We’re sharing some key arguments here highlighted by an interesting article exploring the common ground and contradictions between applications of ‘Western’ and Buddhist understandings of the ‘ego’, in psychotherapy and meditation. Theres a brief summary of the most important points from our perspective – namely the contradiction that emerges upon any attempt to simultaneously apply Eastern and Western approaches to the ego, according to the author of this article published in Psychiatric Times, written by Bruce I. Goderez, MD.
“In summary, psychotherapy and meditation are both widely used for mitigation of mental distress and behavioural dysfunction. There are various theories about the causes of mental distress and about the mechanisms by which these modalities help people, but the reality is that we have no certainty about how it all works, and our methods are at least as much of an art as they are science. This discussion has pointed out that the operational mechanisms of psychotherapy and meditation overlap to some degree, and it is beginning to be accepted that they can be additive in their benefits. If a therapeutic modality seems to have clinical benefit, and if there is no reason to think it can cause significant harm, we are justified in using it even in the absence of rigorous proof of efficacy. It is accordingly reasonable to continue to explore the use of meditation in combination with psychotherapy in the treatment of mental disorders”
The author notes that there are many similarities between the Eastern tradition, and Freud’s model of working with and understanding the human psyche that came to form the bedrock of the western approach. He argues that, with regard to the technique of free association – essentially working with the notion that mental suffering derives from conflicts that are largely unconscious, and these conflicts can be mitigated by bringing them into consciousness – that “If you drop the requirement to verbalize one’s thoughts (and dispense with the analyst) Freud’s instructions are a fair approximation of the basic instructions for mindfulness meditation. This form of meditation, fundamental to all Buddhist teachings, is essentially a technique for observing our thought flow in granular detail without attempting to control it or shape it. As we make a sustained effort to simply observe our thoughts without our habitual judgmental attitude, we begin to develop some degree of equanimity toward our own thought processes. This meditative practice gradually translates into an increased capacity for equanimity as we encounter the vicissitudes of life. The change is experienced subjectively as reduced anxiety, increased emotional stability, increased clarity of mind, and an improved global sense of well-being. These positive results seem to be a natural outcome of the process, and do not depend on adopting any particular belief system or theory of mind”
This next part is particularly interesting as it provides a useful attempt at clarifying the distinctions and contradictions between a western psycho-therapeutic approach and an Eastern / Buddhist traditional approach: “there is a conundrum at the core of any discussion of psychotherapy and meditation. The underlying theory of mind and of the causes of mental distress offered by the 2 traditions are not only different; they are fundamentally contradictory.
The optimal outcome of psychotherapy is a strong and well-functioning ego that can effectively balance our primitive drives with the moral dictates of our society and the reality circumstances of our lives. Meditation practice can be helpful in this endeavour, but the goal of the meditative path as presented by Buddhist psychology is quite different. It is not to strengthen ego or to restructure it to some more favourable configuration, but rather to see through the process of ego altogether in order to systematically reduce its influence on our perception of reality”
In at least with regard to one feature, the author argues that it is possible to set aside conflicting theories of mind, in the face of the clinical experience of the meditative tradition which “suggests that the further one goes on the meditative path, thereby cultivating a reduced intensity of the process we call ego, the more benefit there is in terms of reduction of mental distress, development of emotional stability, and an increased sense of connectedness to the world and to other people. The implications of this observation require an exploration of spirituality and spiritual experiences, which is a larger discussion”
