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Buddhist Buddhist Psychology Psychology Pollyanna V. Casmar, Pollyanna V. Casmar, Ph.D. Ph.D. VASDHS San Diego VASDHS San Diego Spinal Cord Unit Spinal Cord Unit

Buddhist Psychology

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Buddhist Psychology. Pollyanna V. Casmar , Ph.D. VASDHS San Diego Spinal Cord Unit. THE PROBLEM IS……. We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are. --The Talmud. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Buddhist Psychology

Buddhist Buddhist PsychologyPsychology

Pollyanna V. Casmar, Pollyanna V. Casmar, Ph.D.Ph.D.

VASDHS San DiegoVASDHS San Diego

Spinal Cord UnitSpinal Cord Unit

Page 2: Buddhist Psychology

THE PROBLEM IS……THE PROBLEM IS……

We do not see things as they We do not see things as they are. are.

We see them as we are. We see them as we are.

--The Talmud --The Talmud

Page 3: Buddhist Psychology

It takes a lot of courage to release It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is to embrace the new. But there is

no real security in what is no longer no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in the adventurous and exciting, for

in movement there is life, and in in movement there is life, and in change there is power.change there is power.

--Alan Cohen --Alan Cohen

Page 4: Buddhist Psychology

Therapies that include Therapies that include BuddhismBuddhism

• DBTDBT

• MBCT for depressionMBCT for depression

• Jon-Kabat Zinn’s Full Catastrophe LivingJon-Kabat Zinn’s Full Catastrophe Living

• ACTACT

• Siegal’s work on positive psychologySiegal’s work on positive psychology

• Mindfulness added to any other Mindfulness added to any other treatmenttreatment

Page 5: Buddhist Psychology
Page 6: Buddhist Psychology

We are coming to understand health We are coming to understand health not as the absence of disease, but not as the absence of disease, but rather as the process by which rather as the process by which individuals maintain their sense of individuals maintain their sense of coherence (i.e. sense that life is coherence (i.e. sense that life is comprehensible, manageable, and comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful) and ability to function in meaningful) and ability to function in the face of changes in themselves and the face of changes in themselves and their relationships with their their relationships with their environment. environment.

--Aaron Antonovsky --Aaron Antonovsky

Page 7: Buddhist Psychology

WHAT ENLIGHTENMENT IS:WHAT ENLIGHTENMENT IS:

A complete understanding of emptiness, resulting in A complete understanding of emptiness, resulting in spontaneous compassionate expression. By spontaneous compassionate expression. By knowing ultimate reality, one has the skillful means knowing ultimate reality, one has the skillful means to behave perfectly in conventional reality.to behave perfectly in conventional reality.

The art of living does not consist in preserving and The art of living does not consist in preserving and clinging to a particular mode of happiness, but in clinging to a particular mode of happiness, but in allowing happiness to change its form without being allowing happiness to change its form without being disappointed by the change; happiness, like a child, disappointed by the change; happiness, like a child, must be allowed to grow up. must be allowed to grow up. --Charles L. Morgan --Charles L. Morgan

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Foundational Buddhist Foundational Buddhist ConceptsConcepts

• Suffering (3 types)Suffering (3 types)

• Sickness, aging, deathSickness, aging, death

• Impermanence Impermanence

• InterdependenceInterdependence

• EmptinessEmptiness

• CompassionCompassion

• The two truths: conventional and ultimateThe two truths: conventional and ultimate

• MINDFULNESSMINDFULNESS

Page 9: Buddhist Psychology
Page 10: Buddhist Psychology

3 poisons and 6 3 poisons and 6 perfectionsperfections

• Desire/Clinging or Desire/Clinging or GreedGreed

Moving towardsMoving towards

• Hatred/AversionHatred/Aversion

Moving AgainstMoving Against

• IgnoranceIgnorance

Indifference/Indifference/AvoidanceAvoidance

• GenerosityGenerosity

• PatiencePatience

• EthicsEthics

• Joyful PerseveranceJoyful Perseverance

• ConcentrationConcentration

• WisdomWisdom

Page 11: Buddhist Psychology

The work I do to let go of my The work I do to let go of my suffering diminishes the suffering of suffering diminishes the suffering of the whole universe. When I have the whole universe. When I have room for my own pain, I have room room for my own pain, I have room for the pain of others. Only then for the pain of others. Only then can I be transformed into joy. As I can I be transformed into joy. As I heal, the Earth heals. heal, the Earth heals.

