Buddhism & PsychotherapyRead the whole article.
The following is a draft contribution to a chapter on Buddhism and Psychotherapy for a book to be publishede in Polish. Since I gather the final version has been very cut down from the original word limit, I am putting my original here so others can read it. I may eventually publish elsewhere so if you want to quote me please check out the reference. Ning strips out foot notes (of which there are 68 in the original) so if you want the references for this piece, do email me for a word version. Being part of za collaboration, I'm aware this piece lacks introduction and conclusion, but perhaps this does not matter. I hope you find it interesting and look forward to comment
Buddhism and Psychotherapy
Although at first sight Buddhism as a religious tradition founded in the fifth century BCE might seem far removed from the world of psychotherapy in the twenty-first century, in fact the Buddhist ideas have contributed to the development of Western thinking in the psychological fields since the times of William James and Carl G Jung . In recent years this influence has increased and brought with it a substantial body of theory and practice, expressed in a number of different therapeutic integrations.
With such a strong history of involvement, it is clear that the connections between Buddhist thought and the study of mental processes are more than simply coincidental. In fact, the relationship arises from the nature of Buddhism itself. A concern with psychological process pervades its thought, and the practices which it teaches. Such ideas are primarily concerned with the human condition and a response to the suffering intrinsic to everyday life. They are concerned with the manner in which, as ordinary people, we respond to the inevitable afflictions, pain and disappointments which life presents to us.
The Buddha, founder of the tradition, was, according to the Buddhist texts, a wealthy young man who, troubled by encounters with examples of human suffering, of sickness, old age and death, left his palace home to become a wandering spiritual seeker. India at that time was a ferment of religious and philosophical enquiry, and there were many teachers in the region, offering a range of practices and insights that addressed questions of life, death and meaning . In this respect, its atmosphere must have presented a stimulating and diverse culture, not unlike some aspects of that which we have recently encountered in the emerging fields of psychology and human communications. The Buddha himself studied with a number of teachers before becoming dissatisfied and pursuing his own path of enquiry. His search culminated in an experience of spiritual breakthrough in which he received insight into the nature of affliction and the processes whereby that suffering which ordinary life entails is compounded by our attempts to escape from it through psychological entanglements.
Key Buddhist Teachings: The Four Noble Truths
The core teachings of Buddhism, which derive from the Buddha’s profound insight, are primarily concerned with the relationship between existential afflictions such as sickness, old age and death, and the creation of the self . This material is presented in the teaching of The Four Noble Truths. The teaching of the Four Noble Truths, which is set out in many of the Buddhist Suttas, but particularly the Samyutta Nikaya 56 , sets out four fundamental assertions: The truth of affliction (dukkha); the truth of arising (samudaya); the truth of cessation, or, one might say, containment (nirodha); and the truth of the spiritual path (marga) . These are elaborated in various texts within the Buddhist canon, in ways which clarify their implications. Despite this, there remains some room for modern scholars to discuss finer points of interpretation . This chapter does not give scope for such debate, however the reader interested in Buddhist studies should be aware of such variations.
Put simply, the first Noble Truth asserts that afflictions are an inevitable part of life. Events such as illness, disability, ageing and death are not something which can be avoided, so facing their inevitability provides a psychological challenge which each of us must meet in some way. How we meet it will affect our mental well-being. The remainder of the teaching sets out what are effectively two alternative paths, firstly that of the ordinary person, trying to cope with life’s difficulty through various patterns of avoidance, and secondly, an ideal-type response which might be experienced by a spiritually advanced person.
According to the second Noble Truths, when we experience afflictions of this kind, there is an arising of feelings or anxiety. This leads, according to the descriptions given in various Buddhist texts , to craving and clinging. The person, experiencing suffering, longs for relief. In the language of the texts, he or she thirsts. This thirsting constitutes the impulse to escape the unpleasant or afflictive circumstance, and initially it is expressed through sensory desire (kama). The person grasps at something which occupies their senses. Generally this happens in a pleasant way, but sometimes in an unpleasant way or a way that involves some form of rejecting behaviour. In other words, one can imagine the situation where a person experiences a difficult day at work, and returning home buries his irritation or disappointment by having a drink or watching a compelling film on the television, by overeating or by engaging in sexual activity. Such responses are quite normal and, as such, are usually pretty harmless, but according to the Buddhist teachings are not the optimal response.
In particular, because such reactions are really attempts to escape from unpleasant feelings, they have an element of compulsiveness. They tend to be repeated, and the person builds up habitual ‘fixes’. This tendency to repetition is the subject of another area of Buddhist theory, the concept of karma, which suggests that each action sows the seeds of its repetition. We will return to this later.
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Just to let you know, 'Other Centred Therapy: Buddhist Psychology in Action' is just out published by O-Books. It is available from amazon
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