Spiritual and Depth Psychology for Improving Mental Health
Updated: Nov 3, 2022
Spiritual Psychology is inspired by Buddhist Psychology. Some areas of focus inspired from these teaching I may incorporate during sessions may include these 5 things:
1. How To Sit With Feelings
With some many opportunities for distractions in life like overoworking, using narcotics, endless scrolling on social media, or streaming movies or the trendy urge to become cold and heartless. Pretending not to feel anything, as if nothing hurts us, emotionless like a robot. But that faking to be without emotion is just that faking. Learning to sit with your feelings, recognize them for what they are is the first step to turning the undesirable feeling around. If it's ignored it'll only last longer, and in some cases grow.
2. No One "Makes" Us Feel A Certain Way
Have your ever blamed someone for making you feel a certain way? Maybe they said something you didn't like and it you felt a certain way so instead of taking a step back to try and understand why you felt triggered you responded with anger or looked at them funny the rest of your time together? Yes, some people say things to purposely make us feel a certain way but they can only succeed IF you let them. Some of us are easily anger because what was said spoke a truth we weren't ready for. Sometimes it's because we are simply still dealing with that area in our lives and they exposed a soft and perhaps vulnerable spot. And instead of us acknowledging that we turn to anger as a shield.
3. Our Feelings Are Our Responsibility
Similar to realizing no one makes us feel a certain way, taking responsibility for our feelings is important as well. When we have a feeling it is our responsibility to analyze it. Surpressing your emotions and/or feelings can be hurtful to not only those we love but it can hurt us too. Ignoring your feelings can be a sign that there is some unresolved trauma that maybe deep within us. Sometimes we don't even realize how deep something affected us until we start working on the surface and continue to ask the question, "why?" and soon enough we start to connect the dots to past events, painful and unfortunate memories and even some good ones. Connecting the dots and taking responsibility for our feelings doesn't have to be a painful experience, it's awakening, relieves us from much needed pressure.
4. Think About How We Impact Others Whether It's On Purpose or Inadvertently
Have you ever been bullied in school? Do you remember some of the hurtful things that were said to you? Do you remember how long it took you to move past those comments, and finally realize it wasn't true? You will be surprised at the amount of adults that are still dealing with things said to them in high school, middle school or even earlier in theri childhood. This also goes for those who suffered from emotional abuse from their parents growing up. It's important to realize that our words can impact a persons life more than we realize. This is why it's important to not talk when you're angry or hurt. Using words as a weapon can end up hurting ones we love more than we planned to and cause the end of relationships. Some people end up risking their lives to change the things that people make them feel inadequate about, whether its their beauty, status, or another part of their life.
5. Happiness Comes From Within
Lastly, it's important to remember that no matter how much happiness you experience in certain settings or around certain people, it came from you, not them. No one can make you happy, only you have the power to do that. People, places, and things can enhance and add to our happiness, but only we can turn it off and on.