Psych of Meditation

3 Wisdoms:

Hearing, Reflection, Meditation

Hearing (3 Wisdoms)?

exposure to Buddhist teachings

Reflection (3 Wisdoms)?

to ponder Buddhist teachings, connect to self-experience.

Meditation (3 Wisdoms)?

to experience/embody the teachings.

Emptiness (Shunyata)?

the idea that all phenomena lack a permanent, independent nature ascribed by itself.

3 Natures (Vasubandhu)?

Kuntak, Shen-wang, Yong-drup

Kuntak

all things are mentally constructed and labelled.

Shen-wang

things are nonstatic; constantly changing

Yong-drup

Kuntak does not adhere to shen-wang; the labels applied to objects do not change.

Two Truths

absolute, relative

Absolute Truth

shunayata, the way things truly are.

Relative Truth

the truth that dictates the way we conduct ourselves; practical/conventional truth.

Spontaneous Trait Inference

applying personal ideas of an object unto them upon meeting

Rule to Perceive

Kant; idea that we need previous knowledge concerning an object in order to perceive it correctly.

Bruner’s Postulates:

perception is categorization, stimuli contains cues, stimuli belong to multiple categories, accessibility.

Accessibility

how easy it is for a thought/idea to come to mind

Determinants of Accessibility

recent, frequent, or spreading activation of the stimuli category

Karma (Colloquially)

what goes around comes around.

Karma (Actually)

behavior leaves certain concepts more accessible, influencing future perception.

10 Virutous Things

killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, offensive speech, senseless speech, covetousness, malice, wrong view

Categories of 10 Virtuous Things

body, speech, thought

Factors that Strengthen Karma

repeating it, strong emotion, intention, premeditation, bragging, involving others, or doing unto holy objects, people who have helped you, and people in need.

“I” (Buddhism)

form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness

How Does the Self Appear?

unitary, permanent, “okay”

Fundamental Attribution Error

tendency to attribute behavior of others’ to intrinsic qualities rather than external pressures.

4 Immeasurable Qualities (Bodhicitta)

equanimity, compassion, love, rejoicing

Steps of Bodhicitta

cultivation of, wishing of, and engaging in bodhicitta.

6 Perfections

generosity, moral discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, wisdom

3 Cognitive Biases

egocentricity, beneffectance, cognitive conservatism

Mindfulness based stress reduction (BMSR)

mindfulness mediation with an emphasis on relaxation; awareness of pre-stress conditions.

Mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT)

mindfulness meditation and CBT; awareness/dismantling of negative thought patterns

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

aimed at reducing cognitive FEAR: fusing, evaluating, avoiding, reason-giving

dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

life is made up of two opposing forces; radical acceptance promotes self-regulation

Mental Disorders Aided by Meditation

stress, anxiety, depression, and extrapolated disorders

Common Research Issues

inconsistent/overgeneralized definitions of meditation, small sample size, difficulty with control groups.

Meditation Effect Mediators

decentering, self & emotional regulation, pre-awareness of mental events, reduced rumination

Dosage

160 lifetime hours for stress, 270 for well-being. 18-33hrs a month for stress.

Adverse Effects

anxiety, physical pain

Body Scan Meditation

goal of achieving awareness of otherwise unnoticed bodily sensations

Tonglen Meditation

to exchange the wicked smoke of others with the cleansing smoke inside of you.

Analytical Meditation

use the focus afforded by meditation to seek truth in a methodical manner; extremely effortful

Contemplative Meditation

to ponder the implications of a truth; less effortful, focused on maintaining fluidity.

Mountain Meditation

visualize the self as an immovable, unwavering mountain.