I have known many friends over the years who have undergone years of psychoanalysis. All for naught. Their suffering has not been lessened. They are still subject to the control of the same emotions.
The reason for this failure of psychiatry is that the assumption is that once one understands the reason why you reacted, often as a child, to a certain experience and why it has continued to control your life, that knowledge alone will be sufficient to bring about a change and the emotion’s control, if not its existence, will cease or at least lessen. However, with all due respect, I would argue that this assumption is without any basis in fact.
From my own experience, and from that of many others, I know that knowledge does not bring peace. The ego does not respond to knowledge. Actually, the ego does not respond to anything. What one has to do is construct a counter-force to block the ego’s intervention.
In Buddhism. that counter-force is to rediscover our true Buddha nature, our heart. And as we water the seeds of that nature through meditation and implementing the teachings of the Buddha, the roots grow deeper and we become more able to withstand the power of the ego and to say, “no.” To develop a force field against the ego.
If psychiatry and psychology adopted Buddhist teaching as an adjunct to psychotherapy, their patients would be greatly benefited. Since Buddhism is not a religion, it is not based on the belief of a God or any creation story, it is available to everyone regardless of their background or faith or lack thereof.
I must note here that the “mere” introduction of meditation into their practice, which I understand is not uncommon, will not accomplish what I suggest. Meditation separated from the Buddha dharma will increase someone’s calm no doubt, but it will not free them from suffering, from the control of their ego-mind.
The reason for this failure of psychiatry is that the assumption is that once one understands the reason why you reacted, often as a child, to a certain experience and why it has continued to control your life, that knowledge alone will be sufficient to bring about a change and the emotion’s control, if not its existence, will cease or at least lessen. However, with all due respect, I would argue that this assumption is without any basis in fact.
From my own experience, and from that of many others, I know that knowledge does not bring peace. The ego does not respond to knowledge. Actually, the ego does not respond to anything. What one has to do is construct a counter-force to block the ego’s intervention.
In Buddhism. that counter-force is to rediscover our true Buddha nature, our heart. And as we water the seeds of that nature through meditation and implementing the teachings of the Buddha, the roots grow deeper and we become more able to withstand the power of the ego and to say, “no.” To develop a force field against the ego.
If psychiatry and psychology adopted Buddhist teaching as an adjunct to psychotherapy, their patients would be greatly benefited. Since Buddhism is not a religion, it is not based on the belief of a God or any creation story, it is available to everyone regardless of their background or faith or lack thereof.
I must note here that the “mere” introduction of meditation into their practice, which I understand is not uncommon, will not accomplish what I suggest. Meditation separated from the Buddha dharma will increase someone’s calm no doubt, but it will not free them from suffering, from the control of their ego-mind.
RSS Feed
