Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, participated in the online Spiritual Support Course organized by the Ministry of National Education's General Directorate of Lifelong Learning. Giving examples through Hastalar Risalesi, Tarhan discussed the relationship between religious coping methods and psychotherapy. Emphasizing that religious and spiritual approaches are gaining increasing importance in modern psychiatry, Tarhan explained the role of concepts such as patience, gratitude, awareness, and the search for meaning in psychological resilience and mental recovery. Tarhan stated that the themes in the treatises help individuals analyze themselves, and that patience and gratitude offer transformative effects in leading a meaningful life, adding that the relationship established with Allah provides individuals with peace, reverence, hope, and trust.
Participants showed great interest in the online program.
“The importance of religious coping techniques is increasing”
Stating that religious coping methods are gaining importance in psychiatry today, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said: “Hastalar Risalesi demonstrates how to cope with illnesses and problems using religious coping methods, or in other words, as a psychotherapy technique. In recent years, significant scientific evidence has accumulated on this subject. Harvard's publication titled ‘Spirituality, Religion and Mental Health’ and Oxford's studies particularly address this issue. We also see that sufficient data on spiritual support has accumulated in evidence-based psychiatry books. As a result of developments in this field, Harvard even opened a special department related to this topic. In psychiatric clinics, the importance of religious coping techniques is increasing. I found very valuable and new resources on this topic. We also examined almost all chapters of these books in multidisciplinary meetings organized at our university and hospital, with only a few chapters remaining. I created a synthesis with these resources. I also specifically had the book ‘The Hacking of the American Mind’ brought in. The author of the book, Robert Lustig, is an endocrinologist. He criticizes American capitalism with scientific evidence through dopamine and serotonin hormones. He strikingly explains how this system has enslaved Americans and taken over their minds. I am planning to translate this book into Turkish…” he began his speech.
“Spirituality is entering the realm of positive science”
Underlining the necessity of synthesizing religion and spirituality, Tarhan said; “For the first time, spirituality is currently entering the realm of positive science. This is a significant development. According to the old view, from a historical perspective, religion and spirituality were positioned against the world and matter. That is, they separated religion from the world. However, the book makes a distinction: when there are elements such as meaning, purpose, attachment for mental health, existential relationship, peace, reverence, and hope, the individual remains in balance. But when problems arise in these areas, issues like depression, suicide, anxiety, and addiction emerge. As seen in the field of psychoneuroimmunology, when the immune system is compromised, rates of heart disease, cancer, and mortality increase. In contrast, this book, published in 2012, proposes a new approach that addresses religion and spirituality together. Spirituality is not solely dependent on religion; religion is at the core of this structure, but the world is also included. The book advocates for the synthesis of religion and spirituality. The same mental and physical illnesses are addressed again, but this time with a holistic rather than instrumental approach. Now neuroscience shows us that this area is scientifically researchable. This is a quite significant development.” he stated.
“If we have good intentions, conscience acts accordingly”
Drawing attention to the neuroscience of intention, Tarhan said; “The word 'spiritual' actually means 'mana', or 'meaning'. For example, when we look at an insect or a flower, approaching it with a spiritual gaze means seeing it with the name of meaning or the letter of meaning. This is a spiritual outlook. That is, approaching the event not just physically, but meaning-centered. Similarly, we also have organs of meaning. For instance, Ibn Sina centers conscience in this regard. And we center intention here. Because today, there is already a neuroscience of intention. It has been proven how the brain areas related to intention work. Conscience operates based on intention. If we have good intentions, conscience acts accordingly and guides us. If we have bad intentions, it charts a path accordingly. For example, the reason someone whose conscience is their wallet acts this way is not actually that they are unconscionable, but that their measure is broken. Their inner guardian might be working with a wrong measure. Here, intention gives measure to conscience. Soul, ego, heart... All of these are connected to this system.” he said.
