My unenlightened, judgmental mind tells me that Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction demotes Buddhism to just another stress-reduction program in competition with yoga classes, tai chi (taiji) exercises, and those twelve step programs. Ugh. However, if a person is under so much stress that they can’t practice, then MBSR is available for such persons and it is probably better than other stress-reduction programs, as long as the practitioner does not grow to believe that Buddhism has no higher efficacy. Years ago I was chagrined when Jack Kornfield wrote a piece saying that sometimes meditation could not touch the severe problems that some people had. He argued that those people need Western psychotherapy. My first reaction was that it was not accurate to say that twentieth century Western psychotherapy could solve problems not solvable by Buddhist practice. (Even though I have no idea what psychotherapy is). But his article is well-worth reading; he is a deep, sincere thinker. I disagree with his conclusions but if you are having trouble with meditation practice, he may be speaking to you. I think he was saying that people with emotional problems so severe they can’t even start a meditation practice may need psychotherapy. I hope he was not saying psychotherapy was superior to Buddhist practice but that’s what the article seemed to be saying when I first read it. It has been discovered in recent years that Attention Deficit Disorder ADD) can be treated with mindfulness meditation. So that’s one mental disorder that does not require psychotherapy as a preliminary treatment. I have to assume Mr. Kornfield was referring to much more serious mental disorders. Back in the 1950’s, ADD was known by a different name. It was called “being a little boy.” Most of us mature and learn to meditate without psychotherapy intervention but if you find you just can’t sit still, maybe MBSR is for you. Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom
Zen Psychotherapy?
