The Phenomenology of Meditation: Commonalities and Divergences between Christian Meditatio and Hindu Dhyāna

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Henrique do Carmo Silva
Keyword(s):  
Critical Appraisal ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Christian Tradition ◽  
Hindu Tradition ◽  
Yoga Sutras ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
The Will ◽  
Human Spirituality

The aim of the chapter is to compare meditation in the Western Christian tradition with the Hindu tradition, particularly from the Yoga Sūtras. Its main focus is to highlight the essential differences between meditation in these two traditions. One can find various contrasts as well as unexpected convergences, such as the description of exercises involving focused concentration and the development of a hierarchy of states of consciousness where the sense of self is progressively transformed. The chapter ends with a critical appraisal of how meditation is popularly understood today, with its healing and psychobiological emphasis. Although meditation is not a science, it can be considered an art of mind transformation: ultimately desiring and thinking minds are no longer in control but become the ferment that meditation operates on. To use St. Teresa of Ávila’s metaphor, this meditative process is like watching “a windmill that grinds without stopping” independently of the will. It is in this sense of mind transformation that meditatio and dhyāna can be conceived as rich traditions of creative human spirituality, which are radically different from the domesticated versions used today for well-being purposes.

Moral Disability, Moral Injury, and the Flight from Vulnerability

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia L. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Moral Injury ◽  
Controversial Issues ◽  
Moral Reflection ◽  
Moral Value ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Moral Conviction ◽  
Moral Importance

This chapter explores the concept of moral disability, identifying two types. The first type involves disabling conditions that distort one’s process of moral reflection. Examples include the incapacity to consider the long-term future, to feel empathy for others, and to be honest with oneself. A noteworthy example of self-deception is systematically denying one’s own—and humanity’s—vulnerability to the power of others, to accidents, and to having one’s well-being linked to that of others and the eco-system. Acknowledging vulnerability often requires a new sense of self. The second type includes incapacities directly resulting from ‘moral injury’—debilitating, self-inflicted harms when one violates a deeply held moral conviction, even if trying to remain true to another moral value. Examining moral disabilities highlights the moral importance of self-identity. More progress may be made on controversial issues if we discuss who we are, how we connect, and how we can heal.

Biblical Lamentations and Singing the Blues

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Smith-Christopher
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Personal Narrative ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Personal Narratives ◽  
Well Being

Scholars working on the connection of literature, narrative, and trauma have made important connections between an individual’s ability to maintain a coherent sense of self (a personal narrative) and their own psychological and social well-being. Some literary expressions from traumatic circumstances, therefore, can be read as individual attempts to repair personal narratives. The biblical book of Lamentations may well be such an exercise in narrative repair. Using these ideas to introduce ways of reading the biblical book of Lamentations, the chapter makes the connection with African American blues traditions as another form of narrative repair very much in the spirit of the biblical material. In fact, the comparison with the blues may well lead to new reading strategies for Lamentations as well.

Yoga Sutras and Well-Being

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Anil K. Maheshwari ◽  
Margaret Rose P. Werd
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Yoga Sutras

scholarly journals Serving up mealtime strategies : how families experience dementia in the community

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Wickson
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Spousal Caregivers ◽  
Data Set ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Adult Caregivers ◽  
Late Stages ◽  
Existing Data

The mealtime experiences for people with dementia and their caregivers living in the community has not been extensively explored. An existing data set provided information on the mealtime strategies used to cope with changing dementia behaviours. A secondary analysis of data from 10 dyads of people with dementia and their caregivers were analyzed. Four categories were identified including: Strategies to facilitate eating; Strategies to promote a sense of self; Stategies to minimize risk; and Strategies to promote caregiver well-being. The dyads used a variety of strategies that were common to all stages of dementia; however by the late stages, the dyads used more specific strategies. In general, the mealtime strategies used by adult caregivers and spousal caregivers did not greatly differ but rather the context in which they engaged in mealtimes did. The results demonstrated that there are opportunities to educate families and professionals about potential mealtime strategies.

Rural Communities and Well-Being: A Good Place to Grow Up?

2003 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Glendinning ◽  
Mark Nuttall ◽  
Leo Hendry ◽  
Marion Kloep ◽  
Sheila Wood
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Young People ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Community Life ◽  
Social Lives ◽  
The Future

This study looks at young people's accounts of life in communities in rural northern Scotland, and considers in what ways affective and social aspects of community are bound up with well-being, over and above young people's concerns for the future, rural youth transitions, and out-migration. Interviews were held with 15–18 year-olds in four study areas (16 groups, N = 60+) and a parallel survey of 11–16 year-olds was conducted in eight study areas (N = 2400+). Themes to emerge from the interviews included: opportunities locally, the future and staying on, as well as local amenities and services; but older teenagers also spoke at length about their social lives, family and social networks, and their community, both as close-knit and caring and as intrusive and controlling. Rural communities were seen as good places in childhood, but not necessarily for young people. In parallel with that, the survey data paints a picture where feelings of support, control, autonomy, and attachment were all associated with emotional well-being. Importantly, links between emotional well-being and practical, material concerns were outweighed by positive identifications of community as close-knit and caring; and equally, by negative identifications as intrusive and constraining, where the latter was felt more strongly by young women. Certainly, beliefs about future employment and educational opportunities were also linked to well-being, but that was over and above, and independently of, affective and social aspects of community life. Additionally, migration intentions were also bound up with sense of self and well-being, and with feelings about community life; and links between thoughts about leaving and community life as controlling and constraining were, yet again, felt more strongly by young women. Thus, gender was a key dimension affecting young people's feelings about their communities with significant implications for well-being, and out-migration. The study illustrates the importance of understanding the experiences young people have of growing up in rural areas, and how they evaluate those experiences: particularly, how life in rural communities matters for young people's well-being; and especially, for young women.

