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Surprising Science

Zen Psychology: Daisetz Suzuki Remembered

More than any other Eastern thinker in the 20th century, Suzuki catalyzed the rise of humanistic psychology, which has spurred today’s interest in spirituality and well-being.
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Does America’s positive psychology boom owe a debt to eastern thinkers? “Despite the gloomy global economy, the field of positive psychology is booming. Often described simplistically by journalists as ‘the science of happiness,’ it’s actually a broad focus on our strengths and talents, virtues and peak experiences in daily living. … Yet, amid this flurry of excitement, it’s shameful that so little credit is given to a key figure who helped shift the focus away from Sigmund Freud’s gloomy fixations to a more optimistic view of human nature: Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki.”

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