Japanese Psychology

 

LIVING WITH PURPOSE, GRATITUDE AND AWARENESS

Japanese Psychology takes a unique approach to help you live an active life, with purpose, gratitude, acceptance and mindfulness. Although rooted in Eastern philosophy, the principles of Japanese Psychology blend together beautifully with a contemporary Western life-style and all mainstream religions and belief systems.

Japanese Psychology brings together two lifepaths with origins in Japan. The two lifepaths referred to as  Morita Therapy which represents the action part, and Naikan which represents self-reflection gratitude and awareness, offer an alternative approach to dealing with human suffering and human existence. Both lifepaths were developed in the twentieth century and offer you a practical and very realistic approach to living a meaningful life, exactly as you are.

The Morita lifepath can teach you to accept the natural flow of feelings that accompany your desires, such as the desire to be successful, along with your fear of failure. You will begin to recognize the patterns that go along with your search for good health and your fear of disease, and the longing for intimacy together with your need for independence. During any given day, you experience an abundance of different feelings that range from feeling anxious, vulnerable, frightened, confused, embarrassed, angry, depressed, and also grateful, happy, loving, accepting, joyful, hopeful and giving.

Morita teaches you to become aware of yourself and accept the whole mixed bag of you, the positive and negative aspects. The focus is on living your life. It is about chasing your dreams and moving towards your goals and doing the things in your life that are important. Instead of letting your unpleasant feelings hold you back, you learn how to successfully move ahead in life while co-existing with them. If you feel depressed, you feel depressed. If you feel fearful, then you accept your fear. Instead of placing a lot of attention, time and energy on trying to fix your feelings or figure out why you are the way you are, you direct your attention and efforts toward living productively and taking action on the things in your life that are meaningful and important. As you begin to get closer to your goals often the anxious or fearful feeling disappears and is replaced by a feeling of inner confidence and satisfaction.

PUT YOUR INTENTIONS INTO ACTION

Taking action is the only thing that will change your life. The magic comes from the doing! The great news here is that each day you can begin anew. Remember the slogan: "Today is the first day of the rest of your life”. Well today is a fresh start. You can choose to do things differently, and make the necessary changes in your life and enjoy a purpose-driven life. The important thing is that you keep on trying and remain flexible and open. You cannot live a happy, abundant or fulfilling life without taking the necessary action that is required .We are indeed each a strand in the web of life, and by showing up and stepping up you can help yourself and thereby help others in this beautiful, intricate dance of life.

You would probably agree that during difficult times it is important to stay focused and be willing to take action, even one small step at a time. Many people get immobilized by fear during hard times and if you can just keep on moving ahead one small step at a time, you can have a life you feel proud of instead of one were your uncomfortable feelings dominate.

“Easy does it, but do it.” –Patricia Ryan Madson

 

CULTIVATING GRATITUDE

Naikan is a Japanese word that means looking inside and refers to the practice of inner reflecting. This method of self-reflection helps you understand yourself, your relationships and the basic nature of human existence.  Practicing Naikan can help you cultivate a deeper appreciation for life while you reflect upon the interconnectedness of life and how life supports you.

Naikan has been widely recognized as one of the most effective tools in helping people cultivate an authentic sense of gratitude. Modern science now joins ancient wisdom in sharing explanations of how cultivating an attitude of gratitude makes you happier. Many spiritual teachers have been advising for thousands of years that you should maintain effective communication among heart and mind. You are probably already aware of the fact that there are biological reasons why being grateful is good for your health.

You might agree that a large amount of your time, your attention is focused on the problems you have to overcome, or on how life isn’t working out the way you want it to. Your attention may keep returning to an upsetting remark from a friend or the annoying behavior of a co-worker. Your day may be filled with things that irritate you or make you unhappy. What do you focus on?  Naikan uses self-reflection as a method of helping you retrain your attention to see a more accurate and balanced picture of your life. It is about cultivating meaningful relationships and therefore a more meaningful life, based upon appreciation and grace.

The methods of Japanese Psychology offer a fresh outlook on self-development and an alternative to traditional forms of psychotherapy in the West.

Where you focus your attention determines how you spend your days, and therefore your life. Paying attention and being mindful is interwoven into the following skills

  • Self-Reflection
  • Acceptance of feelings
  • Knowing your purpose
  • Doing what needs to be done

Japanese Psychology can help you find more meaning in your existence by gaining a new perspective on yourself and your life. Wouldn’t you rather create a life where you spend more time with family and friends? Wouldn’t you like to live each day to its fullest, while taking more risks, and growing in your spirituality and faith?

If you are like me, finding meaning and purpose is a priority in life, along with savoring life’s joys. I invite you to contact me to discuss ways in which Morita and Naikan Therapy can help you.

“An aim in life is the only fortune worth finding.”   – Robert Louis Stevenson