After somehow earning an honors degree in Social Psychology while actively denying my own trauma for eight years, my life finally fell apart in a crippling heap of anxiety, depression, panic disorder, and agoraphobia in early 1998. I was unable to leave the house or go to my job, and could not envision how I would ever be able to really live again.
This led to an introduction to anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing) and vipassana (mindfulness-based insight meditation), which formed the basis of a profound recovery built on daily practice on and off the cushion. As part of this, I study the practical philosophy of Theravada Buddhism, but I keep book learning limited to what informs my real, living practice rather than focusing on knowledge for its own sake.
(For those new to the subject, I highly recommend Breath by Breath by Larry Rosenberg and 10% Happier by Dan Harris. Those with several years of practice may experience a shift in perception upon reading How to See Yourself as You Really Are by the Dalai Lama. Advanced practitioners with a sense of adventure might enjoy wrestling with the often-maddening I Am That by Nisargadatta Maharaj.)
We each must walk our own path, but our paths often have similar obstacles and traps. What makes each of us tremble may vary, but we all know fear. The criteria we each use to determine our own value might differ, but we all know self-judgment. Our methods and skill sets can be worlds apart, but we all share the common baseline of wanting happiness.
As someone whose professional backgrounds also include psychology and information technology, I emphasize a grounded and methodical results-based approach toward finding the freedom we each have available to us. I welcome the opportunity to share my insights and offer guidance as you find your way.
