Ṭarīqa Followers and Inner Peace: A Phenomenological Study of Naqshbandiyya-Khālidiyya Order in Indonesia

This paper aims to reveal the inner peace dynamics of followers of the Naqshbandiyya-Khālidiyya Order. It employs a qualitative approach with the phenomenological method and in-depth analysis to describe the followers' inner peace dynamics. Interviews and observations have been carried out to collect data. Data reduction, presentation, conclusion drawing, and verification are employed. This study reveals that reaching inner peace dynamics needs problem-solving. The second step is making the decision. The third step is finding the solution to solve the problems to find the right strategy for a particular situation. The fourth step is being patient by emotional restraint. The last step is embracing faith and self-efficacy in dealing with problems. Faith is obtained from dhikr as it will lead to remembering God. The stages and aspects of inner peace are different from Mujib and Mudzakkir's theory. In addition, this study found that internalizing the value of murshid and self-approach to God positively impact inner peace.Contribution: This article contributes to a new finding about the stages of achieving mental peace. So, everyone can seek peace of mind through these various stages. In addition, the Ṭarīqa can also optimize its role because the murshid is considered necessary for increasing peace of mind.

Ṭarīqa Followers and Inner Peace: A Phenomenological Study of Naqshbandiyya-Khālidiyya Order in Indonesia

This paper aims to reveal the inner peace dynamics of followers of the Naqshbandiyya-Khālidiyya Order. It employs a qualitative approach with the phenomenological method and in-depth analysis to describe the followers' inner peace dynamics. Interviews and observations have been carried out to collect data. Data reduction, presentation, conclusion drawing, and verification are employed. This study reveals that reaching inner peace dynamics needs problem-solving. The second step is making the decision. The third step is finding the solution to solve the problems to find the right strategy for a particular situation. The fourth step is being patient by emotional restraint. The last step is embracing faith and self-efficacy in dealing with problems. Faith is obtained from dhikr as it will lead to remembering God. The stages and aspects of inner peace are different from Mujib and Mudzakkir's theory. In addition, this study found that internalizing the value of murshid and self-approach to God positively impact inner peace.Contribution: This article contributes to a new finding about the stages of achieving mental peace. So, everyone can seek peace of mind through these various stages. In addition, the Ṭarīqa can also optimize its role because the murshid is considered necessary for increasing peace of mind.

Regulating craving by anticipating positive and negative outcomes : a multivariate pattern analysis and network connectivity approach

During self-control, we may resist short-term temptations in order to reach a favorable future (e.g., resisting cake to stay healthy). The neural basis of self-control is typically attributed to “cold,” unemotional cognitive control mechanisms which inhibit affect-related regions via the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Here, we investigate the neural underpinnings of regulating cravings by mentally evoking the positive consequences of resisting a temptation (e.g., being healthy) as opposed to evoking the negative consequences of giving in to a temptation (e.g., becoming overweight). It is conceivable that when using these types of strategies, regions associated with emotional processing [e.g., striatum, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)] are involved in addition to control-related prefrontal and parietal regions. Thirty-one participants saw pictures of unhealthy snacks in the fMRI scanner and, depending on the trial, regulated their craving by thinking of the positive consequences of resisting, or the negative consequences of not resisting. In a control condition, they anticipated the pleasure of eating and thus, allowed the craving to occur (now-condition). In line with previous studies, we found activation of a cognitive control network during self-regulation. In the negative future thinking condition, the insula was more active than in the positive condition, while there were no activations that were stronger in the positive (> negative) future thinking condition. However, additionally, multivariate pattern analysis showed that during craving regulation, information about the valence of anticipated emotions was present in the vmPFC, the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the insula. Moreover, a network including vmPFC and PCC showed higher connectivity during the positive (> negative) future thinking condition. Since these regions are often associated with affective processing, these findings suggest that “hot,” affective processes may, at least in certain circumstances, play a role in self-control

Finding Positive Meaning in Negative Experiences Engages Ventral Striatal and Ventromedial Prefrontal Regions Associated with Reward Valuation

Abstract Neuroimaging research has identified systems that facilitate minimizing negative emotion, but how the brain is able to transform the valence of an emotional response from negative to positive is unclear. Behavioral and psychophysiological studies suggest a distinction between minimizing reappraisal, which entails diminishing the arousal elicited by negative stimuli, and positive reappraisal, which instead changes the emotional valence of arousal from negative to positive. Here we show that successful minimizing reappraisal tracked with decreased activity in the amygdala, but successful positive reappraisal tracked with increased activity in regions involved in computing reward value, including the ventral striatum and ventromedial pFC (vmPFC). Moreover, positive reappraisal enhanced positive connectivity between vmPFC and amygdala, and individual differences in positive connectivity between vmPFC and amygdala, ventral striatum, dorsomedial pFC, and dorsolateral pFC predicted greater positive reappraisal success. These data broaden models of emotion regulation as quantitative dampening of negative emotion and identify activity in a network of brain valuation, arousal, and control regions as a neural basis for the ability to create positive meaning from negative experiences

