Essays on Meditation

- The main purpose of this article is to highlight how stress affects the life of students in college and how they can tackle stress through meditation. The article explores two different meditation based programs – Kabat Zinn’s mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) and Easwaran’s Eight Point Program (EPP). The article further details the key observations and conclusions that were derived by conducting a study on college students. The final conclusion derived from this research was that the two stress reduction programs are indeed effective in lowering the stress level among college students and adults.

- The most important ...

Despite the fact, that both meditation and prayer are the methods of obtaining the religious experience. However, those are not the same despite the fact that many scholars and mystics claim that meditation and prayer are of the same matter. The word "Meditation" (Meditatio) is of a Latin origin. It didn`t come from pagan religions, but from the Christian West. It correlates with the verb "meditor" or "to meditate", ponder and means the deep concentration associated with a detachment from external objects and individual inner experiences. The Christian West gave it two meanings. On the one hand, it ...

Descartes’ skepticism and confusions about self-believe, truth and knowledge are expressed in his First Meditation. He is confused by the nature of his sensory beliefs because most of the times they tend to mislead him. His distrust for his senses does not mean that he distrusts all of them. He only happens to distrust some of them when the conditions for trusting such senses are poor. He will trust his senses when the conditions are such that they are favorable and conducive to be trusted. The other thing that makes Descartes skeptic about life and self-belief is in the ...

Hinduism, the dominant religion of India and Nepal, consists of several different traditions. With teachings on daily morality and traditions referred to as Shaktism, Shaivism, and many others, the culture surrounding Hinduism is rich and vibrant. In order to understand it better, I sought to have a religious experience involving Hinduism. On March 19, 2014, I attended the Malibu Hidden Temple, located at 1600 Las Virgenes Canyon Road, Calabasas, California, 91302. It was my hope to have a religious experience that would enlighten me to the ways of the Hindu culture. Upon first arriving at the Malibu Hidden Temple, ...

For five months, I have been practicing meditation almost on a daily basis. I started my meditation practice last year in October, driven by the fact that I was experiencing sleeping disorders, which made me feel unbalanced, cranky and tired. My first meditation sessions started out with mixed feelings. I was determined to do something about my sleeping problems, and I did not want to become a slave of medication. A friend of mine advised me to practice meditation to calm myself, indicating that this might have effective results for making me feel more relaxed and for losing my ...

Introduction

Among the numerous relaxation techniques, mindfulness meditation is applied when an individual is trying to achieve a mind that is calm and stable. Mindfulness meditation allows people to discover that harmony and calmness is actually a natural mind aspect. It is believed that, with the practice of mindfulness meditation, individuals strengthen and develop their mind, before they reach mind peace, and be able to stay in that peaceful state of mind without putting too much effort in it. Unlike what some people may thing, in mindful meditation the individual that applies it is perfectly aware of everything going on ...

Visual arts are forms of art that are visual in nature. They include ceramics, drawings, sculptures, photography and even paintings. These forms of art are used to exhibit different things that are part and parcel of human life. There are times when works of visual art exhibit some kind of spiritual practice. Religions such as Buddhism use a lot of visual art in their worship to such an extent it has a wide range of sculptures which serve as their Gods. In the art gallery there are various sculptures, paintings and drawings that prove this fact. Many of these ...

McDonald's book is one that helps one get back on the track of life organization of life especially after the chaos experienced during the holidays. Chapters twelve and thirteen are especially important in tackling the issues and challenges of everyday life. Other than the bible, this is one of the most direct books that provide guidance on how to handle issues of everyday life. One of the most important advices evident in the book is especially important for people who have a tendency to procrastinate and overload their calendars. Apparently, this is how people lose sight of the structure ...

In Buddhism, Karma denotes those actions that are deliberately done and would result in future consequences (Kessler, Gary, 20). The action has to be intentional and if forged through the body, mind and speech of an individual. Karma in Buddhism is completely defined by intention and lives in an individual’s subconscious mind for a long time until the consequences are manifested. Buddhists believe that rebirth is the cycle of life and death. It is fostered by things such as hatred, lack of knowledge and human desires. Karma is what determines the state and cycle of rebirth of a ...

