HEALING THE SOUL THROUGH SPIRITUAL PSYCHOLOGY

Author Interview: Pulkit Sharma

Pulkit Sharma is a clinical psychologist and spiritual counsellor who lives in Puducherry with his wife and daughter. He has been a consultant, research head, life coach and master trainer with several organizations working in the fields of Psychology, Mental health and Spirituality and has extensive experience in helping people reclaim their lives. He has also written papers and articles for renowned Indian and international publications. He has recently come out with the self-help book “When The Soul Heals — Explorations In Spiritual Psychology”. In a candid chat with Chirdeep Malhotra, he talks about his book, his writing journey, and how he has blended existing psychological knowledge with ancient spiritual perspectives in this book. Read on!



Please tell us more about Pulkit Sharma as a person.

I am a very curious and vibrant person and firmly believe that life is a beautiful opportunity for us to explore the lambent depths of our being. Therefore, I try my best to follow the voice of my soul.



Has writing always been a part of your life? Or did you chance upon it later on and then instantly fell in love with it?

Writing has always been my favourite pastime — helping me explore my thoughts, emotions and aspirations and weaving them together into a greater wholeness. I also find it very therapeutic and relaxing. No wonder, I started writing early in my childhood and since then there’s been no looking back.



Can you tell us more about your book “When the Soul Heals — Explorations in Spiritual Psychology”?

“When The Soul Heals — Explorations in Spiritual Psychology” is a self-help book integrating thoughts in contemporary psychology with simple spiritual wisdom. It aims at helping readers connect with their hidden psychic force and heal various psychological problems. The book is secular in its approach and you will find mystical perspectives from Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Bahai Faith, the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, and revelations of other great spiritual masters in a splendid confluence.



Can you tell us more about the distinctive psycho-spiritual healing approach that you have described in the book?

Psychotherapy from a spiritual psychology framework empowers the person to connect with their psychic being and experience a powerful transformation in consciousness. The central message of the book is that psychological disorders are opportunities for self-growth and therefore they should be seen and worked through with a deeper wisdom.



How has the response of readers been to your book?

Many readers have written to me about how deeply this book has touched them and enabled them to heal their wounded self. Also, the mental health community in India and abroad has welcomed the fresh and comprehensive approach described in this volume.



How did the idea of writing this self-help book amalgamating thoughts in contemporary psychology with simple spiritual wisdom emerge?

I figured out early in my career that all existing psychological methods claiming to understand and heal emotional problems have serious limitations. Research confirms that many people who take psychological help continue to struggle throughout their life. I felt disappointed by this and wanted to reach out to such people, with something that gives them hope. Consequently, I began working on integrating existing psychological knowledge with ancient spiritual perspectives.



What type of research went into writing this book?

It took me a long time to study and understand the central texts of different religions and spiritual systems and think of ways to translate some of their core teachings into practical techniques. In-depth discussions with religious and spiritual scholars helped me immensely in this journey.



What are your favourite books? Can you share with our esteemed readers about the genres that you like and your favourite authors?

I am an avid reader and love reading books of different genres. My favourite fiction of all time is ‘Siddhartha’ by Hermann Hesse. I turn to Lao Tzu’s spiritual classic ‘Tao Te Ching’ whenever I need some guidance. And when it comes to love and romance, I am extremely fond of Nicholas Sparks’ novels.



What are your other interests apart from writing?

Apart from writing, I love spending time in the nature — going for long walks by the beach admiring either the changing hues of the rising sun or the nebulous moonlight. Listening to soulful music and singing along is another hobby.



Are there any other literary projects in the pipeline?

The whole experience of writing this book and seeing it in print has been very rewarding and fulfilling. Currently, I am busy writing columns and short pieces for newspapers, journals and magazines on mental health issues. I hope to start working on my next book soon.



Can you share with our readers a motivational quote that keeps you going?

There is a beautiful quote by The Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram — “Keep your faith intact and all will be all right.” Life has repeatedly shown me that when we feel connected to the divine or any other higher power, even the most excruciating difficulties can be navigated with a smile.