“We are trying to develop therapeutic powers”
Drawing attention to the importance of the 10 basic therapeutic powers that instill spiritual values in treatment, Tarhan said; “These are the feeling of reverence, sincerity and prayer, giving meaning to life, patience, gratitude and thankfulness, compassion, honesty, being competent and trustworthy, inspiring trust, conscientiousness, humility, and the consciousness of servitude. All of these are spiritual values and also therapeutic powers. We are trying to develop them during the treatment process.” he said.
What does artificial intelligence say about Hastalar Risalesi?
Sharing the interpretation of artificial intelligence with the participants, Tarhan said; “Artificial intelligence says this about Hastalar Risalesi: ‘The patient should be evaluated not only as a physical condition but also as a process of spiritual education.’ This approach parallels the physical restructuring and acceptance-based therapy methods in modern psychology. As therapy principles, there are the search for meaning, cognitive transformation, emotional confrontation, and spiritual development. Through these principles, ego discipline is built with concepts such as effective communication, patience, thanks and gratitude, confronting death, pain, and misunderstandings, hope, prayer, eternity, painlessness, compassion, and reliance on God, he says. Furthermore, it says that the individual constructs an identity through spiritual grouping and social benefit. In other words, artificial intelligence interpreted Hastalar Risalesi and stated that it contributes to the construction of a spiritual identity. Truly impressive. Frankly, artificial intelligence analyzed this work better than we did.” he stated.
“Patience is the path to psychological resilience and spiritual maturity”
Stating that patience teaches conscious waiting, Tarhan said; “Patience is the path to psychological resilience and spiritual maturity. It is not a passive endurance but a soul discipline experienced consciously and meaningfully. When patience is actively used and goal-oriented, it transforms into a meditative act. It rejects the meaninglessness of pain and adds meaning to it. Patience also teaches conscious waiting. It does not eliminate losses but enables their transformation into gains. In psychological resilience training, this meaning is attributed to patience. This issue is specifically addressed in the 2nd, 10th, 12th, and 25th devalar (remedies/treatises sections) of Hastalar Risalesi. There it is said, ‘Patience is the art of making time meaningful.’ Patience is not surrender to pain but the resilience of the soul. The saying in the treatises, ‘The effect of a wasted calamity is short, while patience is a long reward,’ reflects this perspective. Patience saves the time spent with illness from being wasted. It teaches a long-term gain against short-term pains. This shows similarity with the cognitive restructuring technique. At the same time, patience is a state of knowing. Knowing that pain is not in vain. In Hastalar Risalesi, it is said, ‘Hours spent with illness are considered an act of worship.’ The person shows patience because they know that they gain spiritual benefit and reward even while suffering. This knowledge feeds patience with hope. This is also meaning-focusedness. The person manages their emotions by knowing that what they are experiencing is not in vain. This is also a therapy technique.” he said.
“Treatise therapy helps individuals analyze themselves”
Giving examples from the devalar (remedies/treatises sections) in Hastalar Risalesi, Tarhan said; “Treatise therapy is not only a religious coping method but also helps individuals analyze themselves. The themes in Hastalar Risalesi guide this analysis process. Especially in the 2nd step, the treatise invites the individual to a consciousness of awakening from heedlessness, and the 5th deva is a powerful teaching in this regard. Illness is a mountain of heedlessness. It reminds of death. In healthy times, the reality of life and death is often forgotten. However, illness provides a transition from this state of forgetfulness to awakening. It works like a striking sermon. Especially the first and fifth devalar create awareness after thematic events. Recognizing the self and realizing helplessness are addressed particularly in the 6th and 13th devalar. No matter how strong a person wishes to be, when faced with illness, they realize their limitations and their need for divine help. This initiates the self-awareness process. The self-centered perspective gradually dissolves. The treatise supports this process with both a spiritual and therapeutic approach. The understanding that control is not in the individual's hands is emphasized in the 14th deva. True healing is from Allah; doctors and medicines are merely means. People often want to control everything, but illness makes them realize the limitations of this effort. This parallels the surrender of control (acceptance and commitment therapy / ACT) approach in psychology. Questioning the meaning of life is discussed in the 6th, 10th, and 25th devalar. Since death is real and illness is its harbinger, life should therefore be lived meaningfully. This thought pushes the person into a deeper inquiry about life.” he said.