Descartes by invoking Cogito in the second meditation was able to control metaphysical doubts supervening on his initial conquest that was based on conscious will. However, the Cogito has refuted the mathematical and physical hypothesis of a deceiving God only momentarily in regard of ascertaining of our self-esteem. The understanding of conscious will is a feeling that one is doing things (Cunning, 2010). This feeling occurs in almost everything we do, implying time and time again we consciously cause actions. But the feeling may not be an accurate expression of what is happening in our bodies as our actions ...

The Meditation on the Passion

Jesus is seated on a throne in ruins engraved with Hebrew graffiti on the back, two hermits on his side are in a nearly symmetrical position. Since Renaissance this picture was considered as work of Andrea Mantegna because there was a readable signature of this painter. Only in 1945 (thanks to Murray Pease) it was finally cleared the identity of the author: under the signature of Mantegna it was possible to read, thanks to infrared analysis, the signature of Vit Carpaccio. The circumstances of the order and the original location of the work are still unknown. The date of ...

Descartes

In his Meditation Descartes provides two arguments for the existence of God. One argument is a causal argument while the other one is an ontological argument for the existence of God. The ontological argument for the existence of God that he proposed in fifth Meditation is a straightforward one. Descartes claims that our idea of God is the idea of a perfect being. Perfection entails lack of nothing so, if something is perfect, then it must exist because something that does not exist cannot be perfect. But, God is perfect; therefore, he has to exist. The perfection of God ...

Interview and Report about Buddhism

A. I was born Buddhist and been practicing the religion all my life. My family is Buddhist and for as long as I can remember I have always prayed at home or gone to the temple for worship.

Q. Are you a serious practitioner of your faith or are you just a nominal believer in your religion?

A. Yes I am a serious practitioner and strong believer of my faith. I do all that pertains to my religion and partake of its traditions whenever I can.

Q. What are your main beliefs and practices that are important to you?

A. I believe in the powers of the deities and prayer through meditation. I meditate almost daily at home or sometimes outside my home. Q. What misunderstandings do you think others around ...

Memory

Memory is defined as a series of processes that encode sensory information, store it, and retrieve it. There are several types of memory, but the most common types discussed include working memory, procedural memory, semantic memory, and episodic memory.

Effects of Meditation on Memory

Meditation was found to decrease mind wandering, which resulted in the improvement of working memory capacity and overall cognitive performance (Mrazek, Franklin, Phillips, Baird, & Schooler, 2013). Cerebral blood flow, verbal fluency, and logic memory improved in patients with memory loss after 8 weeks of meditation training (Newberg, Wintering, Khalsa, Roggenkamp, & Waldman, 2010). Because of the increases of cerebral blood flow ...

Rene Descartes had a philosophical treatise published in 1647 called the meditations on the first philosophy (Statile et al. 2010, pp.548). His book has six different meditations that include meditation of the things called doubt, meditation of the nature of the human mind, meditation of the existence of God, meditation that concerns true and false, meditation that concerns the importance of the material things, and the meditation that concerns the differences between mind and body.

First Meditation: Doubtful Things

This mediation called skeptical doubts starts as the mediator makes a reflection on some of the beliefs during his lifetime that now he attest ...

Diverse Faiths

In this paperwork, I am going to perform an intensive research on three diverse faiths, namely the Sikh, the Buddhism, and the Jehovah’s Witness. The paperwork requires me to compare the philosophy of providing health care from the perspective of each of these three faiths with that of the Christian perspective and giving my own personal perspective. Comparing and contrasting the different belief systems will also be included in the paper. It is of significant essence for the health care providers to let go of their faith and integrate the beliefs of the patients in medical care. The ...

Introduction

In our day to day lives, we encounter numerous stressors. Some people tend to be more susceptible to stress than others, however, everyone experiences stress at some time in their lives. If stress isn’t well handled it could lead to serious health conditions such as depression, poor health and in severe cases suicide (Greenberg, 2011). The following report is on the use of meditation as a relaxation technique for stress management.

