My hope is that it will also germinate a whole new generation of
research investigations that bring together the emerging fields of what is now
being called contemplative neuroscience or neuro-phenomenology on both
the cognitive and affective sides, with practical high-quality mindfulness based
clinical applications that may be of benefit to large numbers of people
who are experiencing pain and suffering in their lives, both from outright
illness and disease, and also from what could be termed “dis-ease,” the stress
and intrinsic unsatisfactoriness of a life that is always seeking some other
state or condition in which to feel fulfilled, complete, and happy – what the
Buddha was pointing to in his articulation of the first of the four noble truths:
in the Pali language, the actuality of dukkha
Together with the words of the Buddha in his most explicit teaching on mindfulness, found in the Mahasattipathana Sutra, or great sutra on mindfulness this is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and grief, for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of liberation – namely, the four foundations of mindfulness
All humanity’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone. – Blaise Pascal, Seventeenth-century French philosopher Over the last 2 decades there has been growing interest in the possible effectiveness of Eastern psychology in a clinical setting and in particular, those techniques based on practices of Buddhist origin. Numerous studies have attempted to investigate the possible clinical implications of these approaches and their application in the treatment of psychological disorders. In a spontaneous manner and through the independent work and studies of many researchers and therapists, this has given rise to a trans-epistemological approach, leading to experimentation and the application in clinical settings of principles and methods deeply rooted in Eastern psychology.
The ever-growing integration between mindfulness and psychotherapy is justified by the fact that mindfulness can be considered a trans-theoretical construct that has been used and integrated into different Western theoretical and therapeutic approaches that up to only two decades ago had few, if any, points of contact and dialogue.
Today, different therapeutic models (cognitive-behavior therapy, constructivism, evolutionary psychology, humanist psychology, psychoanalysis, brain science, traumatology, positive psychology) now seem to have found a unifying factor and significant shared element that will make it possible, in the future, to better understand and develop the therapeutic factors common to all effective psychological treatments. Indeed, it can be argued that the mechanisms of change that form the basis of mindfulness meditation can be found in most Western psychotherapeutic perspectives.
Western science has historically focused on the observer-independent physical world that can be studied objectively, using empirical facts and excluding subjective experience.
Potential physiological mechanisms include decreased arousal, changes in autonomic nervous system activity, stress immunization, and hemispheric synchronization and laterality shifts it has been suggested that meditation works through such psychological mechanisms as relaxation, exposure, desensitization, dehypnosis, deautomatization, catharsis, and decounterconditioning
Eastern meditative disciplines have a very different view of the mind. These traditions, and Buddhism in particular, have focused primarily on the human mind and consciousness as the primary subjects of introspective investigation, which they see as the source of human joy and suffering, and, in general, as the source of all phenomena (Walsh & Shapiro, 2006) to the degree that they are considered to have a tremendous impact on the understanding of the rest of the world
“All phenomena are preceded by the mind. When the mind is comprehended, all phenomena are comprehended,” and “by bringing the mind under control, all things are brought under control”
The culture of meditative traditions (both Eastern and Western) is polyphasic and multistage, drawing on multiple states of consciousness and multiple adult developmental stages
They have thought that the environment must be tamed, controlled, and modified in order to be adapted to human needs. In order to understand the outside world, Western science has without a doubt made extraordinary efforts and achieved excellent results. Examples of this are the use of chemistry, pharmacology, and surgery to cure illness, both physical and psychological.
However, Western science has focused solely on the study of potential cures outside the self, introducing them into ourselves via highly advanced technologies. And yet by doing so, it has given less importance to the positive and therapeutic potential that each one of us has within ourselves.
Together with the words of the Buddha in his most explicit teaching on mindfulness, found in the Mahasattipathana Sutra, or great sutra on mindfulness this is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and grief, for the attainment of the true way, for the realization of liberation – namely, the four foundations of mindfulness
All humanity’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone. – Blaise Pascal, Seventeenth-century French philosopher Over the last 2 decades there has been growing interest in the possible effectiveness of Eastern psychology in a clinical setting and in particular, those techniques based on practices of Buddhist origin. Numerous studies have attempted to investigate the possible clinical implications of these approaches and their application in the treatment of psychological disorders. In a spontaneous manner and through the independent work and studies of many researchers and therapists, this has given rise to a trans-epistemological approach, leading to experimentation and the application in clinical settings of principles and methods deeply rooted in Eastern psychology.
The ever-growing integration between mindfulness and psychotherapy is justified by the fact that mindfulness can be considered a trans-theoretical construct that has been used and integrated into different Western theoretical and therapeutic approaches that up to only two decades ago had few, if any, points of contact and dialogue.
Today, different therapeutic models (cognitive-behavior therapy, constructivism, evolutionary psychology, humanist psychology, psychoanalysis, brain science, traumatology, positive psychology) now seem to have found a unifying factor and significant shared element that will make it possible, in the future, to better understand and develop the therapeutic factors common to all effective psychological treatments. Indeed, it can be argued that the mechanisms of change that form the basis of mindfulness meditation can be found in most Western psychotherapeutic perspectives.
Western science has historically focused on the observer-independent physical world that can be studied objectively, using empirical facts and excluding subjective experience.
Potential physiological mechanisms include decreased arousal, changes in autonomic nervous system activity, stress immunization, and hemispheric synchronization and laterality shifts it has been suggested that meditation works through such psychological mechanisms as relaxation, exposure, desensitization, dehypnosis, deautomatization, catharsis, and decounterconditioning
Eastern meditative disciplines have a very different view of the mind. These traditions, and Buddhism in particular, have focused primarily on the human mind and consciousness as the primary subjects of introspective investigation, which they see as the source of human joy and suffering, and, in general, as the source of all phenomena (Walsh & Shapiro, 2006) to the degree that they are considered to have a tremendous impact on the understanding of the rest of the world
“All phenomena are preceded by the mind. When the mind is comprehended, all phenomena are comprehended,” and “by bringing the mind under control, all things are brought under control”
The culture of meditative traditions (both Eastern and Western) is polyphasic and multistage, drawing on multiple states of consciousness and multiple adult developmental stages
They have thought that the environment must be tamed, controlled, and modified in order to be adapted to human needs. In order to understand the outside world, Western science has without a doubt made extraordinary efforts and achieved excellent results. Examples of this are the use of chemistry, pharmacology, and surgery to cure illness, both physical and psychological.
However, Western science has focused solely on the study of potential cures outside the self, introducing them into ourselves via highly advanced technologies. And yet by doing so, it has given less importance to the positive and therapeutic potential that each one of us has within ourselves.
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