正念影響情緒平衡之研究

朱金池

正念(mindfulness)是佛法八正道之一環,意指時時刻刻不帶評價的覺察,在當下有正確而專注的念頭。因此,無論行住坐臥,當心飄移時,可透過正念的練習,儘可能地回到專注當下的地步。但是當人們面對危機或情緒激動時,容易障蔽了對當下的覺察,而使人陷於憂慮和重大的壓力狀態中,甚至導致身心的疾病。自1990年代起,西方正興起正向心理學(positive psychology)的研究,尤其借用東方佛法有關正念的禪修觀念與方法,正積極開發以正念減壓及療癒心理疾病的課程,對情緒的平衡有所幫助。本文擬以佛法的正念思想與方法為核心,輔以西方正向心理學的研究與實驗,深入探討正念對情緒平衡的影響情形,並進而提出如何以正念來安頓組織成員身心的具體建議,使其能在工作與生活中,獲得平安與喜樂。


A Study on the Impact of Mindfulness on Emotional Balance

Chin-Chin Chu

Mindfulness is one of the Eightfold Path of the Dharma. It means that every thought should be fully aware, and the mind is not distracted in the present moment. Therefore, no matter whether you are sitting or sleeping, when you are distracted or bewildered by outside or other thoughts, you might practice mindfulness in time. When people face external crises or temptation, they could be prone to fear or desire those, and their whole mind could be controlled by these negative emotions, causing people to fall into the stressful state and even lead to physical and mental diseases. Since 1979, psychologists have adopted the concepts and methods of mindfulness in Dharma to actively develop a program of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program is suggested to be helpful to balancing emotions and healing mental illness, and has been widely spread in the Western mainstream society. The purpose of this article is to discuss the impact of mindfulness on emotional balance, and then propose some ways to cultivate the mindfulness.

Key words: Mindfulness, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Emotions, Meditation