Benefits of the technique

The technique I used for stress management involved meditating for 10-15 minutes every morning. Meditation is beneficial in that; - It increases once focus. Meditation involves an ...

ID Number

Information about the Athlete

Derrick Rose is one of the bankable players in NBA. Derrick was born in Chicago, Illinois on the 4th of October 1988. Derrick’s brothers influenced him to play at the court. They helped him learn about passing, dribbling, and shooting. Further, Derrick looks up to Michael Jordan as his role model. Being the youngest, Derrick was well-protected by his brothers and mother. During high school, Derrick enrolled in a vocation school called Simeon Career Acadehis where he was able to exhibit his skills in basketball. Derrick led the team during the championship in the city. Toward ...

1. Where would you go for resources to help you deal with your own grief? I use some basic resources to deal with my own grief like sharing them with someone; deep breathing exercises or staying active help me kick out grief. Spirituality and practices of meditation also helped me in healing grief. 2. Why would you choose that source? Feelings and emotions affect our energy. Spiritual practices like meditation, deep breathing exercises or sharing my emotions with someone give me a feeling of relaxation and relieve mental stresses. A good combination of medication and practices of spiritualities like ...

Wonderbar University

There is an old saying: Everybody needs a hobby. I began mine when I was quite young—around 5 or 6 years old. My mother gave me a handful of tumbled gemstones. I cherished all of them, especially my clear quartz. Many years later, I rediscovered my passion for gemstone collecting because I learnt of their “metaphysical properties.” I believe gemstone collecting augments spiritual practices such as meditation. I love to look through my vast collection of natural glass, rocks, and crystals to pick out which two I would like to hold for meditating today. This afternoon, I chose ...

Meditation is always based on the philosophy. In most cases, this is not stated but the fact is that the meditation practices drive its concepts through philosophy. Meditation refers to the underlying understanding of the nature of body and mind, as well as general nature of life. Meditation entails training the mind in a process that sustains attention. In fact, meditation is a process that pacifies the imagination, body, intellect, as well as emotions in order to develop alertness and tranquility. Philosophers assert that meditation is a sustained form of thinking on one of many issues. The main attention ...

07, 04, 2014

Executive summary The Chinese meditation pools are some of the ancient designs that still make sense in the modern times. The design and construction of such a facility requires a lot of keenness from the designer to ensure the designed pool meets the requirements of the client. Anciently, these pools were designed together with a meditation platform because of their complementary use. This project involves the design and construction of a meditation pool and the corresponding platform for meditation. The major challenge in this project is the sensitivity of the final product to the client, which needs to be ...

(Insert Institute) (Insert Course) (Insert Date)

Until his death in 1650, Descartes published philosophical ideologies and concepts with emphasis on the functioning of the universe as one. His second meditation dubbed the “Wax Argument” finds its basis in the perceptions of reality as opposed to those of an illusion. This is due to the fact that as a person, one is not only capable of thinking and has a will but has the ability to imagine and use senses to perceive reality. These senses are in turn connected by one mind that is the center of thought. According to ...

Zen Buddhism refers to a religious practice that largely incorporates meditation as the key pillar that supports its existence. It is further defined as a means that is used to obtain enlightenment through application of thoughts. Zen Buddhism is often considered as an offshoot of Pure land Buddhism. This paper seeks to explore the beliefs and practices of Zen Buddhism. Consequently, it seeks to explore the similarities and any differences between Zen Buddhism and Pure land Buddhism. In addition, it will also explore the difference between Zen Buddhism and other religions. The character and the nature of Buddhism are ...

The mental position and status of an individual or group determines many issues in terms of the way individuals or the groups behaves and acts towards realizing certain objective and goals. The mental position is critical in the sense that it can lead one to succeed or fail in confronting various challenges, since it also determines and controls the body. Meditation is an act that everybody in the world undergoes either subconsciously or consciously in life on a daily basis. It is described as a practice of concentrated focus upon something in order to increase awareness of the current ...

