Below is the introduction to a fascinating paper the whole of which can be reached HERE
The following is a contribution to Serendip by Phouttasone (Pilou) Thirakoul, who wrote it during her senior year (1996-1997) as a Psychology major and Neural and Behavioral Sciences concentrator at Bryn Mawr College. Pilou’s essay provides a useful introduction to both Buddhist thinking in relation to brain and behavior, and to a branch of western psychology which, with its stress on active generation and regeneration of self, is of considerable interest from a Serendip perspective. Pilou’s essay also represents an example of the benefits to be gained by looking at problems from multiple perspectives, and as encouragement to further thinking about the relations between psychological, neuroscientific, and spiritual approaches to problems of consciousness and self-hood.
BUDDHIST MEDITATION AND PERSONAL
CONSTRUCT PSYCHOLOGY
This paper seeks to examine the phenomenon of Buddhist meditation within the context of a Western psychological personality theory called Personal Construct Psychology. Formulated nearly twenty-five hundred years apart (Buddhist meditation by the 5th century B.C. Indian teacher Siddhartha Gautama; the Psychology of Personal Constructs, by the 20th century A.D. American psychologist George Kelly), the doctrines expressed in each tradition inevitably reveal differences between one another. But what is most fascinating is that even despite their differences, striking and illuminating points of correspondence can be observed between the principles of meditation and the theory of human consciousness articulated by Kelly. In light of the growing Western interest in meditative practice as a potentially useful tool in clinical practice and research, and in light of the sustained popularity of George Kelly’s constructivist theory of personality in clinical application, it seems worthy to explore possible commonalities between them.
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Author: Roger - Dr Roger Prentice
Now I write, teach and coach mainly self-understanding. At advanced levels About 21stC 'interfaith as inter-spirituality' - and how we can grow closer to our True Self.
In the past I :
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1) I ran courses and give talks at conferences and in universities and colleges in the UK, China, USA, Canada, Scandinavia etc.
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2) I provided materials, outlines and lessons for Schools.
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3) My range of interests include personal development, learning and teaching, photography and film, the arts generally, spirituality and educational practice and theory.
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4) At the same time I continue developing the human-centred studies SunWALK PDS (People Development System) - a whole-person, high-achievement model for individuals, and for use in, NGOs, schools and other organizations.
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5) The key question that continues to animate me and my work remains, "What is it to be fully and positively human?"
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Contact me via onesummit AT gmail DOT com (replace At with@ etc.).
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All good wishes
Roger (Dr Roger Prentice)
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For those interested;
My first degree is in English and Education.
My masters is in Adult and Community Education.
My doctorate presented a new holistic meta-model of education called SunWALK.
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Soul Needs - One Garden 