhagwat Gita, Pande and Naidu (1992) defined anasakti as ‘an intense though disinterested action, performed with a spirit of passion, without nurturing concerns regarding success or failure, loss or gain, likes or dislikes.’ On the other hand, Buddhist philosopher,

Asanga (4th–5th Century) discussed asakti as the mental affliction that distorts the cognition of its object by exaggerating the admirable qualities and screening out the disagreeable qualities of an object of attachment. Based on Buddhist ideas, in modern psychology non-attachment

(anasakti) has also been defined as ‘a flexible and balanced way of relating to one’s experiences, without clinging to, or suppressing them’ (Sahdra, Shaver and Brown, 2010). It is one of the few Indian psychological concepts which has got some attention in modern research literature. As per the tradition, it is related to ideal mental state, which can be cultivated and can lead to freedom from existential suffering. However in modern psychology, a variety of other perspectives have been used, from anasakti being a stable personality trait, to it being associated with motivation as well as coping and resilience. It can also be seen as a virtue of self regulation and emotional balance. It is theorized to be composed of various sub-concepts such as a) not focusing on future outcomes b) continuing efforts towards one’s goals despite difficulties c) being able to handle discouraging, stressful experiences d) being able to manage one’s emotions and remain calm and poised e) having belief in a God/ Higher power, that regulates everything in one’s life f) relating to everyone with a sense of equality, in their happiness and sorrows (Singh and Raina, 2015).

Relationship of anasakti with different aspects of life

There have been misconceptions about the true meaning of anasakti or non-attachment: Many associate this with not having any goals in life, thus characterizing it as disinterest, which then would result in lack of progress, while some others tend to think that it is about not caring or loving others.

Anasakti with respect to work process and goals: One of the key applications of anasakti is in the field of work. In Bhagwat Gita, the term Niskama karma has been used to denote the process, when a person does her work carefully and with thoroughness, having complete focus on the action, without passion and concern about the outcomes. This results in a complete unification of the action and the actor, and a movement towards the goal and perfection in the task. According to the Bhagvad Gita such task excellence comes about only when a person works knowing that her sphere of influence and concern is only her actions and not the results of these actions

(Pande and Naidu, 1992). This is somewhat similar to the modern concept of flow, which means

‘complete absorption in what one does’ (Nakamura and Csikszentmihalyi, 2009). Sense of duty in the absence of desire for rewards, is associated with increased life satisfaction, even in modern corporate world (Mulla and Krishnan, 2006). Another concept in modern psychology related to this idea is that of linkers and non-linkers. Linking refers to those people who link attainment of goals to happiness, whereas non-linking refers to those who believe that attainment of goals is important, but does not determines happiness. It has been found that linkers have negative style of thinking which makes them prone to stress and depression (McIntoch, Gillanders and

Rodgers, 2010).

Anasakti with respect to relationships: In the Hindu tradition, the rites of passage or ‘samskaras’ acknowledge not only the special bond between mother and child, but also the phase when this bond may become a hindrance, and therefore the need for independence and non-attachment when the child starts formal schooling (symbolized in upanayan ceremony). It may be of more salience during certain stages of life (ashrams) such as, academic or post-retirement phase or it may have more relevance for certain goals in life (purushartha), such as following a spiritual path. While in , service to others () and working for the benefit of larger society

(lokasamgraha) is emphasized along with anasakti, in , loving-kindness (metta) is built in along with non-attachment, as a safeguard against extreme self centeredness and disconnection from other people. However, it is believed that the source of security lies in deeper self or in understanding reality, and not in other people and their mental representations. Studies have also reported that insecure attachment pattern is not (neither avoidant noranxious clinging type) associated with non-attachment (Sahdra, Shaver and Brown, 2010). Thus it may be incorrect to consider these traditions as anti-relationships, as they primarily encourage going beyond reward and punishment based relational foundation, to lessen the suffering.

Anasakti and positive mental health

In modern psychology, studies have further found that non-attachment is associated with better ability to manage stress, more self and higher well-being (Pande and Naidu 1992;

Sahdra, Shaver and Brown, 2010). Recently, we have also found higher levels of Anasakti is associated with higher levels of satisfaction with life, positive emotions, wisdom, and or positive attitude towards self and others. It is also associated with having lower levels of negative emotions and lower dwesha, which is negative attitude towards self and others (Gupta, Singh and Agrawal, 2018; Smrithi, Kapanee and Agrawal, 2017).

Development of anasakti

Given the above mentioned psychological benefits of cultivating anasakti, in terms of decreased negative emotions and higher wellbeing, positive emotions and life satisfaction, along with positive relationship with others, it is important to ask, how can one develop anasakti ? People grow towards a particular aim, when they believe in the benefit of such a change, but also when they think it is possible for them to change and when they also have control on their behavior

(Ajzen, 1991). In one study we found that not everyone believes in the desirability of anasakti, at all times, in all contexts. As mentioned earlier, many people think anasakti is a barrier in work productivity and deeper interpersonal connection. Even those who believe in its benefit for management of and recovery from stress, also find it difficult to have anasakti when all is going well. Thus, despite believing in their ability to develop anasakti, few people actually do something about it. (Gupta, Singh and Agrawal, 2018). Thus, belief systems can help in developing anasakti or become a hindrance in it, depending upon inner conflict about its desirability. Before one can develop anasakti, one needs to be convinced about its benefits, want to develop it as a quality in oneself, and actually learn how to do it and invest efforts towards it.

Since subjective norms also influence one’s intention as well as behavior, it would be helpful to be in contact with like-minded people. There comes the importance of satsanga or , a community of people who wish to grow in same direction.

In summary

Although there seems to be somewhat better clarity about the concept of anasakti, there is no consensus about its sub-concepts. We also need studies exploring its relationship with other similar variables (e.g. emotional regulation). There is need for better measurement, more research using multiple methodologies (first-person phenomenological research, qualitative interviews etc.), as well as studies about its developmental pathways including longitudinal and intervention studies. Once better understood, it seems interventions based on this concept may be useful in treatment of anxiety and other emotional difficulties such as addiction, adjustment issues and even to reduce the levels of environment destroying consumerism.

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