Author: Nelly Kaufer and Linda Modaro

Below is a part of the conversation between Linda Modaro and Nelly Kaufer and Serge Prengel for the ActivePause podcast. Click here to listen to other dharma ideas we explored together.

The focus on conditionality in Reflective Meditation emphasizes the dynamic nature of our self-perception and behavior, challenging the notion of inherent goodness or badness.

By exploring the Buddhist teaching of Conditionality in meditation, meditators engage in an experiential process that gradually breaks down the rigid belief that they or others have inherently done something wrong. This parallels with a common motivation for seeking psychotherapy, because people often feel a deep sense of inadequacy or inherent fault.

Reflective Meditation offers a practical understanding that the self is not fixed but varies under different conditions. This shift in perspective can be transformative, transitioning from a belief in inherent goodness or badness to an understanding that one’s identity is shaped by various conditions and contexts. This nuanced view rejects the notion of a static, inherently flawed self and recognizes the fluidity of identity based on circumstances.

Reflective Meditation seems to provide a path towards self-compassion by dismantling the notion of an intrinsically flawed core and encouraging an awareness of the ever-changing nature of the self. 

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It seems like you are highlighting the inter-relational nature of Reflective Meditation and drawing parallels with how psychotherapy has evolved to become more inter-relational as well.

This shift aligns with the evolving approach in psychotherapy, emphasizing the importance of understanding and working with the dynamic interplay of conditions in shaping one’s identity and behavior.