Regulating Craving by Anticipating Positive and Negative Outcomes: A Multivariate Pattern Analysis and Network Connectivity Approach

During self-control, we may resist short-term temptations in order to reach a favorable future (e.g., resisting cake to stay healthy). The neural basis of self-control is typically attributed to “cold,” unemotional cognitive control mechanisms which inhibit affect-related regions via the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Here, we investigate the neural underpinnings of regulating cravings by mentally evoking the positive consequences of resisting a temptation (e.g., being healthy) as opposed to evoking the negative consequences of giving in to a temptation (e.g., becoming overweight). It is conceivable that when using these types of strategies, regions associated with emotional processing [e.g., striatum, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)] are involved in addition to control-related prefrontal and parietal regions. Thirty-one participants saw pictures of unhealthy snacks in the fMRI scanner and, depending on the trial, regulated their craving by thinking of the positive consequences of resisting, or the negative consequences of not resisting. In a control condition, they anticipated the pleasure of eating and thus, allowed the craving to occur (now-condition). In line with previous studies, we found activation of a cognitive control network during self-regulation. In the negative future thinking condition, the insula was more active than in the positive condition, while there were no activations that were stronger in the positive (> negative) future thinking condition. However, additionally, multivariate pattern analysis showed that during craving regulation, information about the valence of anticipated emotions was present in the vmPFC, the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the insula. Moreover, a network including vmPFC and PCC showed higher connectivity during the positive (> negative) future thinking condition. Since these regions are often associated with affective processing, these findings suggest that “hot,” affective processes may, at least in certain circumstances, play a role in self-control

Mechanisms of Positive and Minimizing Reappraisal

The ability to find positive meaning and in turn generate positive emotions in the face of negative life circumstances is a protective factor against the harmful effects of stress, and a critical pathway to resilience and growth. Despite its clear importance, little is known about the brain mechanisms that support this ability, the processes that underlie decisions to implement it, or the long-term effects it has on memories of negative life experiences. Study 1 shows that finding positive meaning in negative experiences engages the brain’s system for reward valuation, whereas minimizing negative emotions dampens activity in a region involved in generating emotional arousal. Study 2 shows that spontaneous brain responses to aversive stimuli can be used to prospectively predict decisions to regulate emotion, and the predictive value of these responses is comparable across finding positive meaning and minimizing negative emotions. Study 3 shows that finding positive meaning and minimizing negative feelings can bring about distinct lasting effects on the content and affective impact of memories of negative experiences

Neural Correlates of Emotional Memory as a Function of Age and Depressive Symptoms

Age-related positivity effects are well established in the literature. Positivity effects in memory are represented as greater benefits for positive over neutral material and/or reductions in the benefits for negative over neutral material with age. However, it is unknown if positivity effects are limited to older adults without depressive symptoms. In the current fMRI study, individuals ages 18-76 with a range of depressive symptom severity were scanned as they rated the emotional intensity of positive, neutral, and negative images that were preceded by cues to signal the valence of the upcoming image. Participants subsequently completed a recognition memory task outside of the scanner. Behavioral, univariate, representational similarity, and functional connectivity analyses provided evidence for interactive effects between age and depressive symptoms. For instance, at low levels of depression, typical patterns in aging emerged: younger age was associated with better memory for negative than neutral images, and this memory benefit for negative material was reduced with older age. With increasing levels of depression, however, there was a reduction in the positivity effect, manifesting as improvements in negative relative to neutral memory. The neural data highlighted mechanisms that may underlie these interactive effects, including reductions in prefrontal cortex functional connectivity associated with downregulation of negative affect. Together, these findings suggest that depressive symptoms in older adulthood reduce positivity effects through alterations in neural networks underlying emotion regulation.Ph.D

