Daoist meditation practices, such as Sitting in Oblivion and Inner Observation, are less commonly used than Buddhist meditation for psychological regulation due to their philosophical complexity. This analysis compared classical Daoist methods and developed a new technique called Merging Oblivion Meditation, which combines Inner Observation and Sitting in Oblivion. Inner Observation, which involves merging with the cosmic landscape, proved more adaptable for psychological use. Merging Oblivion Meditation uses guided imagination to reduce the sense of self by fostering experiential unity with cosmic landscapes, facilitating nondual awareness without apophatic operations. This approach simplifies traditional Sitting in Oblivion, making it more feasible as a psychological technique. It differs from Buddhist-derived practices in process and effects, potentially engaging distinct mechanisms for nondual experiences.
Resilience, the capacity to adapt and recover from adversity, can be cultivated through meditation, but different types of meditation may contribute in distinct ways. This perspective article introduces the Meditation-Resilience Interaction Model (MRIM), which proposes that focused attention meditation (FAM) enhances recoverability by strengthening executive control, while open monitoring meditation (OMM) reduces vulnerability and fosters interactivity through a process of decentering. The two practices work synergistically: FAM builds the attentional foundation that allows OMM to promote broader resilience. The model provides a framework for designing personalized meditation interventions and for guiding future empirical research.
A meditation method from Chinese Buddhism, developed by Zhiyi, uses imagination to cultivate loving-kindness and compassion, limiting the content of imagination during practice. This contrasts with Theravada Buddhist free association and Tibetan Buddhist tonglen methods. Zhiyi's approach may be more suitable for participants without religious beliefs because it involves helping others entirely through imagination. The article outlines a mental-health training program based on this method and discusses its limitations and future research directions, noting that empirical studies are needed to compare its effects and applicability with other meditation methods.