Comments on: Dalai Lama inspires depression prevention technique

By: ZP

ZP — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:15:36 +0000

The Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy website says that the program teaches “how to sidestep mental habits such as rumination and self-blame.” Although the stated purpose of MBCT is preventing cases of depression, it seems reasonable to assume that, because it teaches people to deal with negative thinking, it will at least serve as a treatment for mild to moderate depression when used in combination with other treatment(s), especially for people who have experience with meditation. For example, the University of Kansas program Therapeutic Lifestyle Change, which is described by the researchers as a treatment for depression, includes “anti-ruminative behaviors” as one of its six “elements.”

By: Dalai lama inspires depression prevention technique | Meditation Blog

Dalai lama inspires depression prevention technique | Meditation Blog — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:11:34 +0000

[...] See the rest here: Dalai lama inspires depression prevention technique [...]

By: » If you pray, will you make it through the day? Millennial Mind: Helping young adults navigate the world of mental illness

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:14:52 +0000

[...] World of Psychology shares a study being done at Emory University on how to prevent depression before it starts by using “compassion meditation,” promoted by the Dalai Lama. [...]

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 04:07:07 +0000

I also do not share buddhist belifs but I think that this method of meditation to fight depression is very interesting. Many times people are depressed becasue they are lonely and do not feel in sync with the rest of the world. If we are able to change the way we see each other through meditation I think that this might help.

By: rebecca

rebecca — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:25:39 +0000

This method sounds very promising, however, what about those we perceive as enemies? Isn’t it also important to place an emphasis on looking for the positive attributes, and making those people important as well? Or, will the method eventually accomplish this in the long run?

By: dakinismile

dakinismile — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:14:26 +0000

i manage my depression via the combinee eastern practices of yoga and sitting. i have heard both hhdl and raison reference the benefits of compassion meditations. can anyone please suggest one or two in particular?

By: Eat less beef « Tricycle Editors’ Blog

Eat less beef « Tricycle Editors’ Blog — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:25:10 +0000

[...] less beef January 28, 2008 Posted by Philip Ryan in Burma, Dalai Lama, Environment, Zen. trackback 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama — a Rambo-less movie trailer. And here’s adepression-prevention technique inspired by the Dalai Lama. [...]

By: 美大学研究藏传佛教控制抑郁情绪 | 鴉打歎茶之地

美大学研究藏传佛教控制抑郁情绪 | 鴉打歎茶之地 — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:18:48 +0000

[...] 尽管日志中提到的资讯出现了一位争议性人物，我仍然期待讨论的话题是如何控制情绪平稳。Jennifer Bechdel，精神医学专题博客Psychcentral的作家，提到了美国Emory大学正在研究藏传佛教的冥想对预防抑郁的作用，他是这样引述研究者的观点的： Dr. Charles Raison, of Emory University, says the idea behind compassion meditation is that “our perceptions of other people are flawed” and that “we tend naturally to see some people as friends and other people as enemies and a whole bunch of people in the middle who are sort of non-entities”. The theory is that those people in the middle become important later on. Raison uses the example; “if you aren’t married yet, a stranger is your wife; a stranger is your next boss”. The meditation processes is a way of changing our minds about how we think about those people in the middle. Dr. Raison believes that through the process of meditation it is hoped that people can become more equitable toward everyone, which will in turn reduce our chances of having depression. [...]

By: GregRogers

GregRogers — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:29:41 +0000

Actually, according to Emory’s website, “His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama has been named Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory University, the first university appointment accepted by the 1989 Nobel Peace Laureate and leader of the Tibetan exile community.”

By: ko

ko — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:48:00 +0000

“The method was inspired by Tibetan Buddhists, specifically the Dalai Lama, who is now an associate professor at Emory University in Atlanta where the new meditation process is being studied.”

The Dalai Lama is now an associate professor at Emory?

By: GregRogers

GregRogers — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:53:06 +0000

Not to mention Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, which has shown phenomenal results in preventing depression relapse. MBCT is a program based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) which has shown everything from faster healing of psoriasis to actual changes in activity in areas of the brain.

By: Loden Jinpa

Loden Jinpa — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:10:07 +0000

This comes as no surprise really. Because if you remove all the culture trimmings of Buddhism whatever culture it comes from, in this case Tibet, the Buddhist tradition is about delineating dysfunctional states of mind and replacing them with functional ones. A basis tenet of Buddhism is that all happiness, suffering and so forth comes from the mind. and that our fundamental nature is pure – not pure in the religious moralistic sense but, pure in that our minds are not stained by dysfunctional states of consciousness. Buddhism puts a great deal of emphasis of consciousness, it is the primary object of investigation practicing Buddhists, and meditation is seen as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in this endeavour.

By: If you pray, will you make it through the day? « Millennial Mind

If you pray, will you make it through the day? « Millennial Mind — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 05:08:46 +0000

[...] World of Psychology shares a study being done at Emory University on how to prevent depression before it starts by using “compassion meditation,” promoted by the Dalai Lama. [...]

By: Sue Luffman

Sue Luffman — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 23:26:02 +0000

The Dalai Llama has long since inspired me. I am not a buddhist, but I have found that the most easiest way to cope with my depression and chronic fatigue is to meditate daily for a few minutes. For me, it helps to strengthen the inner belief in myself, helps me leave all pressing problems large, small and imagined far behind in my meditation place. It also helps to quell the chaoes in my mind. A few minutes of silence and emptiness, compassion for myself, my inner self and my body.Ready to fight- gently and methodically the next day.