REL 407 Topics 2

PAPER TOPICS II: REL 407/507 Buddhism and Psychotherapy

Due Friday, November 13, on Canvas.

Three pages. (You may use parenthetical notation to indicate page numbers for textual references.)
I encourage you to discuss these topics with one another.
Write your name, the name of the class, topic number, and the title of your topic at the top of the page. Be sure include direct quotations and/or page references from the readings relevant to your chosen topic in the body of your paper.
I also strongly encourage you to read the essays on my Writing Papers web pages, especially "Four Keys to Writing in the Humanities," "Paper Writing Guidelines," "Checklist for Papers," and "Writing: The Bridge between Consciousness and Unconsciousness."

TOPICS A

Choose one of the topics below.

1. Jeremy Safran, "Cross-Cultural Dialogue," and Harvey Aronson, "Buddhist Practice in Relation to Self-Representation"
In these two articles from Buddhism and Psychotherapy Across Cultures, Safran and Aronson examine Buddhism and psychotherapy in cultural context, discussing such themes of the understanding of self as autonomous individual versus self in communal context, Buddhist practices of insight into "reality" versus psychotherapeutic attention to interpersonal problems involving emotions. Identify two such themes (you can use the ones outlined here if you like) they share, describing the different contributions by the two authors, and then discuss one theme each that is unique that author.

2. Julie Hanada-Lee, "Shan-dao's Verses on Guiding Others and Healing the Heart"
In this article from Buddhism and Psychotherapy Across Cultures, Hanada-Lee discusses the course of her Clinical Pastoral Education program (CPE), she had to learn to see and embrace (or be embraced) in her own difficult emotions in order to learn to work with clients. Discuss this in light of the individuation process in Jung's Analytical Psychology as described by the Moacanin chapter we read for Week 3 (or Ann Ulanov's Creativity and Madness), especially the aspect of confronting and integrating the shadow. What are possible limitations of seeing Hanada-Lee's story in light of the Jungian individuation paradigm of Analytical Psychology?

3. Karen Kissel Wegela, The Courage To Be Present
In this work, Wegela defines "exchange" taught in the context of the Contemplative Psychotherapy program at Naropa University as the "direct experience of another being," in which one can 'pick up' the feelings being experienced by another, such as a client. Discuss the story of Hanada-Lee from the perspective of the practice of "exchange," especially as found in the relation between Hanada-Lee's supervisor and herself, then herself and her client. Comment on any relevant cultural factors that might influence the process or practice of "exchange."

4. Culture and Mind

Apply cultural observations made by Engler, Safran, and Aronson (from readings in Week 5) to practices and/or life experiences described in one of the readings from Week 6 to illuminate the nature of mind dealt with in psychotherapy and/or Buddhist practice. What aspects are culturally shaped? What aspects seem more universal? You do not have to use all three articles. You can choose ideas from two of the three: Engler, Safran, Aronson articles from Week 5.

5. Select your own topic
Identify one passage from among the readings from Weeks 5 and 6 that relate to a topic concerning Buddhism and psychotherapy that you would like to develop further. Formulate a one paragraph description of the topic that you would like to pursue, in terms of a) a psychological problem that you would like to examine, in a clinical sense; b) a philosophical problem of the similarities and differences between a particular Western psychological view of mind and a Buddhist one; c) a comparison and contrast between Buddhist views of practice and psychotherapeutic views of therapy. Discuss how the passage you have selected helps to address the topic or question that you have selected to work on. If there is another topic you would like to do on your own, then please see me.

TOPICS B

You will CONTINUE from Paper 1 with the character you created. - fiction or non-fiction, one you create or someone you know, or even yourself - and write a brief story. You can write about this person in the FIRST PERSON OR THIRD PERSON (your own voice, the character's own voice, or the narrator's third-person description). In general, it is easier to stay with the same voice as in your first paper, but if you need to change voice (e.g. from 1st to 3rd) for a good reason, you can do so. This character is facing pain and suffering on two fronts, externally and internally. This character was facing difficulties, but there is something developing that holds the possibility of moving forward: some insight that changes the character's perspective; an encounter with someone or something that changes their feeling about their situation; a dream, vision, or epiphany that alters their sense of themselves. Please incorporate 2 or 3 of the ideas below:

In "Promises and Perils of the Spiritual Path" (RT: Buddhism and Psychotherapy Across Cultures [BandP]), Jack Engler describes many ways in which Buddhist practitioners (in the West [but it could be anywhere]) use Buddhist ideas to rationalize lazy or self-centered attitudes, avoiding the deeper realization of no-self, emptiness, or profound oneness. Use one of these ideas to illuminate your character.
In "Buddhist Practice in Relation to Self-Representation: A Cross-Cultural Dialogue" (BandP), Harvey Aronson argues that psychotherapy and Buddhism share resonances on a specific point while diverging in their emphases. Psychotherapy emphasizes developing a stronger, more resilient sense of self. In his view, citing the work of Almaas, one must first become aware of subconscious attachments to a preconceived, narrow view of the self that has been constricting one's mind and life. Then, one can begin to develop a broader, deeper sense of self that is more adaptable and flexible. Buddhism takes a similar approach of dis-identifying with narrow, rigid views of the self, but focuses on letting go of all attachments to preconceived senses of self, to achieve non-self, emptiness, and oneness through liberation from any fixed sense of self.
In “The Original Buddhist Rebel - Shinran” (CR9), Mark Unno describes the Shin Buddhist practice of chanting or saying the Name of Amida Buddha, "Namu Amida Butsu," which means, "I, this foolish being, entrust myself to the awakening of infinite light." In this practice, one's own attachments/blind passions or 'foolishness' is illuminated, embraced, and dissolved into the ocean of light of boundless compassion. Although attachments/blind passions remain, they lose their holding power as one's center shifts to a deeper awareness of the unfolding of Great Compassion and the deep flow of the oneness of reality.
In "The Borderline between Buddhism and Psychotherapy" (BandP), Mark Unno recounts the story of a graduate student at Kyoto University who is a counselor for a junior high student, a violinist, who learns that she has a genetic condtion leading to complete deafness. He uses this idea to illustrate the Shin Buddhist practice of "deep listening, deep hearing" (pp. 150-152).
In "Shan-dao's Verses on Guiding Others and Healing the Heart" (BandP), Julie Hanada-Lee describes how, in her CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) training to become a supervisor for chaplains and those engaged in pastoral care, she had to learn to become aware of her own attachments in order to NOT transmit them unknowingly to her supervisees (students). She emphasizes how one needs to learn to be accepting of one's own emotions without judgement in order to not project expectations onto others, so that one can also teach others to be accepting of themselves and to be receptive to the varied landscape of their own emotional lives.
In “Hearing More than the Words” (CR8), Karen Kissel Wegela emphasizes that, for a Buddhist-oriented therapist to learn to connect with their client, they need to be able to feel what they feel, to be able to connect at an emotional level. This also requires that one learns to sense the rhythm of one's own emotions.