Asian Philosophy
Eastern Wisdom for Contemporary Living
Taking an eclectic approach to the study of human values, health, and emotional welfare, this international interdisciplinary section hopes to offer original articles that deal with issues of mental and physical health, by integrating the contribution coming from Eastern philosophical traditions. There is an emergent movement of scientists and scholars working on the dialogue and interaction between Eastern philosophies and psychology.
Contemporary Mindfulness Preconceptions in Western Societies
Since the 1970s, clinical psychology and psychiatry have developed a number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness for helping people experiencing a variety of psychological conditions. Mindfulness is derived from the concept of Sati, am important element in Buddhism, merged with influences from Zen, Vipassana and Tibetan practices.
Although the numerous benefits of practicing Mindfulness have been researched and demonstrated, we can still observe a veil of mystery and prejudice surrounding the practice. The truth is, the practice can be stripped of its religious and cultural origin and can be seen as a secular practice that has the potential of improving your psychological well-being and overall productivity. Let’s personify the most common preconceptions in four different characters and look frankly at what they signify for each one of us. Our goal is to see for ourselves what mindfulness really is and is not.
Buddhism and Modern Psychology
Buddhist thought and philosophy share many overlapping points with present-day western psychology. These include a descriptive phenomenology of mental states, emotions and behaviours as well as theories of perception and unconscious mental factors.
Buddhism incorporates an analysis of human psyche, feelings, cognition, conduct and motivation along with therapeutic practices, everything embed within the greater Buddhist ethical thought and philosophical system, thus colouring its psychological terminology in moral overtones.
Psychotherapists such as Erich Fromm and Marsha Linehan have seen in Buddhist enlightenment experiences the potential for transformation, healing and finding existential meaning.
4 Most Effective Mindfulness Techniques
Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s attention to experiences occurring in the present moment, which one can develop through the practice of meditation and through other training. Mindfulness is derived from Sati, a significant element of Buddhist traditions, and based on Zen, Vipassanā, and Tibetan meditation techniques.
Mindfulness practice has been employed to reduce symptoms of depression, to reduce stress, anxiety, and in the treatment of drug addiction. Moreover, research has shown that people who meditate are happier, healthier, and more successful than those who don’t.
In this articles we present the most effective and easy-to-practice mindfulness approaches for everyday life.
Asian philosophy and psychology book recommendations
Amazon Bookshelf
Dialetical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) - As its name suggests, its overriding characteristic is an emphasis on 'dialectics' – that is, the reconciliation of opposites in a continual process of synthesis. This emphasis on acceptance as a balance to change flows directly from the integration of a perspective drawn from Eastern (Zen) practice with Western psychological practice.
Many of the principles incorporated in the theory of rational-emotive psychotherapy are not new; some of them, in fact, were originally stated several thousands of years ago, especially by the Greek and Roman Stoic philosophers (such as Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius) and by some of the ancient Taoist and Buddhist thinkers.