The article titled “Mediation Has Power to Influence Your Gene” by Christopher Bergland gives a summary of the findings of two researchers conducted to investigate the relationship between meditation and pain. The first research explored by the article was conducted by a group of Scientist from Spain and France. According to Christopher, it was the first study to establish that there was an alteration of gene expressions in individuals practicing mindfulness mediation. The article reported that the comparison of gene alterations was done between experienced mediators who had undergone intensive mediation and untrained control participants who were involved in ...

Discuss the meaning of the life and death of Socrates based on the texts you have read this semester

According to Plato’s apology, he regarded Socrates as gadfly because he was stinging the Athenians culture and politics. This is because Socrates was a critic of the politics and the social life in Athens. This made him have so many enemies in Athens because they believed that he was corrupting the youth. The term gadfly as was used to represent the life of Socrates was first mentioned when one of his friends named as Chaerephone. This was when he went to the oracle of Delphi and asked them if they knew anyone who was wiser than Socrates was. ...

Introduction

The first and the second meditation are found the book called the meditation of the first philosophy written by René Descartes. The book talks about the existence of God and the distinction of the soul from the body. The people who want to pursue careers in philosophy are recommended to read this book. The first meditation people are aware that with doubt then that means it does not exist. The second meditation talks about how the mind, which brings about thinking is said without a doubt that it exist thus ideas are able to be formulated.

The first meditation: concerning those things that can be called into doubt

He starts by ...

Anxiety is described as the fear of an imagined situation or a condition that may not actually happen in a real life situation. The history of anxiety dates back to the days of Mark Twain who once remarked that he experienced a lot of troubles in his entire life (Ebert et al., 210). These troubles originated from the act of the reactions of imagined situations of which most of them never happened. Anxiety installs one with a condition that when somebody fails to, or by any means fails to achieve or perform to a particular extent as expected, they ...

Introduction

Complementary medicine is a group of therapies or diagnostic approaches that are outside the institutions of the conventional healthcare. There have been several names given to this group of therapies. These include alternative and integrative medicine. It can also be refer to as the group of therapies or treatment a patient use in addition to the doctor’s standard care. In recent times, there has been an issue with stress and this has been affecting the health status of people. In a bid to manage the stress, some of the approaches used involved the complementary medicine. These techniques help ...

The main purpose of this article is to investigate the potential effects of mindfulness meditation (MM) intervention, originating in Buddhist vipassana or “insight”, as opposed to somatic relaxation (SR) training that is based on body awareness, for a one month period, of randomly selected one hundred and four students and compare the findings with a control group. The most important information in this article relates to a direct comparison of both mentioned interventions that aim at reducing stress in students currently involved in health and medical studies. The data show that MM and SR groups successfully overcame psychological distress. ...

The mind of every individual consists of various issues. The mind needs amicable environment. The article is all about management of stress and essence of forgiveness which help in the proper functioning of the mind among the college students. Furthermore the authors’ views of the various methods used to make analysis about the effectiveness of stress management methods and the results of the research undertaken in the 8 weeks, MBSR. Stress affects most the college students in their studies. It is evident in their outcome of their performance in their academics. The article provides strategies that help in implementing ...

Li Bai happens to be one of the most outstanding poets of all times in the Chinese history of poetry. He wrote poems that have been acclaimed this day and that are acknowledged and studied all over the world. He embraced different themes in the poems and thus employed many poetic devices as seen through all his poems. One poem in particular which stands out is Zazen on Ching-t’ing Mountain. This particular poem is very short with only two stanzas that contain two lines each, which makes a total of four lines. It is incredible that with only ...

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an initiative in medicine that falls under the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM, 2013). The role of NCCAM is to identify complementary and alternative medicine practices using laborious scientific approaches and develop an evidence base that outlines the safety and effectiveness of such practices (Lubkin, 2012).

Alternative Medicine

According to the NCCAM website (2013), alternative medicine refers to medicine, which has been developed using a non-mainstream approach instead of using conventional medicine. For instance, the use of special diets to treat cancer, as opposed to going through chemotherapy or surgery is a ...

