Is meditation the best medicine?

Monks have been performing the role of psychology in Thai society for many hundreds of years. Prayer and meditation sessions within temples during the morning and evening can be seen as a practical way in assisting mental health. At some monasteries, even more radical techniques are used to help people develop higher levels of self awareness, so they can deal with their emotions.

Phra Chayapon Chayaparo, the deputy Abbot of the Samangkeytamt Vipassanu Centre near Rattaphum, in Songkhla said that its very important for monks to be actively involved in peoples self education. Chayapon stated that "that the monk gets food from the people, but doesn't give food back" is highly undesirable. Therefore it's important for monks to give leadership. Learning can only come from within the self, and it's up to the monks to facilitate this. Learning comes from being outside your comfort level and this has always been a very important component of Thai Buddhist practice. Consequently, what could be called a "shock treatment" is practiced at the Samangkeytamt Vipassanu Centre. These unconventional techniques guarded and handed down by forest masters are used to assist participants increase their mindfulness. Phra Chayapon proudly says that many Christians and Muslims also attend the centre to assist them develop control over their mind-flow, so they can be aware of and overcome the influences of their emotions.

Phra Chayapon explained that people with emotional problems may go to a psychiatrist, who upon consultation may prescribe a drug that inhibits or produces certain neuro-chemicals that suppress certain feelings. There are often many undesirable side effects from the drugs used to induce these mental states in people. However through chanting and meditation, many positive endorphins can be produced naturally which allow one to have a much more healthier state of mind. The advantage of doing this naturally is that through the mind exercises he teaches, people can take their own responsibility for their mental state.

Buddhism is rapidly gaining importance in the developed world, where for example according to 2011 census data, almost 2.5% of Australia's population consider themselves Buddhist. Among those not born as Buddhists, there is a growing fascination with Buddhist philosophies. Many are finding the 'wisdom' of Buddhism very alluring. Western devotees gather all around Australia in small groups like the run by the Venerable Bhikkhu Jaganatha, known as Ajarn Jag, ordained in Burma a few years ago, at the Buddhist Society of Victoria in East Malvern. These groups numbering up to 50 people each night practice paying homage to the Buddha, chanting, and meditation. There are many seeking an answer to the feeling of some aspect of 'emptiness' in life. Consequently, many attendees are single or divorced people who put their efforts into meditation and dharma teachings as a means to assist them develop full and happy lives. There is a large therapeutic content within the Buddhism practiced in Melbourne.

The concepts practiced in Australia tend to promote a holistic lifestyle based upon spiritual practices, diet, and exercise like yoga, which conventional religions have failed to provide. This is leading to a new form of secular Buddhism, a philosophy espoused by Stephen and Martine Bachelor, who were once a monk and nu. They now conduct retreats and seminars on a secular approach to Buddhist practice based on the early teachings of the Buddha as found in the Pali Cannon all over the world. Stephen Bachelor strongly advocates that a religion should primarily enable people see themselves, think, relate to others, act, and behave in an ethical and fulfilling way. Through meditation and practice of the Eight-Fold path, one can develop their personal self awareness and better deal with the stresses and problems of life.

So how relevant is Buddhism to therapy?

Since the beginning of the Twentieth Century, especially after World War II, there has been a growing interest in Eastern philosophy in the West. The teachings of the Abhidhamma Pitaka have inspired and influenced many psychoanalysts and psychologists, including Carl Jung, Erich Fromm, Albert Ellis, Jon Kabat-Zinn and Marsha M. Linehan. There has been a great leap forward in humanitarian and transpersonal philosophical influence in therapy. Dialogue between philosophy theorists and practitioners of East and West has led to mutually influential relationships between them. This has led to new insights into therapies and new schools of thought on both sides. Aspects of Buddhist Dharma are also incorporated in the works of Western philosophers including Caroline A. F. Rhys David and Alan Watts.

There is some evidence that chanting and meditation is beneficial to the brain and can assist in coping with stress. Meditation can assist in lowering blood pressure, meditators have longer attention spans, and even reduce the progress of age related cognitive disorders.

Mindfulness practice and meditation can be seen as a practical, preventative, and empowering method to self manage mental health. This is in stark contrast to the primarily reactive way in taking medications as a corrective approach to suppress psychotic conditions. The Buddhist approach doesn't rely on the use of medical specialists and drugs that strain the costs of national health.

The message from the recent documentary Kumare about Vikram Gandhi who impersonated an Indian Guru and builds a following in Arizona, showed that a person's personal enlightenment and personal wellbeing, is capable of coming from within. People with guidance are capable of managing their own emotions.

The potential exists to lower the number of people on prescribed drugs in society. Mindfulness practice could go some way to lessening the stress that society is generating. For some this will work. However general society will tend to remain skeptical burying this potential within the fringes of mental health policy.

Most probably, society will still remain intent in taking drugs an attempt to relieve stress and dumping the aged with mental deterioration in aged care homes as a solution. Any change would run up against vested interests within these industries. As a result people will continue to suffer through the side effects of prescribed antipsychotic medicines and languish in aged care homes.

As Albert Einstein once said Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.