Okay, so I’ve been digging into this whole Buddhism and psychology thing, and let me tell you, it’s been a wild ride. Started out just curious, you know? I’ve always been into self-improvement and understanding how the mind works. I’ve tried different ways to reach self-improvement, reading books, listening to different podcasts and so on.
So, first, I went online and typed “Buddhism and psychology books.” There were millions of books about that, I don’t know where to start. Then, I decided to narrow down my search keywords to “best Buddhism books for beginners.” And I found something interesting.
Then I grabbed some of the books that everyone seemed to be talking about. You know, the popular ones. Started reading them, one by one, not even the complete book. I skipped some of the chapters and only read those that caught my eyes.
I was just trying to get the gist of it all. No deep diving yet. Just skimming through, getting a feel for the language, the ideas, and all that stuff. It was kind of overwhelming at first, all these new concepts and ways of thinking.
- I started taking notes, like, a lot of notes.
- Jotting down quotes that hit me hard, questions I had, and things I wanted to look into more.
- My notebook became this jumbled mess of thoughts and ideas, but it was my mess, you know?
After reading a few books, I felt like I was starting to get a handle on some of the basics. Then, I went back to those notes. Started organizing them, connecting the dots between different books, seeing where they agreed and where they had different takes. I felt like those Buddhism masters were talking about something real, and I could connect it with my own life.
It was like putting together a puzzle, a really complex and mind-bending one. But it was fun, seeing these different ideas start to fit together and make sense. The essence of spiritual practice is to reduce and eventually to eradicate altogether our delusions. This is what the books are talking about. And this is what I’ve been practicing.
It is not just about reading
I also started trying out some of the practices mentioned in the books, like meditation and mindfulness exercises. It was awkward at first, sitting there trying to clear my mind. But I kept at it, just a few minutes each day, and slowly, I started to feel a difference. I realized that Buddhism and psychology have so many things in common.
It’s like, these books, they’re not just giving you information, they’re giving you tools. Tools to deal with stress, to understand your emotions, to be more present in your life. I’m still a beginner, still figuring things out. But it’s been a worthwhile journey, a journey of self-discovery. It is not just about reading, but practicing.
And I think that’s what I want to share with you all. It is not about becoming a Buddhist or a psychologist, but about finding practical ways to improve your life, to be happier, more peaceful, and more aware. This is what I have learned and gained by reading Buddhism and psychology books.
