Guidelines for Promoting Integrated Buddhist Health for the Elderly

Abstract

             Holistic well-being means a state of complete well-being in all four dimensions: physical, mental, social, and intellectual. The 4 dimensions of well-being are important to oneself, family, organization, and society. Because a smooth life, a warm family, a strong organization, and a peaceful society all rely on good health as their foundation. Holistic health care in all four dimensions should be given importance by developing mindfulness, which is a way of cultivating mindfulness. There are four methods: 1) to attain enlightenment. Kāyānupassanā or contemplation of the body 2) Vedanānupassanā or contemplation of feelings: pleasant, unpleasant, neutral 3) Cittānupassanā or contemplation of mind: passion, aversion, delusion and 4) Dhammānupassanā or contemplation of mind-objects to attain enlightenment or escape from suffering in the cycle of existence.