--Christiane --Christiane Northrup Northrup

Page 12: Buddhist Psychology

Tricky bits that can be Tricky bits that can be revisedrevised

• Guru yogaGuru yoga

• KarmaKarma

• Nirvana/SamsaraNirvana/Samsara

• Rebirth/reincarnationRebirth/reincarnation

• 6 classes of sentient beings6 classes of sentient beings

• EnlightenmentEnlightenment

• PreceptsPrecepts

Page 13: Buddhist Psychology
Page 14: Buddhist Psychology

What is Mindfulness?What is Mindfulness?

• Of body: Breathing and sensationsOf body: Breathing and sensations• Of Feeling: Pleasant, unpleasant or neutralOf Feeling: Pleasant, unpleasant or neutral

Make sure to assist in distinguishing the Make sure to assist in distinguishing the physical sensation from the labelled physical sensation from the labelled emotional content.emotional content.

• Of Mind: Is it Desire, Aversion or Ignorance?Of Mind: Is it Desire, Aversion or Ignorance?• Of Mental Objects: Content based: know what Of Mental Objects: Content based: know what

to abandon, what to cultivate. 5 hindrances: to abandon, what to cultivate. 5 hindrances: sense desire, aversion, laziness, restlessness sense desire, aversion, laziness, restlessness and doubt. Cultivate emptiness of “I”and doubt. Cultivate emptiness of “I”

Page 15: Buddhist Psychology

Voluntary simplicity means going Voluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so I can than more, seeing less so I can see more, doing less so I can do see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so I can more, acquiring less so I can have more. have more.

--Jon Kabat-Zinn --Jon Kabat-Zinn

Page 16: Buddhist Psychology

7 factors of awakening7 factors of awakening

• MindfulnessMindfulness

• Investigation (and choice)Investigation (and choice)

• Energy/EnthusiasmEnergy/Enthusiasm

• JoyJoy

• Tranquility Tranquility

• ConcentrationConcentration

• WisdomWisdom

Page 17: Buddhist Psychology

Biology of MeditationBiology of Meditation

• Stress reactivity as measured by skin conductance Stress reactivity as measured by skin conductance response (meditators have heightened responses response (meditators have heightened responses then quickly return to baseline, or let go)then quickly return to baseline, or let go)

• Increased attention and lack of habituation in Increased attention and lack of habituation in practiced meditators for repetitive stimulipracticed meditators for repetitive stimuli

• FMRI studies being done with the Dalai Lama’s groupFMRI studies being done with the Dalai Lama’s grouphttp://www.mindandlife.org/mission.org_section.html

• and B. Alan Wallace’s groupand B. Alan Wallace’s grouphttp://sbinstitute.com/

Page 18: Buddhist Psychology
Page 19: Buddhist Psychology

Realization and Realization and ActualizationActualization

• Understanding emptiness has 10 levelsUnderstanding emptiness has 10 levels

• Knowing “bliss” or even possessing some Knowing “bliss” or even possessing some of the siddhis does not guarantee of the siddhis does not guarantee personality integration into everyday life.personality integration into everyday life.

• The integration of psychology with The integration of psychology with spiritual training assists in bringing reality spiritual training assists in bringing reality to periods of meditation….for those of us to periods of meditation….for those of us who aren’t nuns and monks, living in who aren’t nuns and monks, living in caves!caves!

Page 20: Buddhist Psychology

Learning is finding out what we Learning is finding out what we already know. already know.

Doing is demonstrating that you Doing is demonstrating that you know it. know it.

Teaching is reminding others that Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you.they know just as well as you.

You are all learners, doers and You are all learners, doers and teachers. teachers.

--Richard Bach --Richard Bach

Page 21: Buddhist Psychology

More Information at: http://HeartOfUnderstanding.com