Metacognitive Architectures of Self-Control: Functional Convergences between Nepsis and Sati in Emotional Regulation

Abstract

This article examines the metacognitive architectures of self-control by comparing Eastern Christian watchfulness (nepsis) with Early Buddhist mindfulness (sati). Within the framework of Emotional Intelligence, the study identifies functional convergences in establishing a “cognitive hiatus” between stimulus and response. It analyzes protocols like the Buddhist “two arrows” metaphor and the Evagrian taxonomy of thoughts as sophisticated tools for somatic and mental stabilization. While both systems employ similar attentional monitoring, they diverge ontologically: Buddhism pursues the deconstruction of the ego, whereas Philokalic spirituality seeks the restoration of the person through Divine Grace. The research proposes a “Transfigured Emotional Intelligence,” where ancient asceticism provides a teleological depth to secular self-regulation. This synthesis transforms affect management into a pedagogy of sanctification, offering a robust anthropological response to contemporary psychological fragmentation.