I am would be very wary of mixing 20th centurn Western psychology with the wisdom of the Dhamma. When one takes refuge in the Triple Gem, one adverts to the teachings and one's own discrimination in regards to knowing the mind. I do not see room for 20th century Western psychology when one is truly committed to the path. This is not to say that psychology doesn't have it's place: for those who are not committed to the path, it can certainly be helpful. But, like even the Dhamma itself, it must eventually be abandoned when it is no longer needed. From my own personal experience, since I have become absolutely committed to the Noble Eightfold Path, I find all answers to the mind's problems and worries in the suttas when I apply my discrimination to them. There is no better mind-medicine than the Dhamma.kirk5a wrote:Me either. I've had that experience. There's nothing liberating about it. It's depersonalization.beeblebrox wrote:I don't think it's amazing when someone thinks that he's gone mad...Chanmyay Sayadaw wrote: When I conducted a meditation retreat in England, one of the meditators had put much effort into his practise both sitting as well as walking, and awareness of the activities too. So after about four days meditation he came to me and asked a question. ''Venerable Sir, my meditation is getting worse and worse,' he said. 'Now what happen to your meditation?' I asked him. Then he said, 'When I am walking one day, Venerable Sir, then gradually I am not aware of myself. The foot itself had lifted, and it itself pushed forward, and then dropped down by itself. There's no I or no me, no self, no myself. Sometimes though I control my foot, the foot doesn't stay with the ground. It lifted by itself. Sometimes it pushed forward very long. I couldn't control it. Then sometimes it's getting down by itself. So my meditation is getting worse and worse. What should I do?' Then eventually he said, 'I think I have gone mad.' Such an experience was very amazing.
http://buddhanet.net/vmed_4.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DepersonalizationDepersonalization (or depersonalisation) is an anomaly of self-awareness. It consists of a feeling of watching oneself act, while having no control over a situation.
-http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .budd.htmlIf by renouncing a lesser happiness one may realize a greater happiness, let the wise man renounce the lesser, having regard for the greater.
James