Tibetan Meditative Transformation Essay -- Buddhism Religion Papers

Tibetan Meditative Transformation When one hears the word "Tibet," several pop-culture images come to mind; these might include the often seen "Free Tibet!" bumper sticker, the perpetual smile of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, or the mental image of orange clad monks with shaved heads, chanting in unison. American culture has embraced many aspects of Tibetan culture in a rather superficial manner, but upon further inspection, it becomes apparent that these particular aspects have been embraced because they represent what is most important to Tibetans: their seemingly endless struggle for political freedom from an oppressive Chinese rule, the religious and political role of their charismatic leader, Tenzin Gyatso, and the role of religion in everyday life. One particular Tibetan practice which Americans seem to have latched onto is the idea of meditation. Many Westerners see it as a way to improve their lives; and yet meditation, while helpful, may not be all that unique in terms of its effects on occasional practitioners . Meditation is an essential part of Buddhism, the religion which pervades every aspect of the traditional Tibetan life; it was in part this central, unifying ideology that allowed the Tibetans to be almost completely self-contained, with little or no contact to the outside world, for most of their history prior to the twentieth century. The Dalai Lama and other religious figures lead the country; Buddhism is an inseparable part of Tibetan culture, to the extent that traditional Tibetans sometimes find themselves unable to relate to outsiders, and for this reason strove in the past to sustain themselves without trade or contact with other cultures. Prior to Chinese occupation, an extremely large percent of the ... ... Rehabilitation, 12, 117-125. Piburn, S. (1993). The Dalai Lama, a policy of kindness: An anthology of writings by and about the Dalai Lama. Ithaca, NY, USA: Snow Lion Publications. Stoyva, J., & Anderson, C. (1982). A coping-rest model of relaxation and stress management. In L. Goldberger & S. Breznitz (Eds.), Handbook of stress: Theoretical and clinical aspects (pp. 745-763). London: Collier Macmillan Publishers. Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., Ridgeway, V. A., Soulsby, J. M., & Lau, M. A. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 68, 615-623. West, M. A. (1987). Traditional and psychological perspectives on meditation. In M. West (Ed.), The psychology of meditation (pp. 5-22). New York: Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press. Tibetan Meditative Transformation Essay -- Buddhism Religion Papers Tibetan Meditative Transformation When one hears the word "Tibet," several pop-culture images come to mind; these might include the often seen "Free Tibet!" bumper sticker, the perpetual smile of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, or the mental image of orange clad monks with shaved heads, chanting in unison. American culture has embraced many aspects of Tibetan culture in a rather superficial manner, but upon further inspection, it becomes apparent that these particular aspects have been embraced because they represent what is most important to Tibetans: their seemingly endless struggle for political freedom from an oppressive Chinese rule, the religious and political role of their charismatic leader, Tenzin Gyatso, and the role of religion in everyday life. One particular Tibetan practice which Americans seem to have latched onto is the idea of meditation. Many Westerners see it as a way to improve their lives; and yet meditation, while helpful, may not be all that unique in terms of its effects on occasional practitioners . Meditation is an essential part of Buddhism, the religion which pervades every aspect of the traditional Tibetan life; it was in part this central, unifying ideology that allowed the Tibetans to be almost completely self-contained, with little or no contact to the outside world, for most of their history prior to the twentieth century. The Dalai Lama and other religious figures lead the country; Buddhism is an inseparable part of Tibetan culture, to the extent that traditional Tibetans sometimes find themselves unable to relate to outsiders, and for this reason strove in the past to sustain themselves without trade or contact with other cultures. Prior to Chinese occupation, an extremely large percent of the ... ... Rehabilitation, 12, 117-125. Piburn, S. (1993). The Dalai Lama, a policy of kindness: An anthology of writings by and about the Dalai Lama. Ithaca, NY, USA: Snow Lion Publications. Stoyva, J., & Anderson, C. (1982). A coping-rest model of relaxation and stress management. In L. Goldberger & S. Breznitz (Eds.), Handbook of stress: Theoretical and clinical aspects (pp. 745-763). London: Collier Macmillan Publishers. Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., Ridgeway, V. A., Soulsby, J. M., & Lau, M. A. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 68, 615-623. West, M. A. (1987). Traditional and psychological perspectives on meditation. In M. West (Ed.), The psychology of meditation (pp. 5-22). New York: Clarendon Press/Oxford University Press.