The Four Skills of Japanese Psychology Many of us read a lot of books that provide wise advice about how to live. But when we encounter challenges that push us to the edge, we find it difficult to put that advice into practice. Reading doesn’t help us live better, it just gives us information and ideas. To integrate those ideas into our lives, we have to practice. A Natural Approach to Mental Wellness identifies four skills that are the foundation of Japanese Psychology: 1. Acceptance. “Arugamama” is a Japanese term that means “to accept things as they are”. In such a state of acceptance, there is no energy caught up in resistance and struggle. Many of us struggle to control what cannot be controlled. Acceptance is a skill that allows us to relax into a situation that is challenging, rather than trying to control and manipulate external conditions. 2. Coexisting with Unpleasant Feelings. We have a fairly limited cultural understanding about how to deal with feelings. We tend to consider only two options – either to express them or to repress them. But the other option is to coexist with them, to accept them and take them with us as we do what we need to do in our lives. This skill is the key to taking action and accomplishing the things which are important and meaningful to us, even when we don’t feel like it. 3. Attention. The theme of attention runs through both Morita Therapy and Naikan. One of the most distinctive characteristics of Japanese Psychology is the discovery that self-focused attention is associated with psychological and emotional suffering. So instead of constantly focusing on our internal experience, we learn to shift our attention in a way that helps us engage with the world around us. 4. Self-Reflection. We all have a story (actually many stories) that explain our unique lives and relationships with others. The practice of Naikan self-reflection gives us a chance to challenge the validity of our stories. A sincere examination of ourselves takes both courage and wisdom. But it allows us to abandon the view of ourselves as a victim and helps us develop a deep sense of appreciation for life and how we’ve been cared for and supported. How Do You Use the Four Mental Wellness Skills? The vast majority of psychological and emotional problems create suffering for us because we do not possess the skills required to address the challenges life places before us. In other words, mental wellness is not based on insight, self-awareness or some sort of individual deficiency. Mental wellness is based on our skill level. Let me give you an example. I know a woman in her early seventies who is depressed and unhappy. She has faced some great challenges in the past several years including (read more) thirtythousanddays.org/
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:13:34 +0000
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