Biography

Michal Erlich holds a Ph.D. from the Department of East Asian Studies at Tel Aviv University, earned in 2023. Her research focuses on the interplay between lived religion and well-being in India’s specific and dynamic contexts. In her dissertation, she explored how guru-bhakti Hindu hyperlocal communities in the poor peripheries of Delhi conceptualize and pursue well-being. Michal's research is based on an interdisciplinary approach integrating in-depth ethnography, religious studies, history, gender studies, and sociology. Her academic interests span vernacular concepts of well-being, Hindu practices of healing, the traditions of guru devotion (bhakti), marginalized urban communities, and new religious movements, all of which intersect in her exploration of how spiritual practices and social dynamics contribute to individual and collective well-being. 

In addition to her academic research, Michal works through various mediums, such as art and life coaching, to incorporate her research on well-being into the public sphere and to bridge theoretical insights with practical applications. She guides and practices mindfulness and focusing techniques, integrating Indian philosophical principles with Western psychological frameworks. Michal is a trained Facilitator of the FDCW (Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom), which organizes workshops grounded in Buddhist wisdom and Western philosophy, aiming to promote well-being, cultivate universal responsibility, and inspire meaningful positive change in the world.

Michal is also one of the creators of the artistic initiative "The Indian Saint Project," which pays tribute to the lives of India’s most revered teachers—avatars, gurus, and social reformers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Using digital painting inspired by Indian bazaar art, the Project creates a visual vocabulary of the saints’ philosophies and legacy, reinterpreting their relevance for modern audiences.