Take a day of rest

When was the last time you took a day to rest?  Can you imagine a day without a cell phone or computer?  Why not try it?  Spend a day just doing something restful for you.  Rest can mean different things, to different people.  What is restful for you?  Are you doing it?  Why not?  How do you nourish your soul, your being?  How close are you to taking, that one day?   What do you think?

Have fun this weekend!

Why not do something fun this weekend?  Get out of the house, off your sofa and off your computer for part of the weekend.  Go to a party, to a movie, for a long walk etc...Take some time, off for you.  Take a break from the demands imposed on you.  Think about your life.  Are you happy?  Are you sad?  What power do you have, that can change things for yourself?  What makes you happy?  Do you have enough to live on?  Do you have enough to eat?  What can you change in your life to reach your goals?  What have you done to get you there?  Are you writing in your journal?  Why not?  Are you happy with the friends you have?

What do you think?  

Cross-sectional research design (cont......)(psychology notes)

Here the research compares groups of 35, 45 and 55 year olds in terms of memory ability.  It may be possible to correlate age with memory by noting differences among the three different age groups. But does age alone account for memory ability differences?  There may be a cohort effect, meaning that different age groups share different formative cultural events such as economic, depression, war; growing up with television.  Thus, when researchers compare different age groups, is the difference between them on some psychological variable due to age or a cohort effect? 

cont........

Experimental Studies (psychology - notes)

Experimental Studies  -  Cause and effect relationships are explored in experimental research.  The manipulation of one variable while keeping the others constant, may show that the experimental variable (or treatment), has an effect or it does not.

Steps in Experimental Designs:
1.  Identify variables:  The independent and dependant variables must be identified and controlled.
2.  After identification of variables, subjects must be assigned randomly to either the experimental group which receives the independent variable or the control group..which does not receive the independent or treatment variable.  The control group is used as a base of comparison....How did those subjects respond without the treatment?  Did the treatment in the experimental group influence the outcome measure or the dependent variable.
3.  Validity  and psychological research:  Random assignment gives all participants an equal chance of being assigned to experimental or control groups.  It permits the differences in subject characteristics to be evenly distributed by chance so that the experimental and control groups are as equal as possible in every way except in terms of the "treatment" or independent variable.  Thus, internal validity is assured and differences between the groups on the outcome or dependent variable measure can be confidentiality attributed to the treatment variable rather than to subject characteristics such as age, intelligence, education, socio-economic class; gender.
4.  Natural experiments:  these involve studying groups which naturally divide along some variable such as education or income or disease.  Thus, one group of people with formal education are compared to another group without formal education.

cont.....

Buddhism and Reincarnation

BUDDHISM AND REINCARNATION

By: Silva Redigonda

Buddhism and Reincarnation  

     Reincarnation is a concept beyond the understanding of many Christians who believe that there is only one life to live.  Buddhism is becoming popular in North American.  This paper will define reincarnation as it pertains to Buddhism and it will also be compared to reincarnation as viewed by Hinduism.  Reincarnation should be examined by the most skeptic since there are numerous recorded cases where knowledge of a previous life cannot be easily dismissed.  This too shall be depicted.

     Buddha said there is no soul.  Buddha used an image of a flame being passed from candle to candle to understand his concept of reincarnation. “There is a chain of causation threading each life to those that have led up to it and those that will follow...[1]  It is possible to stop this rebirth  of living different existences if one “wishes wholeheartedly to do so” (Smith, p 151).  If the person now has a comfortable life, this is a reward of goodness performed in the past and present life.  Those experiencing misery is a result of evil they have committed in previous existences or are committing in their present life.  The individual is totally responsible for the life he is experiencing.[2]   At any given time, a minority demonstrate the ability to escape the “wheel of life” by entering a state of nirvana (a positive meaning includes bliss, release from desire etc..A negative meaning includes a state of extinction and nothingness). The karma (The good and evil effect of one’s action which is carried along to the next rebirth) of most beings necessitate their rebirth in any of the numerous heavens or hells (Masumian, pp 51 and 54).

     Reincarnation did not begin with Buddhism, Hinduism which is considered one of oldest religious system in the world believes in reincarnation (Ma’sumian, p 1).   However similar the two religions are, there are also differences involving the concepts of reincarnation.                    

