In this podcast excerpt, the host asks Dr. Ishan Shivanand (referred to as Ashanji) how meditation builds resilience and what role faith plays. Dr. Shivanand explains that his research comparing theological (faith‑based) and non‑theological meditation protocols consistently shows higher efficacy for the former. He argues that faith provides hope and a sense of connection to a higher power, which amplifies the therapeutic impact of meditation, especially in challenging contexts like substance‑abuse recovery. He critiques the modern trend of secularizing yoga, warning that stripping away its inherent spiritual purpose reduces it to a purely physical exercise and undermines its deeper purpose of union with the divine. He emphasizes that one does not need to be religious, only to hold personal faith in a higher power, which can enhance mental health, gratitude, prayer, and overall resilience. The conversation ends with gratitude for his insights and a brief nod to his early monastic experiences.
As you rightfully said, meditation gives you this one skill of resilience, and arguably so, it is the most important skill that meditation gives us. So how does meditation build the resilience within us, and to what extent would you say faith plays a big role in this?
So we have tried In our research capacities, in our research methodologies, we have done non-theological meditation modalities as well and theological meditation modalities as well, just to see what is the difference in the outcome, what is the difference in the efficacy. And each time, a theologically backed meditation protocol has higher efficacy than a non-theological protocol. Because we are human beings, we assign value. We assign value to things. We make them special. And faith has this ability to give us hope, to give us belief on our own selves and a higher power. And when we have that hope and belief, we allow that higher power to, to work its magic through us, flow through us. And if we are dealing with things like substance abuse, it's very difficult to face that challenge alone because that substance is an all-consuming substance. So we need help. And something bigger than that substance is that higher power. And that's why it doesn't matter what faith you have. As long as you have a faith in that higher power and you apply that faith, that belief, in your meditation process, then the power, efficacy, and impact of that meditation process becomes exponentially strong. And I see this a lot in the West now. They are trying to surgically remove faith from modalities such as yoga to make it a bit more secular and make it more appealing to the masses, not realizing of how important the role of faith is in the whole process of yoga, because yoga in itself means union. Union with what? Union with the higher power, union with the supreme, union with that ultimate from which the universe comes, in which the universe will go back to. And that's a very interesting philosophy to explore. And if you completely remove that um, that fact, then you are doing yoga, a union. But a union with what? What are you doing this for? And then it becomes, I'm doing this for toned glutes, doing this for better abs. And why you are doing yoga? Do HIIT, that will give you faster results. And if not that, then you can find some other low-impact exercise. Why, why should you dumb down something that is so ancient, so powerful, so beautiful. So you don't need to be religious as long as there is faith. So I'm not saying if you are ultra religious, then, you know, meditation will work. Faith, faith is something very special, very unique, very personal, and it is that belief. Belief in that higher being. So if that can be inculcated within a person, then your mental health will be better. Then you will have the power of prayer, power of gratitude. Then your meditation will be much better. Your resilience will increase. So, so why not allow yourself to explore faith? It's what I say, because it just makes you a much more romantic person. And, and I recommend that.
Yes, thank you so much, Ashanji, for explaining the role of faith in our lives and how it helps us build this resilience. And thank you for sharing insights into your early life at the monastery.
Thank you so very much, and thank you to all the listeners as well. May you have a beautiful day.
