Meditation has been the cornerstone of Buddhist philosophy and practice for more than two millennia.  Psychoanalysis is the basis of modern Western psychology.  On the surface, the two schools of thought have very disparate views on the nature of the self, the nature of the universe, and the appropriate practices for alleviating the inherent suffering found in the world.  Indeed, whereas Buddhism teaches us to be aware that the self is illusory, psychoanalytic theory sets a strong, unified self as the goal of therapy.  Upon further inspection, however, certain similarities suggest the two practices can be used to complement one another – combining the strengths of each while diminishing their weaknesses.  Psychoanalysis is perhaps too illness-focused, for example, but by adding Buddhist thought, the view is more optimistic, and the focus shifts to health.

Briefly, meditation can be described as “the intentional self-regulation of attention, in the service of self-inquiry.” (Perez-De-Abenizetal et al, 2000)  In other words, it is “careful, non-judgmental attentiveness to whatever is occurring in the present moment.” (Rubin, 1999)  In its basic form, the meditator attends to the here-and-now, becoming aware of any thoughts or sensations, but not being distracted by them.  This focused attention, or heightened awareness allows the practitioner to be less preoccupied with the self, resulting in greater insight. (Meditation,2005)  Christensen and Rudnick (1999) describe the core of this process: I do not try to change anything.  I simply allow what is there to be there.  Tightness, push-pull, it’s just there in me.  This allowing is the shift.  Simply allowing it opens me to it.

Psychoanalysis was founded by Sigmund Freud, who is well-known as the father of modern psychology.  Among its tenets, the therapeutic process involves an intense emotional relationship between analyst (“psychologist”) and analysand (“patient”), wherein thought processes, dreams, and life history are analyzed, among other things, to first understand and then to rectify the client’s problem.  In short, both meditation and psychoanalysis aim to “help us watch what we do” through introspective awareness, and discover that we are not who we think we are and “that the world is other than it appears.” (Langan, 1999)

Rubin (1999) described three key similarities between Buddhist meditation and psychoanalysis.  First, the psychologist-client relationship is very similar to that of teacher-student in the Buddhist meditation context; they are both very emotionally intimate and engaging.  Second, meditation is akin to Freud’s concepts of “evenly hovering attention” and “free association.”  Free association is where you simply allow any thought or sensation to occur, neither holding on nor casting aside.  There is no need to react.  The “evenly hovering attention” that results is much like that found in meditation. Third, the obstacles that can interfere with positive change are described in a similar way: the resistance and defensive processes found in psychoanalysis are very much like the hindrances and impediments described by Buddhist doctrine.

One of the most difficult conflicts between psychoanalytic theory and Buddhist theory is the concept of the self.  As psychoanalysis was developed in the Western world, it is influenced by Christian thought.  According to Langan (1999), the Christian soul, responsible for its own salvation, is akin to the concept of the self.  The everlasting soul is essentially unchanging and has certain permanence.  By contrast, Buddhist philosophy describes the self as like quicksand, its solidity illusory.  The self cannot be everlasting as there is no self in the first place.  The Buddhist self is transitory; it constantly recreates itself in its relationships with the people and world around it.  It is perpetually reforming and rediscovering itself through these interactions, but each re-creation bears resemblance to that which preceded it.  In this way, there is a certain continuity that may reconcile with the Christian concept of the self, or soul. 

Just as Buddhism proposes karmic rebirth, psychoanalysis suggests that past choices dictate present possibilities.  Thus, karma can be conceptualized on a moment-to-moment basis.  Likewise, the ultimate aim for a meditator is the realization that the self is illusory.  This conflicts with psychotherapy’s goal of developing a coherent ego.  Perez-De-Abenizetal and Holmes address this issue by saying that you “have to be somebody before [you] can be nobody.” (2000)  In other words, you have to understand the self before you can let go of it.  Moreover, newer developments in psychoanalytic theory have proposed that absolute autonomy is impossible and views have shifted toward mutuality.

Both psychoanalysis and meditation are practices wherein the practitioner is seeking greater self-awareness and answers to any number of psychological difficulties.  Several positive effects of meditation have been found conducive to psychotherapy, such as increased acceptance of previously aversive thoughts and feelings, increased patience, and perhaps most importantly, increased awareness of thoughts and feelings coupled with a nonjudgmental attitude.  Experiences while meditating can enrich psychoanalysis: meditation cultivates “evenly hovering attention.” (Rubin, 1999)  By learning to have clearer, more focused awareness, the practitioner is less distracted and can better concentrate.  In this way, interactions with the psychologist can be smoother and more productive.  The same is true for psychoanalysts who practice meditation: they are better able to tolerate different emotions both in themselves and from their clients, and as a result, are better able to listen attentively and empathically.  This increased moment-to-moment awareness teaches the practitioner to respond rather than react to events, encouraging resilience. (Reibel et al, 2001)

The cultivation of self-awareness also provides for better and clearer memory of dreams.  This is particularly evident in the case of lucid dreaming.  As dream analysis plays a vital role in traditional psychoanalysis, the ability to vividly remember and recount dreams is of great value.  Rubin (1999) proposes “after becoming aware of our inner experience through meditation, we need to utilize psychoanalytic methods to investigate what we have become aware of.”  Every thought or insight achieved during meditation can be a topic of discussion for psychoanalysis. 

Segalla (2003) examined the implications of meditation in a group psychotherapy context.  She found that groups who practiced meditation to start their sessions were more emotionally charged and more open to one another when compared with most groups that do not include meditation as part of their routine.  Meditating together seemed to improve members’ empathy and cohesion.  Indeed, the groups more quickly developed inter-relationships and began engaging in discussions without guidance: most groups look to the therapist to lead the discussions at first and only very gradually begin to self-direct.  The members more actively made observations and interpretations, were more available and vulnerable to each other, and challenged one another constructively.  Segalla “was seeing a level of work that often takes groups years to accomplish.”  Indeed, “shame-based defensiveness was absent” and a “rapid move [was made] not only to cohesion but also to a more fearless revealing of sensitive issues.”  This fostered significant empathy and compassion, and as a result, more successful therapy overall.

There is a growing trend toward the secularization of meditation: demystifying some of its elements.  The primary principles of meditation are being applied as new tools in Western psychology.  These have resulted in new therapies, like dialectical behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. (Meditation, 2005)  These new paradigms have been used to treat everything from eating disorders to phobias to reversing coronary artery disease. (Meditation, 2005) 

Despite their differences, meditation and psychoanalysis have more in common that it appears.  Meditation can act as a powerful catalyst for psychoanalytic work, empowering the practitioner with increased self-awareness, empathy, and concentration.  Buddhist concepts describe possibilities of self-cultivation and wisdom that Western psychology, in particular psychoanalysis, have never considered.  Indeed, the optimistic or perhaps even “romantic” view that Buddhism describes, allowing the practitioner to transcend personal obstacles and discover newfound meaning in life, might be a better strategy for change than the pessimistic, illness-focused view of psychoanalysis. (Rubin, 1999)  Both meditation alone and psychoanalysis alone have had significant success, but by combining the two traditions, new possibilities are made available.

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