Using Insight Meditation to Treat Psychological Trauma

“Buddha was an African, Buddhism started in Africa, and so it is worth celebrating.” Prof. M. Ruranga, Makerere University, 2010 Buddha's background and principles of thought can be traced in the Black people in India known as Dravidians –another connection to Africa. They inherited India's older Black civilization known as the Harappan civilization, which existed from around 4,000 BCE and was the contemporary of Nubia prior to the first Egyptian dynasty. In the centuries that followed, the Dravidians of India experienced a cultural and religious invasion from the north (circa 1,500 B.C.) by Indo-Europeans who called themselves Aryans (Nijel, BPG 1999). Buddhism is an ancient practice of achieving and preserving wisdom –which in turn facilitates eradication of suffering, misery and disease in all beings –to total liberation and happiness. If well explored, the likely conclusion would be that, Buddhism is a philosophy. “Christian definition of religion practically excludes Buddhism. Unfortunately, English language is not a spiritual language and many words do not do; just the Pali language words like Dhamma, Buddha sasana and so on... I think, a philosophical point of view is more inclusive.” -Ven. Bhante Buddharakkita, The African Buddhist Monk, 2010 It is necessary and natural to decide which development path to pursue as several options arise in order to preserve life. And, regardless of individuals’ Independence and contentment, ultimately, they decide which philosophy best works for them. Today, we are often confronted with pressure to choose one or more desirables among the many –with difficulty in a given time and space. A Buddhist value system is based on eight values (Eight Nobel Fold Path), which include: right thought, right speech, right intentions, right actions, right effort, right livelihood, right mindfulness, and right concentration. The positive outcomes from these teachings are that they helped individuals to avoid possessiveness that cause unnecessarily worrisome, anxieties, and suspiciousness; to avoid jealous which increased mental pain; helped to build individual diligence through application of energy and alertness of right intensities to achieve success; right intentions (or a life without stealing, taking other man’s wife) to avoid embarrassments, shame, guilt and loss of respect; to build individual confidence, social harmony with self and fellow men, to avoid generating anger among others through verbal and behavioral provocations (Knight, M.L. 1999). During the Buddhist practice of insight meditation, three participants (3) quit the program and four (4) completed it. Outcomes vary among participants –depending on the quality of each individual’s response to instructions and understanding of the message about Buddhism. Affected participants received advice to continue doing it at home at least twice a day or in a group (once a week) –and announcements of new opportunities around the world are made to perfect their meditation practice elsewhere. The practice involved breathing in and out while observing sensory activities in and outside the body. Breathe is tools which can help one explore the intra: it causes no obsessions like addictions to drugs and other pleasurable behaviors –while helping to create union with oneself (Goenka, S.N. 2007:2). Awareness of the natural and normal breathe advances one to gain subtle truths about one-self [p.3]. Vipassana technique helps to purify the mind –eradicating the negativities within the person. it is a form of operation within one’s conscious performed to remove complexities hidden therein [p.4]. The outcomes were as below: Masterly of the mind and actions –through taming ego and instinct, and there was stronger reality sense –which created stress and anxiety free conditions within an individual and his or her environment. There was slowness to react and effectively ‘arrested’ the tendency to crave, and negative reactions; created a sense of oneness with nature and with society, mental alertness and eased efforts to let go, calmness and relaxed states –helping to avert migraine tendencies, and greatly put off anger towards others. Unfriendly behaviors sharply and easily recognized as they came to the fore (conscious from the unconscious) and ably substituted it with positive dharma lessons on positive living –with right attitude towards nature. That is kindness to all beings and appreciation of nature. Supported by continued practice of the technique, rightful thinking always determined rightful action in day-to-day life. Participants became peaceful amidst challenges of social interactions –and full of love and humor –be it with family, or at work, or with anyone –including enemies. Also at work, concentrating and productivity were high. According to Rahula, B. Y. (2009:53), sustained awareness of the challenges faced during such activities (yoga and insight meditation) like rising thoughts, ideas, worrying, breaking of pattern, day-dreaming, restlessness, tiredness, sheepishness –all of real life experience which patiently are seen vanishing under the universal principle that everything naturally change towards a certain orientation –which must be accepted as realities. Healthy minds and bodies thus provide way foe sustained inner peace within individuals. Along that path to freedom, consciousness, perception, sensation, reaction verses remaining aware and equanimous provided a clear way to emerge from suffering. And pleasures attached to objects or displeasures developed were responsible for the craving (s) –leading mental tensions and reactions. involves examining oneself to see the true nature of physical and mental structures. Modern science has confirmed those findings in the sense that: material universe is composed of subatomic particles which rapidly rise and pass away (S.N.Goenka, 2007:13). You keep trying and eventually you realize that you are coming out of suffering [p.23]. Although spirited devotees turned ritualistic, Buddhism was either non-religious or religion by choice. It was a way of life –with amazingly positive outcomes to life-systems leading a practitioner to happiness as final destination. Unlike other religions, Buddhism was experiential. It had enshrined practical values –yet universal (recognizing diversity) that guided one to empirically undergo sustainable healing to attain total state of wellness –rather than if it was merely a matter of believing. It was applicable to day-to-day-life bids to yield harmony for oneself and others. Moreover, it was one way of empowering oneself in particular and psychologically traumatized people in general with the tool of objective decision-making –rather than if one rode on love-hate interactions, imaginations and emotions. Now, though, its reception in Africa is still poor. In conclusion, meditation was not just about the label, “the Buddhist thing” but a very helpful –yet effective practice to achieve complete state of wellbeing –regardless of the religious affiliation, race and tribe or origin. Beneficiaries develop a sense of collectivity with all elements of life and nature –which in a sustainable manner was catalyst to healing. At the end of the exercise, healing was real and complete –when the individual (s) no longer has negative conflicts in the mind or defeating perceptions about life (or body). References: Nijel, BPG (1999) Nuba Wrestling: The Origin of Martial Arts Revealed! BFK Magazine Available at http://www.nondomesticatedthinker.com/2010/03/african-origins-of-the-martial-arts-by-nijel-binns/ Accessed in September 2010 Goenka, S.N. (2007) The Discourse Summaries Vipassana Research Institute India Knight, M.L. (1999) Morals in the Life Story of the Buddha: Lessons for Teaching Youths Available at www.bps.lk/catalogs/international_%20catalogue.pdf Accessed on November 22nd 2010 Rahula, B. Y. (2009). The Meditation of Body & Mind The Buddhist Association of the United States NY April, 2009. P.53

