August 25th, 2006 Posted in Mind and body, Psychology

Meditation and psychology collide

Rummaging through my Paperwork Mountain™ I found a journal article that I printed ages ago. Walsh & Shapiro (2006) discuss the meeting of eastern meditation techniques and western 20th century psychology. Rather than fighting each other, the authors describe how the two can compliment each other. Having meditated for several years and being just about to start my 3rd year of a psychology degree, I am excited by this article. It appears that meditation may increase mental capacities, attention and memory, and decrease stress.

Walsh, R. and Shapiro, S. (2006). The Meeting of Meditative Disciplines and Western Psychology: A Mutually Enriching Dialogue. American Psychologist 61 (3) p. 227-239.

I had that strange phenomenon when I started to read, where I fiddle around with my environment as a way of putting off reading. I know i’m doing it, but it still happens! Willpower prevailed, and the article got read. Procrastination is a problem.