Religious and Spiritual Practices in India - A Positive Psychological Perspective

This book explores the positive psychological aspects of religion and spirituality in the Indian context. It discusses the concepts and practices of Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Jainism, and Sikhism and their impact on overall well-being. As the global enthusiasm for Indian spirituality grows, this book brings together scholars to share their perspectives and reflections on various religious aspects. The chapters offer readers a psychological 'capsule' of mental health, well-being, compassion, kindness, character strength, mind-body relationship, and mindfulness, providing practical strategies for a better quality of life.

Furthermore, this book offers insights into the different perspectives of happiness and well-being measured across diverse demographics. It also provides a qualitative conceptualization of happiness among older people, reflections on positive aging, and highlights the facilitators and inhibitors of happiness. With its comprehensive coverage and multidisciplinary approach, this book serves as a valuable reference for postgraduate and doctoral students of Psychology, as well as a treasure trove in the libraries for researchers and faculties associated with spiritual psychology, positive psychology, religious studies, comparative literature, mental health professionals, academicians, and anyone interested in allied health fields.

Kamlesh Singh is currently Professor (Psychology) at the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, IIT Delhi. She has published two (co-authored) books-'Measures of Positive Psychology: Development & Validation' (2016) with Springer and 'Translational Research and Applied Psychology in India' (2019) with Sage publishers. She is also Author of the award-winning book 'Bhartiya Sandarbh me Vyavaharik Sakaratmak manovigyan' (2018). It was awarded the Rajbhasha Gaurav Award by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India. She has published over 100 research papers in peer-reviewed national and international journals and 17 book chapters. In 2019, she was Recipient of the prestigious 'Shane J. Lopez' for professional contributions to the field of Positive Psychology by the Section on Positive Psychology, American Psychological Association.

Gaurav Saxena is a Research Scholar at the School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, United Kingdom. After completing his master's in Experimental Psychology from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, he worked as a Researcher at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India and the Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom. He has a track record of publications in reputed and high-impact journals. He has worked on numerous international and cross-disciplinary projects, which have been funded by government national and international bodies, such as Rajya Anand Sansthan, Government of Madhya Pradesh, and the European Research Council. His research interests cover a wide range of topics, including positive psychology, well-being, mental health literacy, and decolonizing psychology education and research.