This is a truly excellent book that makes a very significant contribution to the ongoing dialogue of Asian Buddhism and Western Psychotherapy, a dialogue that has important implications for the development of Western Buddhism. The book gently educates the reader on the possible pitfalls, misunderstandings, and personal difficulties that inevitably arise as concepts and teachings from very different cultures get taken up by enthusiastic Western students. It is simply written, easily understandable, and never becomes lost in academic or esoteric theory. It is suffused throughout with the author's personal experience and depth of understanding.
The author, Harvey B. Aronson is well-placed to write this book. He has studied Buddhism intensely both academically and personally since the mid1960s. In this time he has had extensive contact with Indian, Sri Lankan, Tibetan and Mongolian teachers, at times acting as translator. He is conversant both with original source language texts of Buddhism and with contemporary Buddhist culture. However, despite this dedication, in 1978 in his early thirties, he began to experience severe anxiety and panic attacks to the extent that, humbled by these inexplicable waves of panic, he was left feeling that he had no choice but to try psychotherapy. Subsequently, in the early 1980s he trained as a psychotherapist. It took him years to reconcile what he learned in therapy with his Buddhist practice: "Crucially on day to day matters of human emotion, these disciplines seemed to be in direct conflict."
He very simply shows how early childhood ways of thinking, feeling and behaving can lead to similar styles of thinking, feeling and behaving in adulthood, some of which for some people will of course be dysfunctional. A problem arises when Western students interpret Buddhist teachings as supporting these dysfunctional traits and unfortunately this can lead to them becoming more stuck and dissatisfied in their own lives.
For example, in relation to anger, Harvey points out that explicit Buddhist doctrinal messages against harmfulness are frequently translated as anger, with the result that students have been encouraged to abandon anger, and thereby, by association, assertion also, with the result that a stamp of spiritual approval is given to the patterns of unassertiveness of those struggling with emotional and personal inhibition: "People can appear to be `good' or `spiritual' while slowly undermining their own psychological well-being".
Here are some brief extracts to give a flavour of his discussion. Please be aware that in no way do they represent the book as a whole, but are particular points that I have picked out as interesting to myself.
" Although scientific evidence shows that, broadly speaking, meditation can reduce physiological stress, why is it that meditation in the absence of psychotherapy does not prevent or reduce mental anguish for some people? I would say that this question applies to meditators in all traditions."
"The episode of anxiety and panic attacks initiated a new era in my life. My earlier vision of resolving all the major questions of my life solely by immersing myself in Buddhist practice began to crumble."
"By internally and externally acknowledging our anger, we also avoid inflicting pain on ourselves. Through sharing our feelings, our vulnerability, and our awareness of our anger, but not acting out the intent to harm, we deepen our personal connection, thus creating the possibility of loving contact with others."
"For Western students, the foundational Mahayana meditations on developing love and compassion, while inspiring, are not without their difficulties."......... "Sometimes this vision resonates with deep-seated psychological agendas to see others as more important than ourselves". ........ Failure to resolve these patterns "can cause them to feel underappreciated or misunderstood and ultimately to become depressed, physically symptomatic, anxious, enraged, or burned out, with little understanding as to why."
"Nonattachment is a Buddhist value of being not stuck or fixated on things or ideas. As an approach to practice, it refers to reducing clinging to things. As a result of practice, it is an aspect of internal freedom."......... "The cross-cultural soup gets even thicker when a Westerner with attachment injuries hears that the Buddha identifies the fuel for continued suffering to be attachment. When people who adopt distance as a refuge from pain hear that Buddhism counsels nonattachment in response to suffering, the attraction is immediate. However the detachment we are familiar with is reactive defensive detachment, which is cultivated in the face of a slight, injury, or affront. This is not what is being discussed in the Buddhist presentation."........ "My experience with Westerners who are dominated by defensive detachment is that they are distant, lacking energy, and tepid about their life direction. If open, they will talk of a cloudlike malaise that affects their lives."
This book is a real treasure. It was a constant source of frustration to me in the 1980s that books such as this did not exist. We are indeed fortunate that these are now beginning to emerge.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera, scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start again
About the author
Top reviews from other countries
- Peter KingReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 17, 2014
A truly excellent and significant contribution to the ongoing dialogue of Buddhism and Psychotherapy
Verified Purchase - Ryan BoyleReviewed in the United States on August 26, 2024
Excellent Book
Verified Purchase - MarceloReviewed in Brazil on March 22, 2020
Must read by anyone in the west who is in search of support and meaning through Buddhism
Verified Purchase - Dr. Richard G. PettyReviewed in the United States on April 12, 2007
Eastern Philosophy and Western Psychology: Where the Twain Shall Meet
Verified Purchase - SEDMReviewed in the United States on August 31, 2014
Worth reading again and again
Verified Purchase
