Morita and Naikan Philosophy 101

If you, like me, 'suffer' from analysis paralysis, maybe you'd be interested in learning about Morita therapy and the Naikan method of self-reflection -- two philosophies very foreign to my Western way of thinking. (They are Japanese, and I am not really a Japanese afficionado. Generally speaking, I like all things Western European. Japanese gardens, stir-fry and Morita therapy are the only exceptions.)

In Western psychology (think Freud and Jung...) they focus on what someone thinks or feels and why they think or feel that way and what can be done to make them think or feel differently -- as though thoughts and feelings could be controlled by will. Morita recognizes that feelings are complex, so it asks you to accept your thoughts and feelings, as unpleasant as some of them may be, and move forward in spite of them.

Here are Five Elements of Psychological Health to consider (taken from the ToDo Institute web site, where they practice many of these concepts):

1. Learn to co-exist with uncertainty. (Realize that you cannot control the outcome of every situation.)
2. Pay attention to details -- nature, sports, food...everything. Details help us live with passion and fascination. They also take us outside of ourselves.
3. Lead with the body, not the mind. (***I find this to be KEY***) "Let the body take action and the mind follow." [My mind is stronger than my body, so I've tried this the other way around, but now I am observing that this is a much more sensible approach.] Acknowledge thoughts as they arise, but return your attention to the action at hand.
4. Either change your circumstances, or accept them. (I think I'm pretty good at this one.)
5. Cultivate gratitude through self-reflection.

Morita is sometimes called the 'psychology of action.' Years ago I read a fantastic book, called "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway," in which the author made the bold statement that ACTION IS POWER. Love that thought! (There I go again -- turning a call to action into a moment of contemplation, thus my paralysis.)

Naikan therapy has four phases:
1. The rest phase -- separate yourself from the loud and intrusive world. Re-familiarize yourself with peace.
2. The 'light work' phase -- including journal writing. Go outside to re-connect with nature. Move from darkenss to light both figuratively and literally.
3. The 'strenuous work' phase -- stretching and strengthening through physical labor, preferaly outdoors.
4. Integration phase -- blending meditation, physical activity, clear thinking, more ordered living, and a renewed relationship with the natural world.

As I read more about this (and synthesize the information for this blog entry), I realize many of these concepts were first intoruduced to me by Emerson and Thoreau, so maybe they aren't strictly Japanese afterall.

Just something to think about...