Imagine that you are at the end of your life – your body begins to shut down, your organs start to fail you, and the fear of losing who you are forever. However, a magical company comes along with the ability to transplant your mind into someone else’s body. Who would you be if that came to be? There are many different philosophical nuances to navigate when exploring this question, as it relates closely to the dilemma of the nature of self – whether you are the sum of your thoughts, or whether or not your body actually constitutes an ...

A museum is a place where objects related to art, Science, Geography and History are placed for studies .The Birmingham Museum of Art is among largest great art museums with finest collection of art in the world. It attracts many visitors a year almost over 1million.It has over a collection of 450,000 works of art, which makes it one of the most comprehensive collections within Europe. Buddhist art is among one of the most important exhibitions within the museum. I visited the museum to learn more about Buddhist art, specifically the image of Buddha. The Buddha image is ...

Key terms

Meditation- a thought processes intended to understand abstract ideas by Rene Descartes Chimeras- By this Descartes intends to mean that all what he thought about his existence is mythical and not true, in fact, it does not even exist.

Conclusion/central argument

Even though Descartes presumes that all what he knew about his existence was a creation of his deceptive mind and actually false and not just doubtful, at least one belief much be true. And this is the truth that as long as he is thinking, as long as he is being deceived, then he must exist, at least to allow ...

Living in Radical Doubt

1. How Will You Feel In Your New State of Mind? According to Descartes Meditation I, radical and methodical doubt is necessary to remind myself about the habit of accepting beliefs without any logical support. Thus, Descartes says that that it is important to dismiss all judgements on the basis of beliefs that are doubtful and do not have any solid support. In the new state of mind, where I doubt everything at least I would be content to know that I am not being misled into falsehood by some evil demon. The new state of mind would make ...

Introduction

Rhetoric refers to the study of how speakers and writers use words in their presentations and writings to influence their influence. Therefore, a rhetoric analysis refers to an essay that splits a work of non-fiction into different parts and then elucidates how the different parts work jointly to create a certain impact. These impacts could be entertaining, persuasive, or informative. Rhetorical analysis can also be conducted of a primarily visual arguments such as an advertisement or a cartoon, or even a speech that has orally been performed. A person who writes these primary sources can be referred to as ...

Does Descartes prove it rationally?

Does Descartes prove it rationally?

Introduction

The famous philosophical discourse by Rene Descartes which comprises six mediations gives a deep insight into nature of human mind, difference between truth and false and perceptions of reality and doubts (Skirry, 2008). Defining the basics of doubt and reality to steadily move towards the rational proof of existence of God, Descartes has elucidated an in-depth analysis of how man perceives the world around and how he should perceive it for better. The six meditations are worth a detailed analysis to comprehend the question of existence of God and nature of human mind. However, ...

Rene Descartes had various meditations on issues that becomes the basis of various philosophies. The meditation 1 is entitled what can be called into doubt , which opens with mediator reflecting on falsehoods that he has believed in life as well as the faultiness of body of knowledge. As a matter of fact, the mediation 1 is a clear indication of how things through individuals common sense is always open to doubt. In the meditation, Descartes uses various arguments to demonstrate the peoples knowledge on doubt. The arguments include the deceiving God argument, the dream argument, as well as the ...

Almost all religions of the world have some form of meditation which only reflects the importance of meditation in religions, particularly considering the diversity of religions, encompassing varied cultures and their inception. Meditation has also been an integral aspect of western religious practices (Digsby), although it is more associated with eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism. Today there are several types of meditation by almost all religions including Hinduism, Jews, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism and Taoism. There is however no clear universal system of meditation shared by monotheistic believers, nor is there a common understanding or explanation for exceptional ...

Introduction

I come from a country that is not that wealthy and where poverty and lack of opportunities are cause for concern for a majority of the people. I come from a place where not everyone has a job and not everyone has a decent education. I hail from a family where we had to work hard for our living and where my education is the only asset that I have. In other words, I come from a situation where only my hard work and dedication would see me through life and hence, this is the bottom line for my ...

