Buddhist Philosophy and Western Psychology
Buddhist philosophy, originated 2 500 years ago, teaches the path to enlightenment. The major goal of Buddhism is to encourage compassion, harmony, and non-harm towards oneself and others. On the other hand, Western psychology deals with the scientific study of human minds and behavior. It concentrates on the individual and its connection with the external world. Western psychology focuses on individualism; in this way, it gives importance to one’s attributes and independence.
Buddhist philosophy and Western psychology share some common grounds, they overlap in both theory and practice. One of the most important among them is the approach to reducing suffering in human life. Buddha’s philosophy and Western psychology concentrate on the human condition and explain it in a natural way rather than in a religious aspect. Both concepts believe in being present and cultivating positive changes in behavior and thoughts. From meditation to self-monitoring, Buddha philosophy and Western psychology share common ideas and concepts.
The relationship between Buddhism and Western psychology has lots of benefits for people. Both these concepts promote the personal development of an individual. We all know meditation is one of the important practices in Buddhism; meditation practice is used to enhance mindfulness. While in Western psychology mediation is used to improve the concentration of a person. The other important common benefit of this connection is using rewards to encourage good behavior. In this blog, you will get a clear understanding of how Buddhist philosophy aligns with Western psychology. Let’s dive into it.
The Shared Ground – Suffering as a Universal Experience
Suffering is an integral part of human life. Every person who is born in this world undergo miseries before they complete their life cycle. No caste, social background, or age can stand in front of this. We always consider suffering as part of our life and never try to find a way out of it.
Western psychology analyzes the causes and symptoms of mental health issues through theories and methodologies. The mental health issues are mainly explained through four models. It includes cognitive, biological, behavioral and psychodynamic models. Other theory approaches like behaviorism, Network theory, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) also play a huge part in this. Western Psychology focuses on the root of which mental health issues to cure.
Buddhist philosophy explains that human life is full of suffering. The way to escape from suffering is through four noble truths. The first and foremost step is understanding suffering is part of human life. The second noble truth explains that there will be a reason behind the suffering, and the third truth teaches us that it is possible to stop the suffering. The fourth noble truth helps us to put an end to suffering through the eightfold path.
Taming the Monkey Mind – Mindfulness Techniques
We all heard about this famous saying by Buddha: “What we think, we become”. Our mind is the powerful weapon that shapes our life. Our thoughts help us to interpret everything that is happening around us. Maybe you wonder why thought is a powerful weapon. This is because thoughts can influence our actions and emotions. For example, if you are thinking highly about yourself, like your confidence and abilities, you must be a positive person. If you are only thinking about all the negative facts about yourself, then your actions also reflect that.
Here comes the importance of Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), part of Western psychology. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps one to understand and reduce the negative thoughts which can result in anxiety. Practicing CBT helps to transform negative thoughts into optimistic ones. A positive mind is a healthier one. It can give a new, refined outlook on your life,
Mindfulness is the best practice in Buddhism to achieve inner peace and enlightenment. This practice asks you to be in the moment without any distractions from the outside world or emotions. By practicing mindfulness, one can be fully aware of everything that is happening around them, whether it’s their thoughts, words or actions. It helps people to be free from the emotions that influence their actions and decisions.
The Power of Compassion – From Self-Love to Universal Kindness
Western psychology and Buddhism both philosophies believe in the importance of compassion. According to Western psychology, compassion training helps to eliminate personal suffering and enhance well-being. In Buddhism, compassion is considered the method to reduce suffering and attain enlightenment.
Western therapy always gave importance to concepts like self-compassion and empathy. They are the vital components of mental well-being and personal growth. Self-compassion comprises dealing with oneself with kindness. It involves understanding and accepting oneself during a time of crisis. It demands to be keeping an open mind and not being judgemental. It helps to nurture connections with themselves.
Empathy, on the other hand, makes people capable of understanding the feelings of others. It demands to be a good listener and try to understand their emotions. Empathy towards the people around you helps you to connect with people, build trust and provide support for them. It promotes compassion and kindness towards people in suffering.
Loving-kindness meditation, otherwise known as metta in Buddhism, is a method of growing compassion. It helps in nurturing kindness, and love towards oneself and others. It can also help in building positive emotions and eliminate negative perceptions.
Beyond Therapy – The Buddhist Path to Transformation
Both Buddhism and Western psychology promote personal development and freedom. In Western psychology, we already saw Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help reduce negative thoughts. In cognitive behavioral therapy, psychological problems are developed due to negative thoughts. So, practicing CBT helps one with both mental and physical diseases. CBT practices include:
- Developing problem-solving skills to face crises.
- Keeping a sense of confidence in one’s talents.
- Transforming behavioral patterns
- Battling fear rather than avoiding them.
In Buddhism, the Eightfold Path is the solution to attain enlightenment. We already know what the eightfold Path is through our previous blog. When we practice the eightfold path in our life it develops wisdom, peace and compassion. According to Buddhism the reason for all suffering is due to our desires, emotions and thoughts. By making the right effort in the Eightfold Path, one can control their desires, feelings and thoughts. It can result in personal growth and inner strength.
Integrating Eastern and Western Approaches
Integrating both Buddhist philosophy and Western psychology can create a more comprehensive and more powerful practice to eliminate negative thoughts and build positive ones. Their commonality in helping a human mind to keep a positive phase can do wonders in so many aspects of life.
Both Buddhist philosophy and Western psychology are powerful enough to bring tremendous advancements in comprehending human thoughts and emotions. In Buddhism, mindfulness is given prime importance, while in Western psychology, meditation is the practice of concentration.
In conclusion, the integration of Buddhist philosophy and Western psychology can bring positive changes in our modern life’s problems, including depression, stress, and anxiety. We humans often forget about mental health conditions. The union of both these philosophies can influence the human mind to have a positive attitude towards life. For more such topics and ways to attain peace of mind do visit our website Hidden Mantra. There is nothing our human mind can achieve.
