In an age marked by pragmatism and strain, the spiritual dimension present in each of us is often neglected, as are the important resources it can offer within a therapeutic process.
Reconnecting with this dimension can activate thoughts, emotions and new forms of awareness that can play a significant role both in therapy and in everyday life.
The Essentials of Contemplative Psychotherapy
Drawing on the rich tradition of Buddhist psychological teachings and practices, Contemplative Psychotherapy is a resource capable of enhancing the therapeutic work of practitioners from diverse backgrounds.
As developed at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, in the mid-1970s, Contemplative Psychotherapy is grounded primarily in the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. Within this tradition there are three main Yanas, or vehicles of teachings and practices, and in this series of seminars we will explore and compare the paths of these three approaches.
The first vehicle emphasises our personal development of mindfulness, awareness and loving-kindness toward our own experience as the foundation of our work with others. Accordingly, the first seminar is entitled “Beginning with Ourselves.”
The second seminar, “The Path of Compassionate Action,” follows the teachings of the Mahayana and the cultivation of bodhicitta, or an “awakened heart.”
The final seminar reflects the teachings of the third yana, the Vajrayana, or the vehicle of indestructible wakefulness. In this seminar, “Indestructible, Radiant Mental Health,” we will explore the teachings and practices that help us sustain this active awareness in our therapeutic work with patients.
