Buddhism and the psychology connections

BeachHouseGuy

Have you done much reading into it?

johnathan

I am currently reading:

The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/0553803476/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/188-0639224-3002822

By Jack Kornfield

I'm only a few chapters in but so far its pretty good stuff.

I've also recently finished reading:

Becoming Your Own Therapist / Making Your Mind an Ocean (2 books in one)

http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&id=50

http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&id=115

By Lama Yeshe which was an excellent read that warranted a lot of highlighting.

Spaceless

The utmost and wonderness of inherent psychological wellness

Tosh

I'm studying Buddhist Psychology by Geshi Tashi Tsering as part of the Jamyang Buddhist Foundation Course.

There's a lot of lists! :crazy:

6 Main Minds
51 Mental Factors (which we're going through one-by-ruddy-one)

The subject headings are:

Mind in Buddhism
Main Minds and Mental Factors
Always present mental factors
Object-ascertaining mental factors
Mental afflictions
Dealing with negative emotions
Wholesome mental factors
Epistemology: Conception and Perception
Moving Towards Knowledge

It's interesting stuff. A good point to note is that modern psychology tends to deal with mentally unwell people, whereas Buddhist psychology deals with people who are already 'well'; just we all could do with some improvement.

So if anyone has problems - real problems - see your doctor first!

Floating_Abu

Have you done much reading into it?

Psychology, as far as I understand it, works within and amidst the so called mind. Therefore, various techniques and methods are applied to amend-change-influence the habits/thinking of one's mind.
Buddhism, as far as I know it so far, works above and beyone this level also in that it transcends, ultimately, even this so called mind. Though I stress it is also not apart from it.

Just my opinion though

PS Agree with above poster, with issues, don't hesitate to see a psychologist and work with what you have also.

Tosh

From general discussion it seems that Buddhist psychology is the World's oldest form of psychology; and modern day psychology deviated from it strongly around the time of Freud.

However, slowly, it seems to be returning to it's 'Buddhist roots'; stuff like mindfulness is pretty mainstream psychiatry these days and is taught to people suffering with depression.

My opinion so far seems to be that Buddhism takes a real holistic approach to the upkeep, maintenance, and growth of good mental health; whereas modern day approaches may not - despite their claims - be as wide reaching. One man's floor is another man's ceiling.

My own experience with a counsellor for my alcoholism wasn't good; it was very superficial - and I ended up drinking for another two years after those sessions - as compared with A.A.s spiritual program of recovery; which takes a holistic approach and deals with the root of an alcoholics problem.

iamlakota

the book that reintroduced me to Buddhism was The Zen Path Through Depression by Philip Martin... it alone and not the medications i was placed on helped me move through my depression... this book is priceless...

Kensho