From the Back Cover
What this book proposes is a meeting between the Western psychotherapeutic approach--grounded in working with the personal problems and the need to carve out a strong awareness of self--and Eastern tradition, which emphasizes a larger kind of awareness and equanimity as a continuously available source of clarity and health for those who know how to find it.
About the Author
As a psychotherapist, teacher, and author, John Welwood has been a pioneer in integrating psychological and spiritual work. Welwood has published six books, including the best-selling Journey of the Heart (HarperCollins, 1990), as well as Challenge of the Heart (Shambhala, 1985), and Love and Awakening (HarperCollins, 1996). He is an associate editor of the Journal for Transpersonal Psychology. He leads workshops and trainings in psychospiritual work and conscious relationship throughout the world.
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From the Introduction: The Eastern traditions and disciplines steadily taking root in our culture during the past few decades have finally begun to influence the practice of psychotherapy. This has happened as more and more health professionals are practicing meditation and applying their experience with it to their work with others. The growing attraction of the Eastern teachings grows out of a widespread perception that Western psychology and medicine are incomplete both in their understanding of human nature and in their ability to promote health and well-being. What Western psychology has done well is to describe and analyze neurotic behavior-- primarily in terms of childhood conditioning and family dynamics-- and to develop therapeutic methods to help free people from bondage to their past. What Western therapists know much less about, however, is how the mind actually works, and how people can either perpetuate or heal their neuroses from within. Our general ignorance about the source of health inside us has contributed to the crisis of modern health care (so that hospitals are usually too sterile to provide a truly healing environment, the major form of therpy for psychiatric patients is drug maintenance, many health providers suffer from burnout, and the suicide rate among psychiatrists is notoriously one of the highest of all professions).
This book presents new perspectives on health nd the healing relationship growing out of the cross-fertilization between Eastern meditative disciplines and Western psychological practice. The chapters are primarily practical and personal, rather than theoretical or technical. And this is as it should be. For the major orientation of the book is to explore the healing relationship as an intimate encounter that can awaken the heart-- of both therapist and client.
