Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

Five Manifestations of the Buddha 65
At any rate, even as long ago as 1983, Bernie Zilbergeld lamented, “the problem
is not that so many are constantly looking for enlightenment these days, but
that so many have found it” (Zilbergeld, 1983, p. 3). The reader is urged to take
a close look at Singer and Lalich (1996) for a current, and relatively independent
assessment of the plethora of New Age cures, many of them sounding vaguely
Eastern, that have become part of the popular cultural scene in recent years.
As therapists we must also be mindful of the potential hazards of applying
Eastern practices outside of their cultural and spiritual contexts. Numerous sources
have warned of the dangers of applying Eastern techniques in the West without
great care. All of these sources agree it is crucial that Western psychotherapy
patients explore Eastern approaches to the transformation of consciousness in the
company of an experienced and trusted guide. There is substantial literature on this
point in Western psychology, which we have commented on in two publications
addressing integration of Eastern techniques into Western psychotherapies
(Bankart, 1992; Bankart, Koshikawa, Nedate, & Haruki, 1992).
Fishman (1992), in recounting the case of a man who became deeply disturbed
while practicing relaxation, deep abdominal breathing, and visualization
concluded that these techniques are especially counterindicated in “individuals
who have maintained rigid control over their thoughts and feelings to defend
against a disruptive childhood and chronic insecurity” (p. 585). Similarly,
Reynolds (1980) has advised serious caution that the “quiet therapies” may be
dangerous for psychotic and depressive patients. Indeed, Transcendental
Meditation and even deep relaxation have been noted to have a powerful potential
for adverse psychiatric effects in some types of patients (Lazarus, 1976;
Lazarus & Mayne, 1990).
Shapiro (1982) has called on Western therapists to use extreme caution when
applying Eastern techniques with Western psychotherapy patients. In a carefully
designed, systematic study Shapiro (1992) assessed the adverse effects of
meditation among a group of long-term meditators (average length of meditation,
4.27 years). Sixty three percent of his participants had experienced at least mildly
aversive affects, and two of his subjects (out of 27 in the sample) suffered profound
adverse effects resulting in psychiatric hospitalization.
A review of this literature leads me to propose two separate but related
obstacles of central concern to Western practitioners and teachers who become
involved with introducing their Western clients/students to traditional Eastern
techniques. The first is the general tendency in the West to look at all selfdiscovery
regimens as essentially psychotherapeutic. The second, and more pressing
problem, relates to the potential for disruptive psychological and emotional
disregulation and/or regression in the wake of Eastern practices from too powerful
an encounter with the self. In such cases it appears that the power of Eastern techniques
overwhelms the self-structure of some psychotherapy patients, precipitating
what are known in the literature as psychiatric casualties. For a more careful
review of this literature see Bankart (2000).