In my approach to the practice, I focused on suffering for many years. I did not understand that generating the feeling of joy and being in touch with the wonders of Life is a way of handling suffering. So I need to recognize I may be underestimating how powerful well-being, joy and simple happiness can be as a response to the situation we are in globally and collectively.
Thich Nhat Hanh
I have been thinking about the steps I have been taking lately to understand and transcend "suffering". It is the same direction most spiritual movements have taken over the years and it has been the direction psychology has taken to date, is it not? Most research and emphasis in this field has been on understanding and attempting to "fix" or at least help ease emotional and mental torment. The focus, then has been on the so called "negative " emotions which Fear would have likely been considered the ring leader. Hmm!
Putting the Positive In Psychology
I am now taking a course, where the psychology focus is on positive emotions rather than negative (And Love is the ring leader for this pack). Positive Psychology is all about understanding these positive emotions and how they can help us to attain and maintain emotional and psychological resilience and strength. The focus is no longer on learning how to "get rid" of or, at least, directly diminish the effect negative emotions have on our day to day experiences but on fostering, " Broadening and Building" the positive effects the positive emotions have on our lives.
Does this new approach change my trajectory, does it take me off course? No, it beautifully supplements and enhances what I have been learning as I tap into the ancient teachings from the east. And, it offers, what so many of us, who are held back from true freedom by our skeptical doubt, need...scientific validity.
Skeptical Doubt and The Need for Scientific Validity?
I am at the point that I really do not need the scientific validity...in fact if I read one more psychology research paper I will likely throw up. (No offense to those who painstakingly research, collect and share evidence for us doubters that prove their brilliant hypotheses' ...but "Research and Design' was my least favorite course. The sharing of data collection does not make for very interesting reading for a mind that works like mine does. The statistical analysis required...ugh!!! And Nursing Research Papers can be even worse...I know, I wrote a few. So I am challenged by such papers. I know others who thrive on such research.)
To me this "knowing" that we are seeking, whether we know it or not, cannot be effectively collected through controlled experiments and it can not be accurately expressed in words, ideas, thoughts or conclusions. It is beyond all that. Still...we often have minds that say, "Explain it", "prove it", "show it". Empirical evidence comes in handy here.
Still...this Truth that we are attempting to prove true is ancient...and very, very experiential. "Love heals"...yeah...all we have to do is feel true Love to experience its healing effects, first hand. "Feeling happiness and joy gives us more energy", feel joy and happiness and you will know. Loving kindness and compassion improves our social connectedness and fosters a sense of safety, security and belonging in us...try it and find out for yourself.
Embracing Joy/Embracing Suffering
Anyway...these "ideas" of positive emotions and suffering go hand and hand. In this lovely article, as linked below, we see how positivity can help us to embrace suffering with much more ease. Being positive does not mean we negate the less than positive emotions. (Eventually, if we evolve enough ,we put away our duality focus of good, bad, negative or positive)
Also it is good to note that in the 16 exercises for mindful breathing, the Buddha strongly suggested that we generate joy and happiness prior to recognizing and embracing our pain. There is definitely a need for Positive Psychology in our approach to well being.
All is well.
Brother Phap Linh ( November , 2021) Generating Joy and Embracing Suffering Plum Village App. https://plumvillage.app/generating-joy-and-embracing-suffering-in-times-of-crisis/
Mindfulness Bell.org/Thich Nhat Hanh (Winter /Spring 2010) Dharma Talk Sutra On the Full Awareness of Breathing https://www.mindfulnessbell.org/archive/tag/16+exercises+for+mindful+breathing
Plum Village App/ Thich Nhat Hanh (July, 2020) Nourishing Our Joy and Happiness/ Thich Nhat Hanh/ Short Teaching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KsQsmzm-ys
School of Positive Transformation
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