This book describes Buddhist-Yogic ideas in relation to those of contemporary Western psychology. The book begins with the Buddhist view of the human psyche and of the human condition. This leads to the question of what psychological changes need to be made to improve that condition. Similarities between Buddhism and Western Psychology include: Both are concerned with alleviating inner pain, turmoil, affliction and suffering. Both are humanistic and naturalistic in that they focus on the human condition and interpret it in natural terms. Both view the human being as caught in a causal framework, in a matrix of forces such as cravings or drives which are produced by both our biology and our beliefs. Both teach the appropriatenss of compassion, concern and unconditional positive regard towards others. Both share the ideal of maturing or growth. In the East and the West, this is interpreted as greater self possession, diminished cravings and agitations, less impulsivity and deeper observations which permit us to monitor and change our thoughts and emotional states. Buddhism, Yoga, and Western Psychology, especially the recent emphasis on positive psychology, are concerned with the attainment of deep and lasting happiness. The thesis of all three is that self-transformation is the surest path to this happiness.

In a manner never before published, this book presents both Buddhism and Yoga and relates them to contemporary Western psychology. Although existing books begin with advanced concepts, such as emptiness or egolessness, The Positive Psychology of Buddhism and Yoga begins with very basic concepts and avoids the exotic and so called "mystical" notions. Levine emphasizes the goals of Buddhism and Yoga and the methods they employ to achieve those goals. This book is divided into four sections. The first deals with Buddhism, the second with Yoga, and the third describes aims and practices in Western clinical psychology. The fourth section is a workshop on handling anger. The central lesson of the first three sections is that one can improve one's life by changing one's self. This fourth section applies this lesson and the methods of the three preceding sections to handling one's own anger. Overall the book is rich with Eastern tales and illustrative anecdotes. These concrete examples vividly illuminate the general conceptual presentation. Levine shows not only the basic concerns of Buddhism and Yoga and how intensely practical their methods are but how these concerns and methods relate to those of modern Western psychology. Application to daily living is emphasized throughout. The serious reader should start: *to experience less anger, agitation, and stress; *to improve relationships with coworkers, family, and friends; and *to face life's challenges with greater wisdom and strength.

Millions of people practice some form of yoga, but they often do so without a clear understanding of its history, traditions, and purposes. This comprehensive bibliography, designed to assist researchers, practitioners, and general readers in navigating the extensive yoga literature, lists and comments upon English-language yoga texts published since 1981. It includes entries for more than 2,400 scholarly as well as popular works, manuals, original Sanskrit source text translations, conference proceedings, doctoral dissertations, and master's theses. Entries are arranged alphabetically by author for easy access, while thorough author, title, and subject indexes will help readers find books of interest.

If you think you know what positive psychology is, think again! This book offers a new integrative vision for making life better that takes in the body and the brain, culture and society, childhood and development... A must read for students." - Stephen Joseph, University of Nottingham "Captures the best of the positive psychology initiative, and most importantly, translates it to practice. The authors bring remarkable depth and breadth to the subject matter and do so in a way that is fresh, engaging, relevant, and unusually thoughtful." - Carol Ryff, University of Wisconsin-Madison "If you want to understand what positive psychology really is, learn how it works in practice and discover its huge potential to transform our lives and our world then look no further than this superb book. I really can′t recommend it highly enough." - Mark Williamson, Director of Action for Happiness This exciting new textbook, written by leading academics in the UK, offers the very first authored title on applied positive psychology for university courses. Consisting of the latest cutting-edge theory and research in the subject and structured around a pioneering multidimensional model of wellbeing, this book will provide you with the knowledge and tools to apply positive psychology in many areas of life. These include interventions aimed at developing mental and physical functioning, to recommendations for enhancing relationships and reshaping organisational structures. The book shows how these practices can be successfully deployed in diverse real-world settings, from the classroom to the workplace. Key features include: Learning objectives set out at the start of each chapter Practice essay questions throughout and quizzes to test your knowledge at the end of each chapter Useful measurement tools and recommendations for research Summary boxes and suggested further reading and resources Case studies and ‘Reflection’ boxes that invite you to explore topics in greater depth and relate findings to your everyday life. This book will be essential reading for all students with an interest in or studying a course in applied positive psychology, and is strongly recommended to students taking a wider course in positive psychology and the psychology of happiness and wellbeing.

