Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

Buddhist Empowerment 189
Conveying that all are equal while beautifully unique, that all are fundamentally
interdependent and therefore absolutely essential to one another’s happiness,
members receive constant recognition of their self-worth. Through the organization’s
belief system, opportunity role structure, and skill development activities,
abundant opportunities exist for members to receive help in understanding a problem
and how to deal with it from a Buddhist perspective (informational support).
While esteem and informational support are prevalent throughout the organization,
the primary and most fundamental source of support is the neighborhoodbased
discussion group that constitutes the basic unit of the organization.
Peer-based support is evident in the discussion group that serves as a support
group in the traditional sense of the construct. It is a small group of peers where
close bonds of friendship develop, and where esteem, informational, instrumental
and social companionship forms of support are readily available. Living out
the Bodhisattva imperative, members-peers reach out and help each other during
times of need, serve as a feedback and guidance system to help understand problems
in living, assist in the task of developing coping strategies, and generally
serve as a source for intimate communication and unconditional positive regard.
Recently the support function has been extended through e-mail technology to
the creation of a “Circle of Compassion” established in one locale to provide
collective prayer and various types of support for members, family, and friends
challenged by serious health conditions and death. In the discussion groups and
on-line, peers share their challenges, successes, failures, guidance, and strategies
for success. In member reports, there is amply evidence that the social support
they have received has been instrumental in enhancing their sense of control
and ability to successfully cope with high stress challenges and achieve their
goals.
A strong sense of community can be seen within and across geographical
units where, for example, members report a sense of membership, mutual influence,
and need satisfaction. A sense of community beyond the organization is
shown, for example, in member-initiated projects aimed at improving the neighborhoods
in which they live.
Leadership
Leadership, as defined in the Maton and Salem (1995) model refers to key
individuals with formal or informal responsibilities. Their capacity for direct influence
on members and for indirect influence through motivating other leaders can
have an empowering effect when certain leadership characteristics are present.
Empowering leadership is (a) inspirational (passionate, clear vision, role model
capable of motivating others); (b) talented (interpersonally and organizationally in
the sense of working well with others, mobilizing resources, maintaining stability,
supporting change, and effectively responding to external threats); (c) shared