The Cognitive Path to Inner Peace: Contemplation and Cognitive Regulation as a Path to Peace of Mind

Authors

  • Aisyah Jihan Hanifah Psychology Program, Faculty of Psychology, Islamic University of Indonesia
  • Moch Taufiq Ridho Psychology Program, Faculty of Psychology, Islamic University of Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58812/wsiss.v4i03.2981

Keywords:

Tafakur, Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Regulation, Inner Peace, Islam

Abstract

Overthinking, anxiety, and mental restlessness stem from excessive thought patterns and the complex pressures of modern life are increasingly experienced by individuals in the contemporary era. Cognitive psychology holds that a person's emotional state is greatly influenced by the process of thought processing and interpretation of lived experience. From an Islamic perspective, the concept of tafakur emerges as a reflective activity involving deep mindful awareness of the self, life, and the greatness of Allah. This study aims to analyze the relationship between tafakur and cognitive regulation in cultivating inner peace through a library research approach, drawing on cognitive psychological theory and Islamic literature. The findings indicate that meditation functions as a form of cognitive regulation that assists individuals in reinterpreting negative thoughts, enhancing meaning in life, and building psychological tranquility. Thus, the integration of meditation and cognitive psychology can serve as an alternative approach to maintaining mental health and individual psychological well-being.

References

[1] Z. Zhang et al., “Global, regional and national burden of anxiety and depression disorders from 1990 to 2021, and forecasts up to 2040,” J. Affect. Disord., vol. 393, p. 120299, Jan. 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120299.

[2] S. F. Javaid, I. J. Hashim, M. J. Hashim, E. Stip, M. A. Samad, and A. Al Ahbabi, “Epidemiology of anxiety disorders: global burden and sociodemographic associations,” Middle East Current Psychiatry, vol. 30, no. 1, p. 44, May 2023, doi: 10.1186/s43045-023-00315-3.

[3] U. Hasanah and H. Hartono, “TAFAKKUR SEBAGAI KONSEPSI MENUJU KEABADIAN MANUSIA MODERN,” As-Syifa: Journal of Islamic Studies and History, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 01–24, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.35132/assyifa.v1i1.192.

[4] A. Isdianto, N. Al Indunissy, and N. Fitrianti, “PERAN TAFAKUR ISLAM DALAM MENGATASI KECEMASAN: INTEGRASI SPIRITUALITAS QUR’ANI DAN PSIKOLOGI MODERN,” Indonesian Journal of Islamic Studies (IJIS), vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 227–242, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.62567/ijis.v1i2.940.

[5] R. C. Atkinson and R. M. Shiffrin, “Human Memory: A Proposed System and its Control Processes,” 1968, pp. 89–195. doi: 10.1016/S0079-7421(08)60422-3.

[6] M. Ramadanti, C. P. Sary, and S. Suarni, “PSIKOLOGI KOGNITIF (Suatu Kajian Proses Mental dan Pikiran Manusia),” Al-Din: Jurnal Dakwah dan Sosial Keagamaan, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 56–69, Jun. 2022, doi: 10.30863/ajdsk.v8i1.3205.

[7] A. T. Beck, Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. Penguin, 1979.

[8] Y.-X. Wang and B. Yin, “A new understanding of the cognitive reappraisal technique: an extension based on the schema theory,” Front. Behav. Neurosci., vol. 17, Apr. 2023, doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1174585.

[9] A. S. Troy, A. J. Shallcross, and I. B. Mauss, “A Person-by-Situation Approach to Emotion Regulation,” Psychol. Sci., vol. 24, no. 12, pp. 2505–2514, Dec. 2013, doi: 10.1177/0956797613496434.

[10] T. L. Webb, E. Miles, and P. Sheeran, “Dealing with feeling: A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of strategies derived from the process model of emotion regulation.,” Psychol. Bull., vol. 138, no. 4, pp. 775–808, Jul. 2012, doi: 10.1037/a0027600.

[11] A. N. Aziz, Halim Purnomo, Fuad Nashori, and Fitriah M. Suud, “Finding Meaning in Disappointment: The Integration of Tafakkur and Tadzakur as Adolescent Emotional Regulation Strategies in Islamic Psychology,” Afkaruna: Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Islamic Studies, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 295–315, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.18196/afkaruna.v21i2.27808.

[12] A. Isdianto, N. Al Indunissy, and N. Fitrianti, “PERAN TAFAKUR ISLAM DALAM MENGATASI KECEMASAN: INTEGRASI SPIRITUALITAS QUR’ANI DAN PSIKOLOGI MODERN,” Indonesian Journal of Islamic Studies (IJIS), vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 227–242, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.62567/ijis.v1i2.940.

[13] S. Meyers, D. Hu, and M. Tamir, “Cognitive Reappraisal is More Effective for Regulating Emotions than Moods,” Affect. Sci., vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 477–488, Sep. 2025, doi: 10.1007/s42761-025-00310-3.

Downloads

Published

2026-07-31

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 03 (2026): West Science Islamic Studies

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Aisyah Jihan Hanifah, Moch Taufiq Ridho

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

The Cognitive Path to Inner Peace: Contemplation and Cognitive Regulation as a Path to Peace of Mind (A. J. Hanifah & M. T. Ridho, Trans.). (2026). West Science Islamic Studies, 4(03), 233-238. https://doi.org/10.58812/wsiss.v4i03.2981