Contemplative psychology: Difference between revisions
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Dr Han F. de Wit ('''Contemplative psychologist''')has argued that many spiritual traditions contain a kind of psychology of their own, which is different from academic or conventional psychology. His first and seminal paper on Contemplative Psychology defines it as the body of “psychological insights and methods that are – often implicitly – present in the vision and practices of religions and that clarify and guide one’s contemplative or religious development” (De Wit, 1986). As such contemplative psychology is an intrinsic part of the contemplative traditions of most world religions. Within the contemplative traditions themselves, which are in some cases more than two millennia old, these insights and methods are of course not necessarily called ‘psychological’, as the concept of ‘psychology’ is of rather recent date. Contemplative psychology, however, is not based on academic psychological theories that discuss contemplation, religion or religious behaviour from the outside. Rather this psychology has become visible by mining and researching what the contemplative traditions themselves have to offer: what kind of methods and insights do they contain about understanding one’s mind, one’s emotions and motivations and about how to improve the quality of one’s own and other people’s life. This research, which started at Naropa University, USA and flourished from there, has been carried out most extensively by the Dutch psychologist Han F. de Wit. It has been published by Duquesne University press. |
Dr Han F. de Wit ('''Contemplative psychologist''')has argued that many spiritual traditions contain a kind of psychology of their own, which is different from academic or conventional psychology. His first and seminal paper on Contemplative Psychology defines it as the body of “psychological insights and methods that are – often implicitly – present in the vision and practices of religions and that clarify and guide one’s contemplative or religious development” (De Wit, 1986). As such contemplative psychology is an intrinsic part of the contemplative traditions of most world religions. Within the contemplative traditions themselves, which are in some cases more than two millennia old, these insights and methods are of course not necessarily called ‘psychological’, as the concept of ‘psychology’ is of rather recent date. Contemplative psychology, however, is not based on academic psychological theories that discuss contemplation, religion or religious behaviour from the outside. Rather this psychology has become visible by mining and researching what the contemplative traditions themselves have to offer: what kind of methods and insights do they contain about understanding one’s mind, one’s emotions and motivations and about how to improve the quality of one’s own and other people’s life. This research, which started at Naropa University, USA and flourished from there, has been carried out most extensively by the Dutch psychologist Han F. de Wit. It has been published by Duquesne University press. |
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Dr Han F. de Wit (Contemplative psychologist)has argued that many spiritual traditions contain a kind of psychology of their own, which is different from academic or conventional psychology. His first and seminal paper on Contemplative Psychology defines it as the body of “psychological insights and methods that are – often implicitly – present in the vision and practices of religions and that clarify and guide one’s contemplative or religious development” (De Wit, 1986). As such contemplative psychology is an intrinsic part of the contemplative traditions of most world religions. Within the contemplative traditions themselves, which are in some cases more than two millennia old, these insights and methods are of course not necessarily called ‘psychological’, as the concept of ‘psychology’ is of rather recent date. Contemplative psychology, however, is not based on academic psychological theories that discuss contemplation, religion or religious behaviour from the outside. Rather this psychology has become visible by mining and researching what the contemplative traditions themselves have to offer: what kind of methods and insights do they contain about understanding one’s mind, one’s emotions and motivations and about how to improve the quality of one’s own and other people’s life. This research, which started at Naropa University, USA and flourished from there, has been carried out most extensively by the Dutch psychologist Han F. de Wit. It has been published by Duquesne University press. Some of the key questions of any contemplative psychology are: Why is it that some people become wiser and gentler during their lifetimes, while others become more hard-hearted and shortsighted to themselves and to others? Why do we find ourselves sometimes going in this and then in that direction? Why do some people develop the ability to cope with suffering, while others fall apart? And what is it that causes some people to experience an increasing measure of joy in their lives, while others become more anxious and fearful? Do we have a choice in developing in one of these two directions? According to the spiritual traditions we do have a choice and their contemplative psychology offers the means to do so.
These questions are central to Contemplative psychology. They concern an inner flourishing—sometimes willed, sometimes not—that occurs in the depth of our being. Whether it is present or absent can determine our attitude toward life,.[1][2]
References
- ^ "The Case for Contemplative Psychology". SHAMBHALA, Netherlands.
- ^ Dr Han de Wit (1991). "Contemplative Psychology". Duquesne University Press, Pittsburgh, PA 15282; ISBN 978-0-8207-0228-5 (0-8207-0228-5).
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