Buddha taught the great law of ‘Dharma’ as the living in accordance with the law of true compassion and wisdom and the attainment of freedom from suffering. The Buddhist: Dharma Teaching Service taught the true meaning of Dharma and the need for meditation among Buddhists. The service taught that chanting is a method of remembering Dharma when meditation is difficult and when mindfulness does not offer consolation. The service also taught that Buddhists bow as a sign of deep veneration to Buddha. The teaching service also explored the concepts of concentration, daily life practice, Dharma practice day, five hindrances, ...

Background

Recent behavioral studies have shown the clinical relevance of meditation in the treatment of stress-related physiological and psychological illnesses. Kabat-Zinn et al. (1998) found that audio-induced mindfulness meditation reduced stress and increased the rate of healing of psoriatic lesions in patients with psoriasis. Krisanaprakornkit et al. (2006) reviewed a variety of meditation techniques on the effect of stress-related anxiety disorders and found that most meditation approaches can help patients self-regulate anxiety symptoms in a variety of anxiety conditions. In an extensive literature review comprising hundreds of studies conducted in the past 20 years, Jacobs (2001) also found that relaxation ...

Q1. What is the effect of VLSM therapy on state anxiety levels, as measured by the STAI?

Q2. What is the effect of VLSM therapy on perceived stress levels, as measured by the PSS? Research Method

This will be a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial designed to examine the effects of VLSM meditation therapy (Solfanelli, 2010) on state anxiety levels and perceived stress levels. As previously noted, state anxiety will be operationally defined as scores on Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), whereas stress will be operationally defined as scores on the Perceived Stress scale (PSS).

Audio-visual stimulation (AVS) therapy was selected over other popular forms of meditation therapy, including therapies such as Joacobson’s Progressive ...

When the first congress on alternative medicines was organized by the Faculty of Medicine in the University Of Rome in the year 1973; private practitioners from across the world presented more than one hundred and fifty brands of alternative medicines (Whistler 14). The congress, which sought to establish the validity and effectiveness of alternative medicines established that most of the alternative therapies were indeed functioning and that they could be tested and proven scientifically. Some of the therapies were found to be common in more than one community with most of the communities coming from the Asian continent. The ...

Abstract

Conventional medicine or mainstream medicine, which is often called as allopathic medicine, is based on the Cartesian model of dualism that holds the view that the human body and the mind are two entities. On the contrary, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) views the human body and the mind as a single entity. Many mainstream therapies were once considered complementary until they were proven clinically effective through research. Currently, many mainstream practitioners are adopting CAM therapies to provide integrated or holistic care. The National Institutes of Health and National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NIH/NCCAM) have divided CAM ...

According to the Critical Thinking Company website (2005), “Critical thinking is the identification and evaluation of evidence to guide decision making. A critical thinker uses broad in-depth analysis of evidence to make decisions and communicate his/her beliefs clearly and accurately” (What, 2005).

Critical thinking involves looking objectively at a theory or a set of facts and, not only understanding the concept, but also being able to objectively evaluate the arguments.

Psychology PR News’ (2011) article, PCH Treatment Launches PTSD Program, discusses a new treatment program available for sufferers of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The program, run by the Psychological ...

Abstract

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) refers to those medical substances and practices that are not the part of standard or conventional care. Complementary medicine is often used along with other standard medical treatment strategies or they can be used alone. CAM practices can be used for the relief in different problems such as heart diseases and cancer. It can also be used for certain psychiatric problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression, usually caused by different ecological factors such as risk and supportive factors related to parents, peers, and school. Different CAM practices can be used for the treatment ...

According to the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, PTSD is “a debilitating condition that follows a terrifying event.” Habitually, individuals with PTSD have tireless alarming thoughts and memories of their experience for months or years after the event. There are varying statistics on how many American soldiers who have returned from Iraq have since suffered from PTSD. However, according to the Lizette Alveraz, this number could be as high as one in five. Interestingly, of these, only a little over half have pursued mental health treatment (Alveraz).

There are a variety of treatments available for PTSD. Some ...

Spirituality in Health Care

HLT-310V Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity: First Draft Introduction Spirituality plays an important role in both physical and mental healing. Physical healing may be achieved through modern medicines and technology but However, if it is not accompanied by mental healing then the whole healing process may take longer than expected or . it may even end up complicated. Prayer, meditation and strong faith are often considered as critical components for healing. Most of all the religions in the world believe that all things known and unknown are connected to God. The ever changing world economy and health care have ...