The volume will be a collection of chapters about current theory, research, and practice related to multiculturalism and positive psychology. This book will serve as a reference to any who are interested in the intersection of positive psychology and multicultural context. While many in the field of positive psychology have begun to move more strongly towards a culturally-embedded approach that recognizes the importance of context in discussing, viewing and cultivating strengths in individuals from different backgrounds, there is still a dearth of research in this area compared with studies that take a cross-cultural approach (comparing people from different countries) or one that is purported to be “culture-free” or universal in its application. While it is becoming more common to see various articles or chapters published on these topics, there is still no comprehensive text aimed at discussion of the collection of these topics presented in a cohesive and structured way. This book aims to fill this gap in the literature. In this book, a broad definition of culture is utilized that includes such facets as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic or social class status, disability, religion, sexual orientation and gender. This book is intended to present research, theory and suggestions for practice that are grounded in diverse cultural contexts and current scholarship. It will assist researchers, students and practitioners who are studying and working within diverse populations. Currently there exists no comprehensive text that addresses the intersection of positive psychology and multiculturalism. Several edited volumes address positive psychology constructs (e.g., well-being, optimal experience, autonomy) across cultures, but they do not focus on multicultural populations within the United States. Other books focus more specifically on mental health applications and stress and coping among multicultural populations, however these books do not provide a broad perspective on psychology beyond this application piece. The proposed book will review current theory and research about constructs in addition to applications across contexts. Finally, other published books have focused on youth within multicultural society; this volume is more broad in its address of issues of positive psychology across the lifespan and across various aspects of identity including disability, gender, social class and sexual orientation.

In this vanguard work, the fruits of the Buddhist heritage together with contemporary therapy, systematic research, and postmodern thought launch a cultural revolution toward New Buddhist Psychology. The volume contains 28 chapters by 38 contributors from 12 countries, and introduces a range of useful practices and integrative theoretical deliberations. (Philosophy)

Indian psychology is a distinct psychological tradition rooted in the native Indian ethos. It manifests in the multitude of practices prevailing in the Indian subcontinent for centuries. Unlike the mainstream psychology, Indian psychology is not overwhelmingly materialist-reductionist in character. It goes beyond the conventional third-person forms of observation to include the study of first-person phenomena such as subjective experience in its various manifestations and associated cognitive phenomena. It does not exclude the investigation of extraordinary states of consciousness and exceptional human abilities. The quintessence of Indian nature is its synthetic stance that results in a magical bridging of dichotomies such as natural and supernatural, secular and sacred, and transactional and transcendental. The result is a psychology that is practical, positive, holistic and inclusive. The Handbook of Indian Psychology is an attempt to explore the concepts, methods and models of psychology systematically from the above perspective. The Handbook is the result of the collective efforts of more than thirty leading international scholars with interdisciplinary backgrounds. In thirty-one chapters, the authors depict the nuances of classical Indian thought, discuss their relevance to contemporary concerns, and draw out the implications and applications for teaching, research and practice of psychology.

This book is for mental health practitioners who want to enhance their clients' psychological wellbeing using therapeutic tools drawn from spiritual and religious thought. What can a non-religious therapist do when a client directly requests help with a problem involving spiritual matters? How can a therapist who is engaged in a religious tradition frame strategies such as discerning vocation, participating in spiritual or religious rituals, and forgiving in ways that are acceptable to secular clients?Thomas Plante answers these questions and more by presenting thirteen tools to improve psychological and spiritual health that can be integrated into secular or religious-oriented practice. ""Spiritual Practices in Psychotherapy"" first reviews history, philosophy, and research behind and evidence for integrating tools such as meditation, learning from spiritual models, and becoming part of something larger than oneself into therapy practice. Dr. Plante makes a case for integrating spiritual and religious tools in therapy as part of ethical practice, and as a way to add value to services such as assessment, counseling, and consultation with other professionals. A rich and diverse collection of case illustrations shows how to conduct psychotherapy using these tools, and walks readers through real-world examples of how to consult with clergy. Finally, the book offers an agenda for continued research and education and a variety of resources for further study in this area.

Presents a multidisciplinary analysis of environmental problems, describing economic, psychological, and theological reasons for society's choices.