Awakening and Insight: Zen Buddhism and Psychotherapy

misunderstand and likewise be attracted to the Buddhist notion of ‘no-self,’ and
mistakenly seek doctrinal validation for their feelings of emptiness (Rubin 1996).

Benefits of Zen meditation in the therapy process

Stress and anxiety reduction

Several studies suggest that Buddhist concentration and mindfulness meditation
practices such as zazen and Vipassana reduce stress and anxiety (Kabat-Zinn 1988;
Kabat-Zinn et al. 1992; Shapiro 1976; 1978; Shapiro and Zifferblatt 1976; Shapiro
and Giber 1978). The less stress and anxiety in clients and therapists, the greater the
likelihood for cognitive and emotional receptivity and presence in the therapy session
(Kutz et al. 1985), and for adaptive responses to future stressors (Goleman 1976).
Buddhist concentration and mindfulness meditation may facilitate the occurrence of
relaxation through focusing the mind on the breath and through non-judgmental
witnessing of thoughts and emotions. As thoughts arise and subside, attention shifts
away from distressing or unhealthy thought patterns and emotions, and,
consequently, involvement and identification with them drops away (Deikman 1982;
Rubin 1996; Shapiro and Giber 1978).
On the other hand, Buddhist concentration and mindfulness meditation may not
decrease anxiety except after several years of sustained practice, and in fact may bring
about temporary phases of anxiety, agitation, and despair as the meditator’s usual
perception of reality is challenged (Brown and Engler 1980; Compton and Becker
1983; Dubs 1987; Kapleau 1989). Self-regulation strategies such as stress and anxiety
reduction may be considered side-effects or by-products of meditation, and may not
necessarily be the reason, or at least the main reason, why practitioners turn to
meditation in the first place (Brown and Engler 1980; Compton and Becker 1983;
Dubs 1987; Shapiro 1994; Walsh 1982). For example, clients who are engaged in
zazen for the purpose of calming the mind and improving psychological and physical
health are the clients most likely interested in the potential relaxation effects of Zen
meditation (Kapleau 1989). Clients engaged in Zen Buddhist practice as a whole do
not reject the potential relaxation benefits of Zen meditation, but are not likely to
practice it for those effects alone (Kapleau 1989). Therapists would do well to be
attentive to the reasons their clients practice Zen meditation and to note to what
extent full Zen Buddhist practice is a part of their world and world view (Brazier 1995).

Tolerance of mental processes

Concentration and mindfulness meditation practices such as Zen and Vipassana
foster tolerance of diverse mental processes, which in turn fosters tolerance of
distressing cognitions and emotions. From a Buddhist point of view, bare,
non-judgmental awareness and witnessing of thoughts and emotions as they arise and
subside is, in itself, healing (Epstein 1995; Salzburg 1995). As the meditation

150 KATHERINE V.MASÍS