     Buddhism is only concerned with personal eschatology as is Hinduism.  There is no  collective destiny for humanity as there is for Christianity.  The Hindu shares the belief of countless rebirths of humans in a spectrum of evil to goodness but unlike the Buddhist believes in the human soul (atman). Individual souls (jivas) enter the world mysteriously and make their way through the universe until they break free into the limitless atmosphere of illumination (liberation).  They begin as the souls of the simplest forms of life and do not vanish with the death of their original bodies (Smith, p 63). Hindus understanding of reincarnation also differs from that of Buddhism.  Hindu doctrine of rebirth is attributed to Karma which is the consequences of actions in previous lives.  However, the Buddhist maintains that rebirth is due to Tanha, “as long as the wish to be a separate self persisted, that wish would be granted (Smith, p 151).                        

     Reincarnation does not belong to Buddhism or Hinduism alone.  In a 1981 US gallup poll it was determined that in the general population 23 % believed in reincarnation.[3]  In a 2005 US gallup poll, 20 % of the population believed in reincarnation.[4]    Though there appears to be a decrease of belief, a margin of error is to be considered.  Regardless, there is no doubt that almost a quarter of the population believes in some form of reincarnation.  

     Children Who Remember Previous Lives  is a text based on a study, drawing on the information of more than 2, 500 cases children who appear to remember some type of past life.[5]

This ranges from phobias occurring in relation to a previous life ( Stevenson, p182) to the announcing of dreams in the selection of the next incarnation (Stevenson, p243) What is most baffling is the ability to speak a language not know to the youth (Stevenson, p 127).

     Reincarnation cannot be readily dismissed or confined to a particular religion.  Reincarnation may be a mystery for some but it does require attention.  I have had two professors at different times who I respected very much who were both Buddhists.  Though I have never had a client who experienced any type of reincarnation, as a student pastoral counsellor and/or therapist I need to be open and prepared for the possibility.  Though I myself do not believe in reincarnation, I need to keep my mind open to the possibility.  There is much humanity does not understand.  Hinduism and Buddhism are both old and respected religions.  Their beliefs should not be taken lightly.  Religions all seem to have some basis of mythological similarity.  How much do we know is factual and not a myth?  Reincarnation is not confined to religion.  When children speak with knowledge that they cannot possibly know than one must take notice.  Life is a mystery and so is death.

---

[1] Smith, Huston.  The World Religions. 50^th Anniversary Edition.  Harper Collins: New York, 1991. P 115. Further reference to the text will be indicated by author and page number.

[2] Ma’Sumian, Farnaz. Life After Life. A Study Of The Afterlife In World Religions. Oneworld: Oxford. P 44.  Further reference to the text will be indicated by author’s name and page number.

[3] Cranston, Sylvia and William, Carey. Reincarnation.  A New Horizon In Science, religion and Society. Julian Press: New York. P 13.

[4] “Gallup New Service” GALLUP.  19 Feb 2010. Web www.gallup.com/poll/16915.

[5] Stevenson, Ian.  Children Who Remember Previous Lives.  A Question of Reincarnation.  McFarland and Co.: North Carolina, 2001.

Children and women are not property- Men are abused too

Violence takes so many forms.  Every child should be provided with love and strong positive attachments to grow up healthy.  Therapists are obligated by law to report child abuse.  There are long over do laws referred to as stalking laws that now provide women with more safety.  In the past, nothing could have been done until an attack actually occurred.  Those days are gone.  Women and children however are not always the victims or survivors.  Men too are abused and stalked.  We still live in a society where men do not always feel comfortable seeking help for abuse, for fear of redicule.  For men there is a stereotype present that he should be "the man."  How much of that bravado is culture?  I have a simple belief system, primary, do no harm.  This extends to animals as well.  What do you think?  

How are you today? Thank you for visiting.

First, I want to thank you for returning to my blog.  I don't know who you are, but I am hoping that you are finding something here that you like.  I typed up a small one question survey they have here, but no one has filled it.  It may also be that I am looking at the wrong thing.  This is all new to me.  I have also started a twitter account and am totally confused there as well.  We live and learn, sometimes by trial and error.  I hope you are taking care of yourself.  Are you working too hard?  Don't forget how important it is to have a balanced life.  Some stress is good and too much, is not.  Are you not at peace with someone?  What can you do about that so you can let go and heal?  We cannot change others, but we can ourselves?  Do you have a good friend you can talk to?  No?  Why not?  We need other people in our lives that makes us feel good.  Are you feeling good in your present relationships? 

     Why not take a nice long bubble bath?  Men, you too.  Is that too much for you?  Ok, how about some bath salts.  Darken the room and have a candle light near by.  Look at the glow of the light.  Why not just lay your head back and just relax.  Think of your day.  What happened today that caused you a lot of stress?  What happened today that made you feel good?  What was it that you could have done differently?  Were you anxious?  Why?  Did you not get enough sleep?  Would more or better sleep have made you more relaxed today or more patient today?  What do you think?