Awakening and Insight: Zen Buddhism and Psychotherapy

Ethical guidelines

The main obstacles to realizing such meditative awareness and insights are addressed
in a number of rules of life, called Precepts, which someone going the Buddhist way
will follow. This is the third important facet of Buddhist training. In brief summary,
one vows to treat others, their possessions, and their philosophy of life, with respect.
Buddhism sees immoral behavior as revealing a lack of insight which is caused by
ignorance, attachment to self, desire, and hatred. These guidelines are not intended
as judgment, but as a means to become awakened. When we have to take action
against someone, for example in case of transgressing our boundaries, it is not done
mainly to protect ourselves, but in particular to protect the other from actions with
harmful consequences. It’s not good for anyone—oneself or another—to commit
harmful deeds.
When I had an unkind thought about Karlijn in the first vignette, I was able to
drop it immediately, because of my training in ‘coming home.’ I do this not so much
because these are considered ‘bad thoughts,’ but rather because they would make me
unable to see clearly if I didn’t. If I wouldn’t have been aware and got rid of it, it
would have disturbed my attentiveness. If I should have to reproach myself for it, I
would have been distracted. Or I could have justified it by ascribing it partly to her,
for example when I would have been thinking that she makes me feel this way,
implying that this is wrong. She would sense it, having to defend herself and so on.
In either case much precious time would have been lost, and unnecessary suffering
would have been created. A common third way out, when painful feelings arise in
the therapist, is to blame third parties, for example parents. This is a distraction also.
The only thing needed is to put it to rest, remaining concentrated, in contact with
one’s breath, and following the flow of events, not sticking to anything, pleasant or
unpleasant, good or bad.
Most clients will sense how the therapist reacts to what they are talking about. So
an attitude of respect and attention for all human beings, animals, material things,
and the environment, of non-violence, of openness to different religions and living
styles, all merge into the therapy practice indirectly. The lack of it also. Fortunately
our clients are willing to affirm this sometimes.

Conclusion

Using some therapy vignettes I tried to clarify the impact of my Zen training on the
psychotherapeutic work I am doing. Meditation, Buddhist insights and rules of life
—all facets of this spiritual way—can give new openness to the psychotherapeutic
process.
I have given special focus to mindful awareness for psychotherapists. This
undivided attention to what takes place in themselves and their clients appears to be
a means of approaching Freud’s ideal of an open therapeutic attitude.
Buddhist insights, into the variability and the interwovenness of the reality in which
we participate, enhance psychotherapy, because clinging to ideas of invariability and

254 COMING HOME: THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES