Mental balance and Well being

A couple of years ago, I attended an introductory course on Buddhism at Tushita. During that time, I happened to attend a session on mental balance and well-being by Glen Svensson, which was quite insightful. Below is a brief summary of my takeaways and the key points that stood out for me. The talk was based on an academic paper titled Mental Balance and Well-Being: Building Bridges Between Buddhism and Western Philosophy.

Four Types of Mental Balance

To cultivate happiness, one must strive to achieve four types of mental balance:

  1. Conative (Motivational) Balance
  2. Attentional Balance
  3. Cognitive Balance
  4. Emotional Balance

Each of these categories can experience three types of imbalances:

  • Deficit: A lack or insufficiency
  • Hyperactivity: Excessive engagement or overuse
  • Dysfunction: A distorted or maladaptive expression

Conative (Motivational) Balance

This refers to having a reality-based range of desires and aspirations oriented towards one’s own and others’ happiness. It involves having intentions and desires that promote well-being for both oneself and others.

When someone experiences conative imbalance, their desires and goals become misaligned, leading them away from psychological health and happiness, often resulting in stress and dissatisfaction. It is crucial to choose wisely which desires to pursue.

Types of Conative Imbalance

  • Deficit: Losing motivation to pursue something meaningful (e.g., giving up on love after a breakup).
  • Hyperactivity: Overworking at the cost of health and family.
  • Dysfunction: Destructive desires, such as self-harm.

Studies have shown that having clear goals and making measurable progress is a strong predictor of well-being.

Attentional Balance

In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with information and distractions. Training the brain for focused attention is essential.

Types of Attentional Imbalance

  • Deficit: Constant multitasking, leading to a lack of presence in the moment.
  • Hyperactivity: Excessive social media scrolling, with the mind jumping from one headline to another.
  • Dysfunction: Replaying past mistakes over and over in one’s mind.

Mindfulness helps bring one’s attention to the present moment and enhances focus.

Cognitive Balance

Cognitive balance is about seeing things clearly and maintaining an undistorted perception of reality. The mind can create illusions—one common example is misinterpreting a rope as a snake.

Types of Cognitive Imbalance

  • Deficit: Forming illusions and misconceptions.
  • Hyperactivity: Projecting fears onto situations.
  • Dysfunction: Misinterpreting reality in harmful ways.

One must aim to see things as they are, without bias or preconceived notions. Mindfulness aids in achieving cognitive balance by making one more aware of their thoughts. Observing thoughts with detachment is a crucial skill.

Emotional Balance

Finding balance in emotions is one of the most challenging aspects of mental well-being.

Types of Emotional Imbalance

  • Deficit: Complete emotional shutdown.
  • Hyperactivity: Being easily triggered and reactive.
  • Dysfunction: Emotions that do not match the situation appropriately.

Mindfulness helps in observing emotions and becoming more aware of them, allowing for better emotional regulation.

Cultivating Mental Balance

The academic paper emphasizes cultivating four key qualities to maintain balance in these four domains:

  • Loving-kindness: Developing warmth and goodwill for oneself and others.
  • Compassion: Recognizing suffering and intending to alleviate it.
  • Empathetic Joy: Celebrating the happiness of others.
  • Equanimity: Staying grounded and balanced, regardless of circumstances.

Scientific research supports the idea that cultivating these qualities has a profound impact on overall well-being.

Practical Habits for Well-Being

Incorporating small, intentional habits into daily life can help maintain balance:

  • Focusing on the positive aspects of life.
  • Performing random acts of kindness.
  • Being present in relationships.
  • Practicing self-patience—understanding that personal growth is a journey.

Cognitive Fusion and Perspective Shifts

Glen Svensson discussed an interesting concept called cognitive fusion—when we mistakenly merge a person with their behavior.

Example: Anger Toward Others

Question: Why do we get angry at people who behave badly?

He argues that a more accurate perspective is to recognize that a person is performing a bad action rather than labeling them as a bad person. However, we often fuse the person and their behavior, making it one inseparable entity, which is an invalid perspective.

This kind of thinking is problematic because it forces us into two unhelpful choices:

  1. Rejecting the person entirely.
  2. Accepting the bad behavior.

Neither option is constructive. Instead, we should choose a correct perspective where in we accept the person but reject the behaviour which allows us to:

  • Evaluate the behavior, not the person.
  • Develop compassion.
  • Maintain a balanced perspective.
  • Foster cooperation rather than conflict.

Example: Self-Judgment and Guilt

Question: Where do low self-esteem and self-hatred come from?

Again, this results from cognitive fusion—viewing oneself as a “bad person” instead of acknowledging, “I did something wrong.” When we merge our identity with our mistakes, it leads to guilt, which is ultimately unhelpful.

Guilt arises from an invalid perspective. It makes us feel bad but does not address the behavior itself. If we fall into this cognitive trap, we:

  • Judge ourselves harshly.
  • Develop self-hatred.
  • Experience low self-esteem.
  • Fail to correct the behavior.

Instead, adopting a healthier perspective allows us to:

  • Evaluate our behavior objectively.
  • Show compassion toward ourselves.
  • Maintain a balanced self-view.
  • Address the behavior without unnecessary guilt.

Final Thoughts

I found these insights incredibly valuable. Upon reflection, I realized that I often fall into these cognitive traps. However, becoming aware of them has helped me recognize when I’m heading down the wrong path and shift to a healthier perspective. It’s an ongoing process, and while it’s easier said than done, these shifts have helped me evolve my mindset.

I’d love to hear your perspective on this.

References

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