Personal transformation refers to a dynamic and uniquely individualized practice of increasing consciousness where individuals turn out to be critically knowledgeable of old, as well as new self-views, thereby choosing to integrate these opinions to a new self-definition (Campebell, 2004). Although these views might take the form of Transpersonal Psychology, Taoism, Contemplative Psychology or Confucianism, they are capable of distinctively conceiving the temperament of human existence thus transforming the individual differently (Campebell, 2004). As a result, this essay explores personal transformation through the various perspectives of Transpersonal Psychology, Taoism, Contemplative Psychology and Confucianism.

1) Transpersonal Psychology

Transpersonal psychology widens ...

Mind and Body Debate

Renowned philosophers Rene Descartes and John Searle are having a cup of tea in Descartes’ living room. As expected, their discussion turns philosophical. Each of the two presents their arguments on the mind and body problem.

Descartes: I believe the mind and body are two distinct and separate substances.

Searle: Every time you postulate an opinion I know we are about to start a long argument. I heard you say the mind is independent of the body. How true is that? I applaud many of your opinions and theories in philosophy. However, I beg to differ on this one. Descartes: My friend, I will take you systematically through my quest for certainty. ...

In his “Third Meditation,” Descartes puts forward two arguments for the existence of God. They are the ‘Proof of God’ argument and the ‘Human Error’ argument. It is interesting that he felt the need for two arguments to prove the existence of God. The main difference appears to be that the first argument is suitable for people who are already believers of God. If, however, an individual is not a believer, the second argument may be more relevant to them. Descartes claimed that there are three types of ideas. These are Innate, Factitious, and Adventitious (Meditation). Innate ideas, he ...

In Buddhism, “truths are not accepted on the authority of scripture, but verified by direct experience.”1 Meditation is an important method of seeking truth and this practice is pursued in two different ways, through insight meditation and calming meditation. Buddhist devotional practices serve a similar function. They are the action mode of truth-seeking, while meditation is the contemplative mode. Each seeker is encouraged to use the methods—one might call them tools—that work best for her. The calming style of Buddhist meditation most appeals to me, as I find it deeply refreshing to still my thoughts, even ...

John Donne’s poetry reflects a deep image of religious elements and most of his sonnets are the combination of both Catholic and Protestant. In “The Flea” and “Show Me Dear Christ” John Donne also uses religious imagery. He expresses in implicit way this tactic. HHHHis early poem “The Flea” implies the concept of sexual love; furthermore, it exemplifies unconventional metaphor by which the flea bites two lovers, who are compared on the basis of sex. Moreover, we see a woman trying to resist sexual advances. The speaker with the help of the flea was trying to convince her ...

Religious studies

Buddhism and Yoga are correlated customs that evolved in the same spiritual background of the ancient India. The two traditions have many similar terms, follow the same principles and also share the same practices. This maybe explains why there is such confusion in differentiating the two as most people see yoga and Buddhism as alike. The differences between the two traditions are less common to the people from the west than their resemblances. People who study these traditions tend to think that one is borrowing some practices and terms or principles from the other. However, not only the people ...

HLT-310V Spirituality in Health

Different faiths and religious beliefs have different avenues to the issue of health care. Emphasis is placed on the location and the personality of the individual offering the service. There is a need for nurses and other members of the professional team to displays a good understanding of the different faiths with a view to understanding their position on the matter of health care provision. Some religious groups have no belief in healing from health care providers, whereas some others believe in both healing from health care providers and their own faith in healing. It is therefore imperative for ...

Abstract

Religion plays a significant role in the life of an individual as well as the World as a whole. There are some religions in the world namely Christianity, Islam and Hinduism which are being followed by the largest numbers of people globally. But being followed by a bigger community does not alone decide the significance of a religion. There are numerous other religions like Buddhism, Judaism, Jainism, and Sikhism and so on which are prominently shaping up millions of beliefs. And there are religious movements as well. Sahaja Yoga is not a well-defined religion ...