Meditation and Positive Psychology
The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology July 30, 2009 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195187243.013.0057 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that the scientific community has largely ignored meditation's original purposes of uncovering positive qualities and catalyzing internal potential for healing, and highlights pioneering research that explores these positive effects. |
Abstract
Mental health, once defined in terms of absence of illness, has gradually become understood in a more holistic way, which also includes the positive qualities that help people flourish. This evolving definition of mental health has led to an exploration of other traditions and practices, including meditation, which for thousands of years have been devoted to developing an expanded vision of human potential. One result was the introduction of the practice of meditation into Western scientific study. However, the principal original intentions of meditation, to uncover the positive and to catalyze our internal potential for healing and development, have been largely ignored by the scientific community. Yet, a small number of researchers and theorists have explored and continue to explore the positive effects of meditation. The chapter focuses on this pioneering work.