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Fostering Meaning, Social Connection, and Well-Being Through Hindu Beliefs and Practices

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Religion and Spirituality Across Cultures

Part of the book series: Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology ((CAPP,volume 9))

Abstract

In this chapter, we explore the effects of Hindu beliefs and practices on well-being. We propose that the core Hindu belief of attaining moksa (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) through righteous living and karmic justice fosters an enhanced sense of meaning in life. Further, a belief in an interconnected universe discourages harmful social comparisons. We propose that practitioners of Hinduism also benefit from introspective practices, such as prayer and meditation, in addition frequent religious festivals that encourage social harmony and interconnectedness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UCLA Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Maia J Young & Rakesh Sarin

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  1. Maia J Young
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  2. Rakesh Sarin
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Correspondence to Maia J Young .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, New Jersey, USA

    Chu Kim-Prieto

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Young, M.J., Sarin, R. (2014). Fostering Meaning, Social Connection, and Well-Being Through Hindu Beliefs and Practices. In: Kim-Prieto, C. (eds) Religion and Spirituality Across Cultures. Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8950-9_5

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