In this 1968 film we spend time with Abraham Maslow, who is one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. Maslow is one of the central figures in my intellectual life and is the author of, what I consider to be, the most important book for psychology students of the the twenty-first century;…Read more Abraham Maslow & Self-Actualization

This is a 1950 WNYC radio presentation by psychoanalyst Karen Horney. Horney was a founder of social psychoanalysis in New York City, and a close companion of Erich Fromm. Although her teachings are neglected in the contemporary academic psychology programs, her words a very insightful and reward the reader with depth and clarity. My lecture…Read more Karen Horney on Love

Sea of Faith was presented by the BBC in 1984. In this series Don Cupitt discusses the philosophy of theology from antiquity through the twentieth century. In his journey, Cuppit explores the Ptolemaic worldview, the Enlightenment, Modernism, and Postmodern ideas. The series is in six parts and covers the major thinkers in the philosophy of…Read more Sea of Faith by Don Cupitt

Although there are many kinds of meditation, Buddhist practitioners typically speak of two approaches to meditation, Samatha and Vipassana. Samatha meditation predates Buddhism and is a calming, focusing, and clarifying practice. Vipassana practice is uniquely Buddhist and cultivates insight and an opening of experience to broader realties (awakening). Vipassana is commonly called mindfulness meditation. I find it…Read more An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology: On Vipassana Meditation (Part 8)

We are exploring the Eightfold Path of the Middleway, and the Four Noble Truths. The first of the eight suggestions for living a life free of extremes concerns how we understand life. The Buddha taught that there is a beneficial way of understanding life, of seeing the world, which will help us to live a…Read more The Four Noble Truths: An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology (Part 7)

Continuing our exploration of Siddhartha Gautama's first lecture, The Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma Sutta, we turn to the central teaching of Buddhism: the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path toward the Middle Way. This lecture (Dhammacakkapavattana in Pali) was delivered in a deer sanctuary in Sarnath, India. It is taught…Read more Siddhartha’s First Lecture, The Eightfold Path of The Middle Way: An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology (Part 6)

One of the first lessons that one learns in wild mushroom hunting is that even the choice edibles can be poisoned by the soil in which they grow.  Mushrooms that grow on a chemically-treated golf course, or along a roadside might contain toxins that are absorbed into the mushroom from the polluted soil. In this…Read more What Does The Buddhist Mean by Interconnectedness?: An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology (Part 5)

The first teaching I received from my Buddhist psychology teacher was regarding suffering as an opportunity for insight. After introducing me to the idea that suffering is a part of life that cannot be entirely eliminated, my teacher asked me to meditate on my suffering for the next week. This meditation involved being actively mindful…Read more Siddhartha’s First Lecture: An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology (Part 4)

This week I would like to answer a question that someone asked me. "Dr. Giobbi, do you believe in reincarnation? I like Buddhist concepts, but I don't believe in reincarnation. Do I have to believe in reincarnation to study Buddhist psychology?" This is a great question. Firstly, to most Buddhists, the concept of rebirth or…Read more Reincarnation or Rebirth: An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology (Part 3)

The final words that Siddhartha Gautama spoke before dying were "be your own light". We can understand this as being one's own teacher. Although we can learn from the teachings of Siddhartha and others who came before us, our main way of researching in Buddhist psychology is through meditation. There are many different ways to…Read more How to Meditate: An Introduction to Secular Buddhist Psychology (Part 2)