Posted by Annabelle Smith on January 18, 2011, at 0:12:14
In reply to Re: what must I do to be saved?, posted by sigismund on January 17, 2011, at 21:28:01
Thanks, Sig, for your comments. Religion and God have definitely been an intertwined theme in all of my struggles over the past many years. There are all of these recurring themes of loss and grief and a need to find rest in a home, self, and God that all seem intertwined yet lost. And I long for these. I feel like I have to approach my sufferings holistically, and it is hard to tell and perhaps wrong to partition them as either psychological or spiritual or family-related/relational.
You are right that I have a very Western-leaning perspective. As I have searched, Western voices have typically been my travelling companions and conversationists. I think I am still attached in a deep way to the God and faith that I meaningfully experienced in pieces in the past, even when that God seems unreal.
My therapist has leanings towards Buddhism-- at least this is true insofar as he incorporates Buddhist mindfulness practices into psychotherapy. Maybe I need to open up more and let myself go in this direction too-- and I don't guess that would mean I have to renounce everything (or anything) I have found meaningful in the Western tradition: maybe when push comes to shove, they have a lot more in common on a deeper level anyway.
Thanks, Sig.
poster:Annabelle Smith
thread:977186
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20101228/msgs/977252.html