“Gratitude begins with realizing blessings”
Stating that the state of awareness will give rise to true gratitude, Tarhan said; “The first step was patience. The second step is awareness. And the third step is gratitude. Gratitude appears in the process of illness not only as a religious obligation but also as a means of psychological healing and spiritual restructuring. Within the experience of illness, gratitude is not merely thanking for what one has, but is evaluated as a mental and emotional transformation that develops in the face of deficiency, loss, and pain. In this respect, the concept of gratitude has a psychotherapeutic function. It is a transformative form of awareness and provides emotional stability to the individual. It also lies at the center of faith-based positive psychology. With gratitude modules applied in positive psychotherapy, a person gains a spiritual perspective that turns even small difficulties into gains. Gratitude begins with realizing blessings. Furthermore, gratitude is directed not only towards things one possesses but also towards things one possesses but is unaware of. Your hand holds, your foot walks… Although these may seem ordinary, they are actually hidden blessings. This state of awareness gives rise to true gratitude.” he stated.
Things that stress people out the most…
Stating that the biggest enemy is the loss of meaning, Tarhan said; “Confrontation is the breaking of denial, making contact with reality. People deny illness, saying ‘No, I won’t die.’ Illness gives a person false confidence, they think it will destroy them, they see it as an enemy. The denial mechanism misleads people. Like an ostrich, its huge body remains outside, but it buries its head in the sand so the hunter won’t see it. That is, instead of seeing death approaching, it denies it. Confrontation is breaking this situation. It is the dispersal of heedlessness, the remembrance of illness, death, and belonging. The sixth deva is realizing the transient nature of the self; the breaking of religious affiliations brings a view towards divine reality. The thirteenth deva is confronting the flaws of the ego. The thirteenth and eighth devalar are the realization of sins. The heart is cleansed by illness; nothing remains hidden, everything comes out. These devalar are the processes where a person confronts pain. They confront pain and begin to resolve the stages of denial, anger, and suppression. They enter the period of trauma resolution. Here begins the process we call radical acceptance. The eighth and tenth devalar, on the other hand, are accepting with patience, enduring pain. It is consciously opening meaning to pain. This eliminates uncertainty. Because you add meaning, your greatest enemy is the loss of meaning. Loss of meaning is a person's intolerance of uncertainty. This is what stresses people out the most. Death, meaninglessness, loneliness are uncertainties. These lead to a great existential and intellectual crisis in a person's life.” he said.
“The deepest relationship is the one established with Allah”
Stating that connecting with Allah increases serotonin, Tarhan said; “Connecting with Allah is the most fundamental function of the soul. The soul enables the secretion of serotonin in the brain, and the connection established between the soul and Allah comes into play in this process. Connecting with Allah means connecting with meaning. Because you establish a connection both in an abstract sense and in a sense beyond death, the brain gives a strong serotonin response. You feel as if you have fallen into a calm pool; feelings of peace, happiness, and reverence are experienced. The ninth deva is connection, and this heals a person. Divine connection builds unconditional acceptance, meaning, and a sense of trust. For example, think of life as a car; no matter how fast and capable the car is, you cannot progress in an environment where people do not understand you. Social connection is also like this. In such a situation, if you connect with Allah, you can progress, almost flying. When there is divine connection, loneliness finds its most potent medicine, saying, ‘If you desire a friend, Allah is sufficient.’ In the modern age, deep relationships have weakened, and friendships have become superficial. However, the deepest relationship is the one established with Allah.” he concluded his remarks.