Positive Psychology and Meditation
are Mutually Supportive

What is positive psychology?

The term originated with Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, in his 1954 book "Motivation and Personality".

But it wasn't until 1998 that it was popularized by Dr. Martin Seligman, who is now considered the father of the modern positive psychology movement.

Rather than focusing on what is wrong with you, as traditional psychology does, it teaches you to ask, What did I do right today?

By studying strengths and virtues its aim is to teach you how to create fulfilling and flourishing lives.

You are encouraged to create a positive attitude by developing a new habit of thinking positively.

What does it have to do with meditation?

Positive psychology and meditation both support the benefits of developing a new habit of living with a positive attitude.

In my opinion based upon experience, they both face the same challenge - the false ego. Together they provide an invaluable service to humanity.

Meditation has been acclaimed as being complete and successful without the need to give attention to the negative thinking of the ego. Over time, with regular practice, the EGO will dissolve naturally as the mind becomes more and more attracted to the stillness within.

Not everyone fits into that mold...

As a meditation teacher, with a background in personal life coaching, I have observed that more than a few beginners as well as experienced students drop their practice of meditation without reaching out for the ongoing help offered to them at our courses.

One might assume that students continue with their practice of meditation and choose not to stay in touch with the teachers.

However, after contacting the students by phone as well as through a survey mailed to each one of them, the results clearly demonstrated that most have simply lost their interest in meditating.

The Ishayas' Ascension is taught in over 25 countries around the world with thousands of ascenders enjoying the benefits of meditation. So the reasons why people quit meditating in my corner of the world must be something other than that Ascension doesn't work.

Why people quit meditating...

The false EGO thought that, this meditation isn't working for me, plays a large part in the reasoning of those who quit.

Who, with a self-loving healthy mind would forfeit the experience of peace of mind, happiness and joy for the repetitive and painful reliving of their internal drama?

To be identified with your mind is to be trapped in time: the compulsion to live almost exclusively through memory and anticipation. Eckhart Tolle

We have become addicted to our internal drama. Addictions are difficult to overcome because the ego convinces us that we cannot live without whatever it is that we are addicted to.

What else could be convincing enough to captivate us and prevent us from experiencing the awesome benefits of meditation?

Now included in my meditation course...

New students will find more emphasis on learning how to consciously notice and identify ego thoughts while practicing the exercise, watching their thoughts, albeit that aspect is restricted to the one-on-one lessons by Skype to ensure the information is being accurately received by students.

Here are a few steps in the process.

1. Noticing your thoughts;
2. Spotting the ego's distracting thoughts; and
3. Discovering that you are not your thoughts.

The most common ego interference is, this isn't working right now, I will come back to it after I feed the dog, or mow the grass, or whatever thought is the most likely to convince you to put down your meditation.

The key to moving beyond that thought instead of reacting to it, is to see it for what it is - just a thought having no good or bad qualities.

The aim of ascension is to move your conscious awareness beyond your thoughts. It comes with practice and you will find meditating becomes much easier and more enjoyable.

Please note that the Ishayas' Ascension course is complete as it is taught. In my experience with students, however, during their first course, they just don't hear, or absorb, the part that says, If you practice using these techniques exactly as they are taught...

While positive psychology provides the means of dealing with obstacles of the ego, for example, Ishayas Ascension provides the upward spiraling positive attitudes for permanent peace and joy.

Being consciously aware of your ego is a skill to be used 24/7, not just while you are meditating.

My intention is to do whatever it takes to encourage and assist people to realize their birthright of experiencing awesome peace, joy and love through the regular practice of meditation.

Thank you for being here now.

Don't take my word for it...

This reliable source on the topic of happiness and positive psychology describes the challenge of changing thought patterns from negative to positive.

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