Implications for Psychological Health and Personal Growth
Johanna Shapiro, PhD
In the ancient Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita, the man [person] of wisdom is described as “one who has not a hair’s breadth between will and action – Who sees action in inaction and inaction in action, he is enlightened among men-He does all actions disciplined.” How does the person of enlightenment gain this discipline? And how, as counselors and educators, can we encourage the pursuit of this discipline in children? In this article, we explore visions of self-control (the “discipline” referred to in the Bhagavad Gita), the skills for attaining self-control, and ideas about how they may be applied both personally and professionally.