Gratitude Among Mothers Raising a Child With Special Health Care Needs

For a mother raising a child with special health care needs (CSHCN), maintaining positive feelings of gratitude can become challenging because of the stress associated with caregiving, as well as the consequences of unmanaged stress, which include decreases in both physical and psychological health and well-being. Chronic, unmanaged stress has been associated with various health issues that can be severe and potentially life-threatening. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how mothers raising a CSHCN experience gratitude. A secondary purpose was to identify possible barriers to experiencing gratitude, which, when implemented as a coping style, may decrease the negative effects of daily stress and improve mental health. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions along with the transactional model of stress and coping provided an optimal conceptual framework for this study. The research questions were centered around the challenges and stressors unique to each mother, coping strategies, and gratitude. The ways in which the combination of factors contributed to quality of life among the mothers were examined specifically. Data from face-to-face interviews with 15 mothers were transcribed, coded, and thoroughly analyzed for themes. The primary themes that emerged were support from family and friends, feelings of gratitude, coping mechanisms, life satisfaction, gratitude for a flexible job, stress related to full dependency, high stress levels over the past 30 days, increased stress when describing the child, and a need to work on eating habits. Findings and recommendations from this study may contribute to positive social change and support the benefits of gratitude, especially in highly stressful situations

Short-Term Changes in Positive Affective Experiences and their Relation to Interindividual Differences in Subjective Well-Being: A Multimethod Approach

Personen unterscheiden sich in dem, wie sie sich im Allgemeinen fühlen. Das Ziel dieser Dissertation ist es, die Prozesse, die diesen Personenunterschieden zugrunde liegen, zu verstehen. Es wurden insbesondere die affektiven Prozesse affektive Reaktivität und Emotionsregulation untersucht. In drei Studien wurden die folgenden Forschungsfragen untersucht: (1) Haben Personen mit höherem subjektiven Wohlbefinden einen stärkeren Anstieg in positivem Affekt, wenn sie auf positive Stimuli im Labor reagieren oder ihre positiven Emotionen hochregulieren? (2) Welches sind die neuronalen Korrelate, die diesen kurzfristigen Veränderungen in positivem Affekt zugrunde liegen, insbesondere während der Hochregulation positiver Emotionen? (3) Hängt ein höheres subjektives Wohlbefinden mit einer stärkeren oder geringeren Reaktion auf positive Ereignisse im Alltag zusammen? Die Befunde haben gezeigt, dass ein stärkerer Anstieg in positivem Affekt (durch eine stärkere Reaktion auf positive Ereignisse oder durch das Hochregulieren positiver Emotionen) nicht mit einem höheren subjektiven Wohlbefinden zusammenhängt. Stattdessen hatten Personen mit einem höheren subjektiven Wohlbefinden eine geringere Reaktivität auf positive Ereignisse im Alltag. Auf der neuronalen Ebene spiegelten sich die Veränderungen in positivem Affekt durch eine verstärkte neuronale Aktivierung in emotionsbezogenen Regionen (insbesondere des ventralen Striatums) wieder, sowie durch eine Deaktivierung in einem fronto-parietalen Kontrollnetzwerk. Ein Zusammenhang von neuronaler Aktivierung und Veränderungen in positivem Affekt im Alltag wurde nicht gefunden. Die Arbeit dieser Dissertation zeigt, dass nicht besonders intensives positives Erleben, sondern eher weniger Schwankungen in momentanen positiven Affekt wichtig für das Wohlbefinden sind. Darüber hinaus zeigt diese Dissertation die Wichtigkeit auf verschiedene Analyseebenen und Untersuchungsmethoden in die Erforschung von affektivem Erleben zu integrieren.This dissertation investigates the affective processes – affective reactivity and emotion regulation – underlying short-term changes in positive affective experiences and their relation to interindividual differences in subjective well-being. The main research objectives that were addressed in the empirical studies of this dissertation concerned (1) whether stronger increases in positive affect when reacting to and when up-regulating in response to positive stimuli in the laboratory relate to higher subjective well-being, (2) which brain regions underlie changes in positive affective experiences, particularly during the up-regulation of positive emotions, and (3) whether enhanced or reduced affective reactivity to positive events in daily life relates to higher subjective well-being. Findings showed that greater increases in positive affect were not related to higher subjective well-being, both when investigated in the laboratory and in daily life. Instead, people with higher levels of subjective well-being showed reduced affective reactions to positive events in daily life, pointing to the importance of a relative greater emotional stability. At the neural level, changes in positive affective experiences were mirrored by increased activations in emotion-related (e.g., ventral striatum) regions as well as deactivation in a fronto-parietal control network. These neural activations were not related to changes in positive affective experiences in daily life. The work in this dissertation indicates that not the experience of particularly intense positive affective states, but rather less fluctuation in momentary positive affective experiences seems to be essential to the overall composition of subjective well-being. The present dissertation further emphasizes the need to integrate different methods in the study of emotion. Concluding, this dissertation advances our understanding of the processes underlying subjective well-being