The Five P’s

There has been so much written about how to improve people’s attention span, and help them think more positively and have a better quality of life. There have been thousands of studies and numerous books written about these subjects. Yet how much has all of this scholarship actually helped people? Today we have more people being treated in psychotherapy, more people being treated in psychiatric hospitals, and more children taking stimulant medications for “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder” than ever before.

In recent years, many mental health professionals and researchers have been looking to spirituality and religion to compensate for what is missing in their secular scientific theories and interventions. This is a laudable change when you consider how many of the people they are trying to help have spiritual and religious aspects to their lives that have been ignored.

The general thrust of this new wave in psychology has been to help people find their personal and spiritual strengths in order to build on them rather than focusing on their deficits and trying to “fix” what is “wrong” with people. From an emuna coaching perspective this is certainly a move in the right direction, and yet our approach to emotional and spiritual well-being is still very different than any of these “new” therapies.

Here’s an example of what is different about emuna coaching as compared to other therapeutic approaches even those than mention spirituality. As you will see, although there is some overlap between their methods and ours, our system is based on foundational concepts that the field of psychology does not yet know about or utilize in their  therapies. These “concepts” are actually the spiritual truths upon which the world operates.

The following is a paradigm for how to think about yourself, others and the world from an emuna coaching perspective. This method is not just for someone who is experiencing a challenge or difficulty in his or her life, it is also for people who just want to use more of their potential to experience the beauty of life through a connection to G-d and the Truth.

Just remember the 5 “P”s.

1. Present – The first step is to always live in the present. The present is where your strength is to make contact with positive emotional states and ways of thinking that will connect you to the Creator and your purpose in life. The present is the only “place” where we have some “executive control.” While there are many aspects of life that we don’t have control over and cannot change, those things that G-d does allow us to change can only be changed in the present. The present flow of life is G-d’s way of “speaking” to us. We can learn to see G-d’s “communications” to us through everything around us.  Every moment has its own Truth which when realized, can lead a person out of negativity into the next “P” which are positive joyous feeling states.

2. Positive– Positive emotions are essential in order for us to see the many options that are available to us . When we are feeling the life-sustaining emotions of joy, contentment, self-pride, self-esteem, self-efficacy, hope and self-belief, we can see more of the “big picture” which includes healthier more positive ways of appraising  and “judging” ourselves and those who we come in contact with. Positive emotions also enable our minds to work better which enables us to see more of the constructive behavioral options that G-d puts before us. When we are feeling hopeful and optimistic our problem solving abilities and ability to make the right decisions are enhanced.  Positive emotions have also been found to strengthen our immune system and even to strengthen certain genes – this leads to greater physical health and longevity. Since G-d is the essence of everything that is positive and good in the world, and in us, when we connect with positivity in any form we are strengthening our bond with the Creator. That leads us to the next “P” which is Divine Providence.

3. Providence– Divine Providence is based on the fundamental truth that there is nothing but G-d and the whole world is filled with Him. This means that everything around us, all matter, every event happening and conversation that occurs,  even our thoughts, our bodies and our very selves –  are all manifestations of G-dliness. By now I’m sure you are seeing how these “P’s” interconnect.  Only a person who lives in the present and is experiencing mostly positive emotions is able to sustain an awareness of G-d’s Providence. Essentially it is the positive emotional energy that we feel that enables us to stay calm and remember that literally everything that is happening around us and within us is coming come G-d.

4. Purpose– Since G-d created everyone with a specific purpose to fulfill in life, the only way that each of us can learn more about what we are supposed to do and what unique contributions G-d has prepared for us to make is by being connected with Him through goodness, strength and the never-ending flow of  His Divine Providence. People who stay riveted to their purpose by always keeping it before them are continuously nourished by their purpose with increasing levels of positive emotional states such as joy, hope, excitement, and a sense of meaning.

5. Person– From an emuna coaching perspective, personhood, being and identity only “exist” when we are in touch with the essence of who we are which is our souls. In this sense there is no “me” other than my soul which is a part of G-d Himself and any other categorization of “me” other than my soul has elements of falseness in it.  By becoming skilled in living with an awareness of the 5 “P’s one comes to “exist,” so to speak, as a person. When we are not living this model of the world, in other words, when we are not present-oriented, positive, in touch with Providence and aligned with our purpose then in a spiritual sense we don’t yet exist, G-d forbid. The process of the 5 “P’s” brings us back to our true selves and to G-d. That’s why the name of G-d that is associated with returning to Him is translated as “I shall be.” Despite the inevitable highs and lows that we all experience,  by following these guidelines based on the teachings of my teacher, Rabbi Shalom Arush, we will always have a method of returning from any “low” point to our true state of exalted purposeful and joy in “being.”