Abstract
In the Indian philosophical system Vedanta, the composite human being is described in terms of five concentric sheaths surrounding an inner core - the Pancha Kosha (Five Sheaths) model. This model has implications for the discipline of Transactional Analysis insofar as it sheds light on the working of the Adult Ego State and also suggests the process by which autonomy can be achieved. Other concepts of Vedanta relevant to TA are discussed and elaborated, and a Vedantic Ego States Model presented incorporating them into the Classical TA model. The natural longing for intimacy and the growth force of physis are represented in terms of insights from Vedanta. The practice implications of the model are discussed, and also how it can help for personal growth and eventually spiritual progress.
Highlights
When Eric Berne laid the foundations of transactional analysis (TA) over 60 years ago, he described the personality in terms of Parent, Adult and Child ego states, represented by three stacked circles (Berne, 1961)
Vedanta literally means the end or essence of the Vedas, which are Indian sacred texts thought to have been composed around 1500-1000 BCE, and is elaborated in the Upanishads (c. 1000-600 BCE), which are commentaries on the Vedas, and in the Bhagavad Gita, which is a part of the Indian epic poem Mahabharata (c. 900 BCE?)
The philosophical system of Vedanta complements the overall framework developed by transactional analysis, but significantly deepens and enriches our understanding of the total personality of the human being
Summary
When Eric Berne laid the foundations of transactional analysis (TA) over 60 years ago, he described the personality in terms of Parent, Adult and Child ego states, represented by three stacked circles (Berne, 1961). Many other writers, thinkers and practitioners have explored the question of what lies beneath the ego states, which seems to be an implicit recognition of the fact that the three stacked circles are, by themselves, an incomplete description of the personality They have described, in their own ways, how metaphysical concepts such as Self, Life Force and Spirit, complement the overall framework of TA and present a more well-rounded view of the human psyche. In light of the teachings of Vedanta, it can be suggested that the logical end of the integrating process in the Adult is spiritual progress, but not necessarily through following any religious doctrine
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