CARE, HEALTH SEEKING AND SOCIAL SUPPORT LEVELS IN UGANDA

Jacob Waiswa
Situation Health Analyst
Dishma-Inc.
P.O. Box 8885,
Kampala-Uganda
Tel. +256392614655/+256752542504
dishma.imhs@gmail.com
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com

Care begins with oneself before it can be shown to others. Not until one cares about himself that he or she will seek health care –or even be in position to support others.

It calls for resources from within individual means to provide care long before such individuals seek better health policies in place. A functioning health sector calls for empowerment of individuals with knowledge, skills and rewarding employment to become responsive to its design.

At (44%), no (24) and sometimes (34%), most people (56) did not care about themselves and others. This reveals nature of Ugandan society today characterized by broken family and social relationships linked to economic or career stress and associated depressions –once frustrations cropped in. Experts say northern Ugandan has been most affected following the lord’s resistance army and government of Uganda army war.

It was revealed that people suffering from the resultant stress and depression do not have access to the required mental health care. However no relation was shown between person care and health seeking behavior as was showed by P=0.180 > 0.01 (2-tailed).

That meant that regardless of the ignorance about disease prevention measures or limited or no self concern about health status, individuals felt a responsibility to seek medical care. Other factors can be attributed to lack of health seeking behavior are poverty and lack of knowledge about the location of service providers.

Harmful cultural practices are cordoned –whether they mean a threat to life or not. In many cultures in Uganda, women-beating is acceptable and in many cases part of a relationship package. Having been tuned to such cultural thoughts, some women question their husbands’ masculinity if he never beat them –and do provoke such a beating from at times unwilling men.


On the other hand, women in rural areas –especially those living in Eastern and West Nile regions, less educated, rely on subsistence farming –with no cash payment. They are more likely to agree to being beaten. It becomes a cycle once children are involved as objects of abuse.

The boys, who witness parents fighting, are more likely to inflict violence on their peer as adults. Anytime a mother is abused by her partner, the children are also affected: both overt and subtle ways. What hurts the mother hurts the children; children get hurt when they see their parents being yelled at, pushed, or hit. It is psychological abuse to them.


Health seeking is said to have gender connotations –stating the men are likely not to seek health services, but also it comes down to purchasing power and access to health services –which were marked by 46% irregularity and deliberate absenteeism when required to seek medical care.

It, however, can be possible that enlightened Ugandans use preventive approaches, rather than braving to cure ailments. Experience has however showed being dependent on drugs is alone a huge punishment to bear.

And it can be that some of these people (not seeking health services) self-administer care without the need to see doctors for diagnosis. It is in critical cases that they make decision to see health workers. Not to forget are the religions fanatics –who claim and believe in healing without medicine as well as the traditionalists –who have faith in traditional medicine.

For those who sought health care (54%) can be regarded as an impressive group that are concerned about their health conditions as they (health conditions) manifest, but also there can be those whose lifestyles are trouble-seeking so much that they easily catch diseases.

Education appeared to have a positive association with seeking health care demand. For both men and women, there was a gradual increase in the demand for health care upon completion of some primary education through to university education. Those –who had gone up to university demanded formal health care, relative to those with no education.

With (57%), no (9%), sometimes (32%), and don’t know (2%), social support –whose resources tremendously contribute to healing, individual growth and development faces a deficit of 43%. This implies greater individualism and broken extended family system.

People look up for individual needs –which must be satisfied before they shift to live family members and friends. And in situations –where individuals are overwhelmed by poverty, they resort to substance abuse.

That, in turn, worsen the situations to self-extinction, displacement of bitterness to immediate others –through child abuse and violence against spouses, and committing serious crimes of robbery to acquire basic needs forcefully. With 57% prevalence of social support, it implies that some extended families have not been hit by economic misery and they work together to prevent such from happening.

Perhaps, it could influence decisions about the nature family to marry from –assessing status and potentiality. While children could win sympathy and support from society, that is unlikely for youths.

Youths must be very shrewd in their choices in order to achieve meaningful life for themselves. There is an element of survival for the fittest. Adults are further in the worst position –as they grow weak to protest and cause government concern for them. The case of the elderly becomes another question –usually, by far, neglected.

In conclusion, care, health-seeking and social support are important part of health living and primary in community health interventions.

There is need to integrated health care to capture different clientèle choices and decisions to health care and lifestyle that includes health education in all local languages, acknowledgement and support to indigenous medical technologies, health education in schools and welfare development for citizens.