Buddism, Yoga and Mental Illness

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I’ve noticed that a large number of mentally ill Catholics and Jews, led by the leaders of their community, the therapists, are turning to Buddhism and Yoga for help with their [often serious] mental illness. Why not just read the Bible, pray, meditate on Holy Spirit or Jesus’ presence, etc., and go to his Church or temple/synagogue for fellowship?
 
Not quite sure why they do, but Buddhism seems to be “in” these days. But I will say in my stint as a Buddhist before crossing the Tiber that once you get meditation down it can be really very relaxing.

I’m not sure how Yoga helps with mental illness, but I used to do Yoga every now and then for exercise.
 
I think that so few priests really know how to direct someone in meditation or contemplative prayer that they send them to Buddists who are able to. As long as yoga is done as exercise or relaxation it is fine, like anything else, it is what you intend it for.

I think the answer is that we need more people in the Church who are able to guide people in prayer.

I would be worried if the people advised to do this weren’t also told to seek medical help.
 
buddhism made me not believe in God awhile back so i think no Christian should practice it we need to focus on God not karma or the five fold way or whatever it is i cant remember now
 
Michael19682 said:
I’ve noticed that a large number of mentally ill Catholics and Jews, led by the leaders of their community, the therapists, are turning to Buddhism and Yoga for help with their [often serious] mental illness. Why not just read the Bible, pray, meditate on Holy Spirit or Jesus’ presence, etc., and go to his Church or temple/synagogue for fellowship?
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Amen! The best way to get mentally well is to concentrate on the teachings of Jesus!
 
Michael19682 said:
I’ve noticed that a large number of mentally ill Catholics and Jews, led by the leaders of their community, the therapists, are turning to Buddhism and Yoga for help with their [often serious] mental illness. Why not just read the Bible, pray, meditate on Holy Spirit or Jesus’ presence, etc., and go to his Church or temple/synagogue for fellowship?
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Do you have any news reports or statistics to back up your comment? I’ve never heard of this.
 
Not formal descriptive statistics. It’s only as I have ‘noticed’. I was in a Buddhist group for a couple years, even lived in with a couple of them in an informal community. They were mostly ex-Catholics and Jews. There is a big half-serious, half-funny word, to me indicating that Buddhism is nearing Kosher status—‘Jubu’.

Yoga and other eastern spirituality has exploded all over the place in these parts. Many yoga studios everywhere. Best place to see for yourself might be a whole foods or new age section of town–the advertisements are all over. This one sect I studied with has more monks, and teachers, than they have places to put them, so it appeared to me. Ayurveda and alternative medicine is big. Probably because there is so much money in these counties (Westchester I believe is the wealthiest one on the USA, though CA might have a competitor).

Hope that answers your question.

Oh yeah, just the other day I heard two elderlyish men outside the church talking about the Heart Sutra–a Buddhist scripture. 'Course they were discrete, but nevertheless, its gaining momentum.
 
Michael19682 said:
Not formal descriptive statistics. It’s only as I have ‘noticed’. I was in a Buddhist group for a couple years, even lived in with a couple of them in an informal community. They were mostly ex-Catholics and Jews. There is a big half-serious, half-funny word, to me indicating that Buddhism is nearing Kosher status—‘Jubu’.

Yoga and other eastern spirituality has exploded all over the place in these parts. Many yoga studios everywhere. Best place to see for yourself might be a whole foods or new age section of town–the advertisements are all over. This one sect I studied with has more monks, and teachers, than they have places to put them, so it appeared to me. Ayurveda and alternative medicine is big. Probably because there is so much money in these counties (Westchester I believe is the wealthiest one on the USA, though CA might have a competitor).

Hope that answers your question.

Oh yeah, just the other day I heard two elderlyish men outside the church talking about the Heart Sutra–a Buddhist scripture. 'Course they were discrete, but nevertheless, its gaining momentum.
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I know yoga and Buddist groups are quite popular and many people seek both out for self enlightenment. But for the people that truly suffer from a mental illness, I’ve never heard of the leaders of a community or even a trained professional advising them to get well by joining a Buddist group. That’s why I asked for any official data to back up your claims.
 
PatriceA said:
I know yoga and Buddist groups are quite popular and many people seek both out for self enlightenment. But for the people that truly suffer from a mental illness, I’ve never heard of the leaders of a community or even a trained professional advising them to get well by joining a Buddist group. That’s why I asked for any official data to back up your claims.
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has its origins in Stoicism and in Buddhist Mindfulness meditation. See Mindfulness CBT:Mindfulness is a way of observing thoughts, images and feelings in an accepting way without either: -
  • *]engaging with them, stepping back to interpret them in the traditional way. …
    or
    *]using distraction techniques to try to suppress and/or escape from them.

    That is Buddhist Mindfulness meditation coupled with the Buddhist virtue of detachment. We observe ourselves but we don’t get attached to ourselves.

    rossum
 
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