Kabir on Philosophical Counseling: Poetry, Insight and Practice
By Dr. Ashwini Mokashi
Poetry, philosophy, and best practices in psychotherapy and counselling come together in this remarkably lucid book by Dr. Ashwini Mokashi. It is a fine follow-up to her earlier work, Sapiens and Sthitaprajna (2019).
Mokashi has chosen the poetry of the Indian mystic Sant Kabir (1440-1518) as a practical and spiritual guide to help patients facing crises due to generational conflicts in families; financial stresses; the trauma of relocation, cultural differences; and, often, missed cues from well-meaning friends and family.
Using ancient wisdom to reflect on contemporary life is, of course, not new; there is a reason why these writings and teachings have survived and we return to them again and again. The intersection of science and the humanities has already achieved great success in the practice of narrative medicine in hospital settings where story-telling is an important part of the healing process.
Kabir was an iconoclastic Indian poet-saint revered by Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. His vocation as weaver of fabric is apt, as he also wove together elements of thought to create his philosophy, which he shared in the vernacular. Long before “mindfulness” became a mainstay of our vocabulary he was encouraging a way of being in the world that acknowledges love (for oneself and others); forgiveness; oneness with other people and things, and a sense of morality that comes with happiness.
Like the best therapists and counsellors, Mokashi does not hew to any one single style in her practice, drawing instead on a capacious and inclusive set of ideas that include empirical evidence as well as humanistic values. Case studies provide evidence of her successful implementation of practical advice for daily living and spiritual healing. She hears the nuances in patients’ reports and, rather than applying the same template to each, she observes what point they are at in their personal journeys. A study of a love poem, for example, may begin the conversation with a woman who is not yet ready for more pointed suggestions. “The dialogue becomes a shared exploration of a space where reflection, reason, and intuition meet,” notes Mokashi (p. 50), and compassion is key; in order to heal, people require unconditional love and support. The ages-old saying that “knowledge is power” lends itself well to this book’s endorsement of “love as knowledge.”
There is an ethical aspect to healing oneself, too, as improved self-possession and confidence leads to more morally sound behavior. It is noteworthy that Mokashi is talking about sustained change in a person’s behavior; hers is not a band-aid approach or simple relearning of a behavior or two; this is a well-founded thinking-through of what’s at stake, with happiness as an animating force. Less reliance on materialistic rewards also follows. “Reflection can lead to healing,” observes Mokashi (p. 51), as self-awareness is achieved and enhanced through breathing and meditation.
Mokashi has laid out this book with great clarity. A well-organized framework provides a good background; she describes her goals systematically, and provides eleven compelling case histories. Modestly, she does not claim to be offering an absolute cure-all for everyone’s sorrows, but is, rather, describing a thoughtful tool that may be used to good effect. A fine bibliography cites relevant primary and secondary sources, translations, and suggestions for additional reading.
“These conversations were shaped by Kabir’s work,” writes Mokashi (p. 79). I beg to differ; I believe they were shaped by Mokashi’s keen intelligence and wisdom gleaned from both scholarly and spiritual experience as she beautifully interprets Kabir’s work for those she is helping.
Ellen Gilbert, DLS
Princeton Research Forum
March, 2026
Ellen Gilbert has a DLS from Columbia University and worked as head librarian of the New York Psychoanalytic Institute and Social Sciences Librarian at Rutgers University. She is a regular reviewer for Library Journal, facilitator of “The Power of Words” short story groups, and writes about the history of the book and librarianship.
The book is available for purchase at https://ashwinimokashi.com/purchase/
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