Dhira’s Quest: Exploring Indic wisdom for mapping the inner journey

Raghu Ananthanarayanan's central quest has been: "How to continually look within, transform, be the best and inspire?" This seeking led to a decade long discipleship with Yogacharya Krisnamacharya and TKV Desikachar, dialoguing with J Krishnamurti and collaborating with Prof. Pulin K Garg. An alumnus of IIT Madras, Raghu is a behavioural scientist, yoga teacher and an author. He has pioneered the use of the Yoga Sutras, traditional theatre, and the Mahabharata in experiential learning and developed a unique methodology called "Citta Vidya".

He has dedicated his life to the study and application of Yogic traditions to guide the inner transformation of individuals and shape leadership and culture building of organizations. He has authored several books and built several institutions.

Dr. Sanjyot Pethe is an Organization Development consultant, wellness coach, and certified Somatic Experiencing practitioner with a deep passion for storytelling as a medium for healing. She supports individuals and groups in exploring the connection between the body and personal narratives to foster emotional healing, inner resilience, and transformative growth. Her work integrates body-based wisdom, systems thinking, and the power of story to create spaces of dignity, insight, and restoration. She has written blogs, research papers, book chapters, and a book of poetry. She enjoys reading, writing, telling stories, having reflective conversations, teaching, visiting temples, chanting and traveling to mountains.

Ahalya Ananth is a schoolteacher, dancer, yoga teacher and facilitator in group process work. She has anchored and co-facilitated many workshops with adolescents, musicians, dancers, theatre artistes, people in the corporate sector as well as individual from all walks of life. Her work in this area attempts to integrate yoga, dance, music with regular group process facilitation. She has also reviewed, translated and edited articles, publications and books.

Dhira's Quest uses well-known stories from the Indic tradition to take us through the "profound process of psychological transformation" that these stories are designed to foster, demonstrating their deep personal relevance to our lives. They serve as "maps of the inner psyche"-guides for self-exploration and for gaining deeper insight into the nature of the self and the world. By the end of the book, the reader realizes that something of great significance has transpired within the one who undertakes this inward journey. -DENA MERRIAM; Author, Spiritual Teacher, Founder-Global Peace Initiative of Women

The exploration by Raghu Ananthanarayanan and his colleagues into Yogic introspection juxtaposed with Western psychology reveals profound insights into the nature of self-awareness and transformation. The book serves as an invitation to embark on a transformative journey of introspection, encouraging readers to cultivate a quiet, observant mind capable of witnessing the unfolding of their true nature. -GIRISHWAR MISRA, Ph.D., F.N.A.Psy. Honorary Professor of Psychology & Contemplative Studies, Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha

In Dhira's Quest, Raghu Ananthanarayanan, Dr. Sanjyot Pethe, and Ahalya Ananth beautifully weave ancient Indic wisdom with practical insights into the inner journey of self-realization. Drawing deeply from Yogacharya Krishnamacharya's lineage and from traditions such as Yoga, the Upanishads, and Sänkhya, the book provides leaders, coaches, teachers, and spiritual seekers alike with an incisive yet compassionate framework for personal transformation. -PRASAD KAIPA; Thought Leader and Leadership Coach, Co-Founder - Institute of Indic Wisdom

The book articulates the insights gained from the authors' own inner journeys and their engagement with a variety of dhira and näyikä over many years. Based on such first-person and second-person methodologies, it offers a theoretical framework and structure that can be applied in spiritual counselling and therapy. It will be of great value to psychologists, yoga teachers, wellness coaches, psycho-spiritual healers, transpersonal counsellors and therapists, as well as informed and thoughtful lay readers. -DR. KIRAN KUMAR K. SALAGAME, Formerly Professor of Psychology, University of Mysore; Vice-President, International Transpersonal Association, Florida, USA