1 j Buddhism, Western psychology and psychotherapy.

RE 633B
Instructor : Chris Ross

Fall 2011, Mondays 2.30 - 5.30 p.m. in W 4-108

Office Hours: Tues. & Thurs. 1 - 1.30pm & Fri. 9.15 - 9.40 a.m., or by appointment. Office location: Woods Building, W 2-111; Telephone: 884-0710, ext. 3679. Email cross@wlu.ca

This graduate course explores common ground and contrasts between three cultural traditions: Buddhism, Western psychology and Western psychotherapy, with special regard to how each approaches ideas of the individual, the experience and sources of human suffering, and methods for reducing that suffering. Participants decide on the emphasis they wish to place upon individual and cultural analyses of concepts used and issues raised in the readings and in class. Texts Aronson, H. B. Buddhist Practice on Western Ground: Reconciling Eastern Ideals and Western Psychology. Shambhala Books. 2004. (A/)
Cardinal M., 1982. The Words to Say It Boston: Van Victor and Goodheart NB. Not available at bookstore; 12 used copies available at Amazon Books - order as soon as possible as it should be read in the first week of class.

Epstein, Mark. Thoughts without a Thinker. New York: Basic Books, 1995. (E/) Welwood, John. Toward a Psychology of Awakening: Buddhism, Psychotherapy, and the Path of Personal and Spiritual Transformation. Boston: Shambhala, 2000. (W/). Course Pack RE 633f A (CP) Optional Clarke, J. J. Jung and Eastern Thought. Routledge, 1994. (C)
Safran, J. (Ed.) Psychoanalysis and Buddhism.

Segall, S. R. Encountering Buddhism: Western Psychology and Buddhist Teachings. SUNY Press. (S) O'Connor, P. Understanding Jung, Understanding Yourself. Paulist Press.1985. Stein, M.. Jungs Map of the Soul. Open Court. Peru: ILL. 1998. On reserve Dockett, K. H. et al. Psychology and Buddhism: From Individual to Global Community Ch.2, Five Manifestations of the Buddha in the West.

Fromm, E. Psychoanalysis and Zen Buddhism. Prebish, C. S. & M. Baumann Westward Dharma Watson, Gay. Resonance of Emptiness. Routledge. 1998. (G) Unno, M. Buddhism and Psychotherapy across Cultures. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2006 Requirements Contribution to class process 20% Short essay: 2000 words due Oct.18th (week 5) 20% Term project (due at last class) 5000 words 60% Schedule of Readings I Introductions Class 1, Sept. 12 A. Introduction: Goals and purposes B. The world of psychotherapy [1] Film excerpt [1]: Psychoanalytic therapy (with Nancy McWilliams; Systems of Psychotherapy, Series 1; APA, especially 12th to 22nd min.). Film also of interest Sigmund Freud: Analysis of the mind (especially first 15 min.). For reflection: What does mean to think psychologically about religion? Class 2, Sept. 19 A. Western psychology and Buddhism A/ up to p. 18; Up to p. 7, and ch.22 of Westward Dharma (CP 1-13) Buddhism in a Nutshell from Wake Up Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, by Ken Mcleod (CP 183-211) Mental Balance and Well Being: Building Bridges Between Buddhism and Western Psychology by Alan Wallace and Shauna Shapiro, American Psychologist, 61, 690-701 (CP 171-183; 169-170). Also of interest (optional): Segal: 179-196. B. The world of psychotherapy [2]:

3 E/ up to p.9; Resonance of Emptiness 1-22, 25-66(CP 15-48); W/ xi-21.

Cardinal M., 1982. The Words to Say It Boston: Van Victor and Goodheart

Also of interest (optional): Psychology and Buddhism: From Individual to Global Community Ch.2, Five Manifestations of the Buddha in the West(on reserve). II Psychoanalytic perspectives and Buddhism Class 3 Sept. 26 A. A cultural context for correlating psychological and Buddhist perspectives: A/ 19-40: The Joys and Perils of Individuality; Mirrors and Reflections. B. A psychoanalyst presents a Buddhist psychology of the mind: E/ 15-73. Optional: G/ 67- 92 Class 4 Oct. 3. A discussion of Buddhist views of the ego: Prison or path?: E/ 76-107; W 22-57. Optional: G 93-126. October 10th : Thanksgiving - no class Class 5 , Oct. 17th. Methods of Reducing Suffering [1]: Meditation A/ 41-52; E/ 109-155; W/ 58-76;. Optional: G 131 - 168; Short essay due. This two thousand word essay should be based be focussed upon a topic or issue arising from the readings of the first four weeks. Class 6, Oct. 24th A. Methods of Reducing Suffering [2]: Mark Epsteins Buddhist informed psychoanalytic psychotherapy: E 158 - 222. Optional: G 170 -230; Fromm: Psychoanalysis and Zen Buddhism (On reserve). B. Approaches to the ego: Do you have to be a somebody (in the West) before you become a nobody?: A 52-90; W 35- 47 (review) & W 193-228. Class 7, Oct. 31st A. Welwoods phenomenology of experiencing in psychotherapeutic processing and

