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4 EASTERN HORIZON | LEAD ARTICLE

Knowing that the world will always be burning, our

choice is whether to settle into despair, or to use our
energies and abilities to work for what we know to be

good and right and kind.

Dr Robert Waldinger is a passionate explorer
of what makes a meaningful life, combining Finding Light
his expertise as Director of the Harvard
Study of Adult Development, psychiatrist,
psychoanalyst, and Zen teacher. His work Within the
spans rigorous scientific research on the
impact of relationships on well-being, Darkness
therapeutic practices that delve into the
subconscious mind, and Zen teachings that By Dr Robert Waldinger
cultivate mindfulness and self-awareness.

In addition to his research, Robert is a
practicing psychiatrist and psychoanalyst
who helps individuals navigate their
emotional landscapes and uncover the
hidden influences of their subconscious
minds. Through psychodynamic therapy,
he guides people in understanding and
resolving deep-seated conflicts and past
experiences that shape their current
behaviors and relationships, fostering
greater self-awareness and emotional
resilience.

As a Zen teacher and practitioner, Robert
integrates mindfulness and spiritual growth
into his work, offering teachings that help The world is dark. It’s winter here in Boston, but it’s not just
people cultivate awareness and presence in the skies that are dark these days. Wars, climate disasters,
each moment. His Zen practice emphasizes refugees displaced from their homes, and divisive politics
seem to be everywhere in the world. The antidote? Most
self-acceptance, self-discovery, and the
spiritual traditions have holidays that celebrate the light. Up
interconnectedness of all beings, providing a
and down my street, many people have left their beautiful
holistic approach to understanding the mind
holiday lights on in January to dispel the darkness.
and body.