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then you will be happy. How all this growth took place with exact precision was beyond my rational mind to comprehend. My devotional mind, however, knew full well. Experiencing this unconditional, omnipresent, boundless love inspired me to search for a way of expressing it in all that I did, including in the practice of psychiatry.
The Importance of Practicing Loving Values
When I look carefully, I see Swami’s loving presence in every aspect of my practice. His teaching of love is at its center. Swami once told a fellow psychiatrist to listen carefully to the patient, understand his life experience, “And then tell him about our reality.” This reality is the path of love, which leads us to our divinity. It is taught by being loving, and it leads to strength of character through dharma.
The primary way we express love with each other is through practicing human values. Love as expressed in human values is accepted by all as our universal religion, beyond any caste, creed, or denomination, bringing us together as brothers and sisters under the fatherhood of God. These values, which are at the center of all religions, are our life’s breath, our very nature, and are defined by Swami as truth, right action, peace, love, and non-violence.
Truth is love in thought.
Right action, dharma, is love in action. Peace is love in feeling.
Non-violence is love in understanding. Love is the basis. (SSB)
What do these values have to do with psychiatry? Following are experiences I have had with Swami that helped me understand that a spiritualized, loving psychiatric practice must be based on a deeper understanding and practice of morality by both psychiatrist and patient.
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