Buddhist practice: W/ 77 -129 Optional back ground in phenomenology : Flood, G. Beyond Phenomenology; also Eugene Gendlins Focussing. Film Carl Rogers providing psychotherapy. B. Buddhist and psychotherapeutic approaches to emotions: [1] How should emotions be experienced? W/ 133-192. Optional back ground from psychology: Domasco, A. The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness Class 8, Nov. 7th A. Individual five minute presentations of term paper proposals with five minutes for discussion. B. Buddhist and psychotherapeutic approaches to emotions [2] Anger: to be abandoned, expressed or experienced? A 91-126. C. Buddhist and psychotherapeutic approaches to emotions [3] The roles of love. A/ 127-150; W/ 163-171 (review), 193-222. Class 9, Nov.14th Relationships and attachment - Buddhist and Western psychological approaches: opposing or complimentary views Aronsons Approach: Western Buddhism must accommodate the relational self of Western practicioners, A/ 151-212. Welwoods Relational Enlightenment: Using Relationships as a Path to Spiritual Transformation: W/ 229 -292. Also of interest: Stephen Gilligan, The Courage to Love. 1997. III Dialogues between Jungian Analytical Psychology and Buddhism: Classical Texts and Modern Scholars. Class 10, Nov. 21st A. Introductory lecture to Jungs Analytical Psychology

5 Clarke: Spiritual traditions, East and West from In search of Jung 74-93(CP 49-58) Palmer: The Structure of the psyche and God as Archetype from Freud and Jung on Religion (93-128) (copy available Nov 14th ) Film excerpt: Jungian analyst on Jungs theory of type Life of Dreams Optional brief overviews to Jungs analytical Psychology: Stein, M.. Jungs Map of the Soul. Open Court. Peru: ILL. 1998.
Or Or O'Connor, P. 1985. Understanding Jung, Understanding Yourself. Stevens: Very short Introduction to Jung, OUP.

Class 11, Nov. 28th Jung and Buddhism [1] Introductory readings on Jung and Buddhism: Buddhism in J. J. Clarkes Jung and Eastern thought, 119-142 (CP 60-72). Introduction to Self and Liberation: The Jung-Buddhism Dialogue. Eds. Moore, Robert L. and
Daniel J. Meckel. (Copy available for distribution Nov 21st)

Jung: Psychological Commentary on The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation(CP 73-89) Jung: Psychological Commentary on The Tibetan Book of the Dead (CP 90-98) Jung: Forward to Suzukis Introduction to Zen Buddhism(CP 99-109). Film excerpt of Jung talking about archetypes and religion in Inheritance of Dreams. Class 12 Dec. 5th A. Jung and Buddhism [2]:Jungs approach to Buddhism and the utility of Jungs Analytical Psychology in facilitating understanding of Buddhism in the West: Perspectives from religious studies, philosophy, and psychology: Bishop: Jung, Eastern Religion and the Language of the Imagination(CP 111-125). Thomas: The Bodhisattva as Metaphor to Jungs concepts of the Self.(CP 127152)Streng: Mechanisms of Self Deception and True Awareness. (CP 153-167). B. Student present their term papers [1] Class 13 Dec . 12th Student present their term papers [2]

Term paper due

Titles of previous term papers Dreams East and West: Dreams in Tibetan Buddhism and the Bon religion, and in depth psychology. The Fear of Death and The Guilt of Life? Existence and Cessation 'East' and 'West.

Zen Buddhism and Self Transcendence: The Psycho-spiritual Life of Thomas Merton. Buddhist and Psychotherapeutic Approaches to Pain: a Comparative Study. Buddhist Concepts of Death and Dying and the Implications for Bereavement Counselling. Winnicotts Concept of the Good-enough Mother and Buddhist Conceptions of Non-attachment The Bodhisattva as an expression of Jungs Archetype of the Self.