BPsych Final

How is lucid dreaming different from dream yoga? How can one learn to lucid dream? How does one prepare to practice dream yoga?

• Lucid dreaming uses reality testing.

• Dream yoga treats all experience as dream-like.

• Lucid dreams include knowing “this is a dream.”

• Lucid dreaming can reduce fears and obstacles.

• Learn through journals, reality checks, and MILD.

• Dream yoga prepares through shamatha/focused attention.

• Dream yoga also trains dream memory cues.

What is the role of mental factors in Buddhist Psychology? Describe 2 specific mental factors and explain what role they play in the Abhidharma framework.

• Abhidharma breaks experience into parts.

• This challenges a permanent unified self.

• Mind is a stream of mental states.

• Mental factors “color” awareness.

• Afflictive factors disturb the mind.

• Virtuous factors promote peace and well-being.

• Feeling gives experience pleasant/unpleasant tone.

• Mindfulness supports non-distracted awareness.

In what ways does the development of generosity change the way we think about ourselves? Why is generosity important from a Buddhist Perspective?

• Dana means sincere generosity of spirit.

• True giving expects no reward.

• Generosity weakens “me” and “mine.”

• It reduces clinging to possessions/status.

• Generosity is one of the paramitas.

• Paramitas support enlightenment practice.

• Generosity expresses wisdom in action.

• Repeated generous actions condition the mind.

How do objective and subjective social class relate to generosity? How do you think that counterfactual and simulation processes relate to these findings?

• Direct class/generosity finding was not clearly uploaded.

• Objective class means measurable position.

• Subjective class means perceived rank.

• Subjective satisfaction can differ from objective status.

• Counterfactuals compare reality to alternatives.

• “Almost” outcomes can change satisfaction.

• Class perception may shape felt generosity.

• Simulations can increase empathy or comparison.

Why is cultivating compassion important in Buddhism? How does cultivating compassion relate to the cultivation of wisdom?

• Buddhism begins with duhkha.

• Others’ suffering affects our well-being.

• Compassion opposes selfishness.

• Compassion requires understanding afflictions.

• It requires openness to others.

• It requires equanimity, not favoritism.

• Wisdom sees karma and interdependence.

• Buddha perfects wisdom and compassion together.

To you, what is the most interesting research result on happiness? Describe it and explain why it is interesting.

• Fredrickson’s LKM study is strongest.

• LKM means loving-kindness meditation.

• Positive emotions broaden outlook.

• Practice began with self-kindness.

• It expanded to all beings.

• Happiness becomes trainable.

• Positive emotions build resources.

• This challenges the hedonic treadmill.

Describe a clinical application of MBSR or MBCT. What are the components of the program? How is mindfulness useful in these programs?

• MBSR was founded by Kabat-Zinn.

• It treats stress, pain, and illness.

• Mindfulness is purposeful present attention.

• MBSR lasts eight weeks.

• It includes sitting meditation.

• It includes body scan and yoga.

• MBCT helps prevent depression relapse.

• Mindfulness makes thoughts “mental events.”

What does science stand to gain by studying expert meditators? By studying novice meditators as they are learning to meditate? What (if anything) do Buddhist practitioners stand to gain from being studied? Explain using examples.

• Science can study trained minds.

• Meditation includes different practice types.

• Experts show long-term effects.

• Long-term meditators show cortical differences.

• Monks may have 10,000–50,000 practice hours.

• Experts show reduced amygdala reactivity.

• Novices help test causality.

• Practitioners learn benefits and risks.

Describe two examples of Engaged Buddhism, explaining how they reflect a Buddhist approach to the world (i.e., identify and describe the Buddhist principles involved).

• Engaged Buddhism applies Dharma socially.

• It addresses political/economic suffering.

• Order of Interbeing opposed war.

• It cared for war victims.

• Karuna Shechen reduces inequalities.

• It is “compassion in action.”

• Buddhist Global Relief fights hunger.

• The 14 Precepts guide ethical action.

Buddhist concepts and practices are used and work together to relieve duhkha and to increase wellbeing (sukha). Select two practices or concepts and explain how they work together (e.g., anatman and compassion; interdependence and loving-kindness; mindfulness and shamatha; etc.) You may not choose wisdom and compassion (Question 5).

• Mindfulness and compassion work well together.

• Mindfulness sees experience clearly.

• It reduces added stories.

• It lowers automatic reactivity.

• Compassion responds to suffering.

• Compassion opposes selfishness.

• Together they reduce duhkha.

• Together they increase sukha/well-being.

In what ways does Buddhism present a different worldview from what we are accustomed to? How can it affect us to study a different worldview?

• Buddhism challenges permanence.

• It challenges separateness.

• It challenges fixed selfhood.

• We misread reality as stable.

• The self is made of aggregates.

• Mental factors color awareness.

• Studying Buddhism loosens assumptions.

• Interdependence increases ethical awareness.

Is happiness the best translation of the Buddhist term sukha? Make your case for happiness or for another translation of sukha.

• “Happiness” can be misleading.

• Ordinary happiness sounds like pleasure.

• Ricard criticizes conditional happiness.

• External control is limited.

• Better translation: well-being.

• Sukha means deep flourishing.

• It includes freedom from compulsion.

• It includes interconnection.

How does Mathieu Ricard describe skillfully working with different meditation techniques to support altruism?

• Altruism must be trained.

• Practice trains System 1.

• Intention should benefit others.

• Start by stabilizing attention.

• Then cultivate loving-kindness.

• Add compassion and sympathetic joy.

• Balance with equanimity.

• Dedication turns practice outward.

How can we use concepts and practices from Buddhist Psychology to reduce the likelihood of “compassion fatigue”?

• “Compassion fatigue” is often empathy fatigue.

• Empathy can create distress.

• Compassion does not cause burnout.

• Compassion creates positive emotion.

• Mindfulness notices overwhelm early.

• Equanimity prevents over-identification.

• Self-kindness supports sustainable care.

• Trauma sensitivity protects boundaries.