How Can We Enhance the Sense of Self-Efficacy in Epilepsy Individual Responses from 2 Qualitative Case Reports

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Michaelis ◽  
Christina Niedermann ◽  
Bettina Berger
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Focal Epilepsy ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Psychotherapeutic Interventions

Background: Epilepsy is a serious, common and chronic neurological condition characterized by an increased disposition to suffer occasional seizures. Psychological interventions may enhance the well-being of individuals with epilepsy. So far, no qualitative study has investigated the complex effects of psychotherapeutic interventions in epilepsy. Methods: This study examined the questions as to if and how the participation in a patient-centered 6-month resource-oriented mindfulness-based intervention would enhance an individual's well-being and sense of self-efficacy. Pre- and post-intervention semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 9 participants. Qualitative data analysis (Mayring) in an inter-professional group was combined with the evaluation of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31. The case reports follow the CAse REport Guidelines for Anthroposophic Art Therapies (CARE-AAT). To show the diverse nature of individual intervention objectives, we chose the single case study format, contrasting 2 participants with diagnosed focal epilepsy. Results: Pre-intervention deductive and inductive outcome categories revealed high levels of stress regarding personal seizure experience and loss of autonomy, for both participants. Post-intervention interviews consist of increased seizure-related self-efficacy and self-awareness: while minimizing the debilitating impact of the seizures on her life was relevant to Iris, Carl developed a personalized aura interruption technique. Conclusions: These qualitative case analyses suggest that enhanced psychological well-being and even positive medical results may be achieved when epilepsy care focuses on the wishes that are most meaningful to the individual. The possibility of improving the quantitative evaluation of the effects of psychotherapeutic interventions needs to be explored.

scholarly journals Stigma and self-esteem across societies: avoiding blanket psychological responses to gay men experiencing homophobia

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 167-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karyofyllis Zervoulis ◽  
Evanthia Lyons ◽  
Sokratis Dinos
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Two Cities ◽  
Positive Sense ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City ◽  
Different Levels

Aims and methodThe relationship between homophobia (varying from actual and perceived to internalised) and measures of well-being is well documented. A study in Athens, Greece and London, UK attempted to examine this relationship in two cities with potentially different levels of homophobia. One-hundred and eighty-eight men who have sex with men (MSM) living in London and 173 MSM living in Athens completed a survey investigating their views on their sexuality, perceptions of local homophobia and their identity evaluation in terms of global self-esteem.ResultsThe results confirmed a negative association between homophobia and self-esteem within each city sample. However, Athens MSM, despite perceiving significantly higher levels of local homophobia than London MSM, did not differ on most indicators of internalised homophobia and scored higher on global self-esteem than London MSM. The city context had a significant impact on the relationship.Clinical implicationsThe findings are discussed in relation to the implications they pose for mental health professionals dealing with MSM from communities experiencing variable societal stigmatisation and its effect on a positive sense of self.

Supporting patients considering reconstructive surgery

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Harcourt ◽  
Alex Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Breast Reconstruction ◽  
Reconstructive Surgery ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Decision Aids ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Significant Negative Impact

Cancer diagnosis and treatment can have a significant negative impact on patients’ well-being, body image, sexuality, and sense of self. Reconstructive surgery is commonly assumed to offer improved body image and quality of life to patients whose appearance has altered as a result of cancer treatment, but deciding whether or not to undergo reconstructive surgery can be difficult. This chapter uses the example of breast reconstruction to consider the ways in which patients faced with complex decisions about appearance-altering reconstructive surgery might be helped to make the choice that is best for them. It outlines typical options around the type and timing of breast reconstruction, considers patients’ motivation for surgery, and satisfaction with the outcome. It then explores ways of helping them make their decision, highlighting the use of decision aids and interventions focused around patients’ expectations of surgery as a way of facilitating shared decision-making in this context.

Women’s Self-Relevant Goal Pursuit in the Presence of Physical Pain: An Intraindividual Variability Approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelbie G Turner ◽  
Karen Hooker ◽  
Robert S Stawski
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Goal Pursuit ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Intraindividual Variability ◽  
Personal Goals ◽  
Physical Pain ◽  
Goal Progress ◽  
Identity Processes ◽  
Health Goal ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Objectives Pursuing personal goals that are relevant to one’s sense of self is important for adjusting to age-related changes. Experiences of physical pain, however, are thought to threaten both people’s sense of self and their pursuit of personal goals. Although a majority of older women experience physical pain, little is known about their day-to-day regulation of their self-relevant goals in the presence of physical pain. The objectives of this study were to explore associations between physical pain and health goal pursuit on a daily basis for women who identified health as a part of their possible selves. Methods We took an intraindividual variability approach to analyze whether there were within- and between-person differences in associations between daily pain and daily health goal progress among 62 women who provided data over the course of 100 days, yielding 4,150 occasions of data. Results At the between-person level, women with higher pain on average had lower health goal pursuit on average. At the within-person level, days of higher-than-average pain were associated with lower same-day health goal progress. Discussion Our results suggest that pain interrupts regulation of a self-relevant goal at a within-person—not just between-person—daily level. Future work should consider how these daily, within-person, disruptions affect broader identity processes and overall well-being.

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