Exploring Human Behavior Through Poetry and Psychology by Dr. Deepa Vanjani

In the realms of psychology and human behaviour, poetry has often served as a reflection of the inner workings of the mind and soul, expressing emotions, struggles, and revelations that words alone sometimes fail to convey. The following four poems will speak of themes central to the human experience: our relationship with nature, the process of healing, the burden of conditioning, and the complexities of human connection. Through the lens of these poems, we can explore key psychological concepts and the essence of what it means to be human.

 

Sheer Delight

If only I could bask under the sun
In the open meadows
By the side of a brook
Becoming one with the scent of the earth
With the coolness of the breeze
With the pristine purity of the sky
With the golden sunlight
With the azure blueness of the pansies 
With the vibrancy of the sunflower
With the coolness of the water
With all of nature
To melt into existence -Become one with it
And become life itself.

 

Sheer Delight: The Healing Power of Nature

The poem Sheer Delight beautifully encapsulates the human yearning to connect with nature. In psychology, this idea closely aligns with the concept of biophilia, the instinctive bond humans have with the natural world. The author expresses a desire to "melt into existence" and "become life itself," illustrating the profound therapeutic effects that immersion in nature can have on one's well-being. Research shows that time spent in nature reduces stress, enhances mood, and promotes psychological healing.

Nature provides a sanctuary where we can escape the pressures of modern life, as the poet highlights the golden sunlight, azure flowers, and the coolness of water. The poem encourages readers to find moments of peace in nature, reminding us that simplicity and connectedness to the earth can foster healing and inner calm.

 

Healing Whispers

The sea holds back within its fold mysteries of millions of years.
Each wave that comes to the shore brings with it reminders that life has existed on this planet for eons, that we are very new to this planet.
Life is ancient.

The sounds of the waves carry me its many moods.
They resonate with wisdom - the wisdom of life lived in a flow, with serenity.
The wondrous expanse of the sea stretches out before the eyes.
It shrinks me into insignificance, such a speck of creation, and such hue and cry about life, its trials, unjustness, blah, blah...

The sea beckons to envelop me in his arms.
He becomes my mentor, my man - vast and powerful, washing away my impurities, and cleansing me.
The sea heals silently - she becomes the healing force of nature, teaching me to let go, to go within.
I hear a whisper come from the unfathomable depths.

Soft as the falling of a leaf, it caresses me like an endearment from a lover.
The whisper coaxes me to flow along with the rhythm of life, to not resist,
giving in to existence and knowing what "being" is like.

 

Healing Whispers: Letting Go and Embracing Flow

In Healing Whispers, the sea serves as a metaphor for the vastness of life and the flow of time. The imagery of the sea "holding back mysteries of millions of years" evokes the timelessness of nature, contrasting the relative insignificance of human existence. This humbling realization is echoed in the field of existential psychology, where individuals often confront the vastness of existence, seeking meaning in the face of life’s impermanence.

The poem reflects the power of acceptance and the process of letting go—an essential component of psychological healing. The sea's whisper represents life’s rhythm, a reminder to flow with it rather than resist it. In a therapeutic sense, this can be understood as *radical acceptance*, a concept in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that encourages individuals to embrace their reality without judgment or resistance. The sea, in its quiet wisdom, becomes a mentor, teaching the poet (and the reader) to release control and surrender to the healing process.

Weightless Minds

Enmeshed souls
Trapped minds
Enslaved thoughts
Products of thousands of years of civilization,
Egos and desires
Ambitions and vanity
Black holes, sucking us into them.
Infinite mass cannot travel at speed of light -
Isn't that some contradiction of the Theory of Relativity?
For ages we have been carrying an infinite mass
In our beings, in our mind, The mass of conditioning.
If only we could shed it and lighten ourselves, 
Travel back to our primordial selves.

 

Weightless Minds: Shedding the Burden of Conditioning

Weightless Minds speaks to the deep-rooted conditioning that weighs down the human psyche. Here, the "infinite mass" of ego, desires, and ambitions is portrayed as a metaphorical burden that keeps individuals trapped. This poem resonates with the ideas of cognitive-behavioral psychology, which examines how ingrained thought patterns and societal conditioning shape our perceptions and behaviors.

 

The poem challenges readers to shed the weight of this conditioning, echoing the psychological concept of *cognitive restructuring*—the process of identifying and changing distorted thinking. The poet expresses a longing to "travel back to our primordial selves," suggesting a desire to return to a state of mental freedom, unencumbered by societal expectations. In a psychological sense, this could be interpreted as the pursuit of *self-actualization*, where individuals strive to reach their fullest potential, free from the limiting beliefs imposed by society.

 

Maze

I am not the human genome meant to be decoded 
I am not a seal of the Harappan civilization
Whose script needs to be deciphered
I am not a jigsaw puzzle
Meant to be put in place and solved
I am not a theorem to be proved - QED
I am not a formula to be derived.

I am a human being
Trying to reach across to another.
And if we hail from the same planet
Why don't we speak the same language?
Why don't we understand our wordless communication?
Sometimes silence speaks volumes -
More than all the words put together.

I wish we could reach that stage
Where our minds, our souls can reach each other.

 

Maze: The Complexity of Human Connection

 

In Maze, the poet explores the inherent complexity of human relationships and communication. The metaphor of being "not a theorem to be proved" or "a jigsaw puzzle to be solved" reflects the frustration many experience when trying to connect with others on a deeper, more meaningful level. This poem delves into the realm of interpersonal psychology, where effective communication and emotional understanding are key to healthy relationships.

 

The poet expresses a desire for non-verbal connection, where "silence speaks volumes" and transcends the need for words. This idea aligns with *empathic communication*—the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person, sometimes without verbal exchange. The poem suggests that true connection goes beyond spoken language, touching on the universal human experience of longing for mutual understanding and emotional intimacy.

 

Conclusion: Poetry as a Reflection of Human Behavior

These poems serve as a powerful reflection of fundamental psychological themes: our connection to nature, the healing process, the weight of societal conditioning, and the complexity of human relationships. By weaving these poetic reflections with the science of psychology, we gain a deeper understanding of the human experience and the emotional intricacies that define us. Through nature, flow, shedding of burdens, and the quest for true connection, we find glimpses of psychological healing, resilience, and the essence of what it means to be alive.

Incorporating poetry into the study of human behavior allows us to access the emotional undercurrents that shape our thoughts, actions, and relationships, reminding us that healing often begins with a deeper connection to both ourselves and the world around us.

 

The poems have been taken from Dr. Deepa Vanjani's the book - Shifting Sands published by Proverse, Hong Kong. Released at Helena May in Hong Kong and Dr. Deepa Vanjani was interviewed live by the Radio and Television Hong Kong in Kawloon in a program called Morning Brew.