Re: No-thing-ness in psychotherapy

I realize I'm replying to a two-year-old message, but the subject is timeless, so I'm really not late at all.

It seems to me that no-thing-ness (a term I have not heard until now) relates to the Taoist concept of "not-doing" and the Buddhist concept of "not-self" or emptiness. If not, well, ignore this and return to your breath.

My personal mission statement is simply "not-doing," which I would translate roughly as "be in the moment in the way the moment calls for." It has taken years of relentless self-development to arrive at the point where I can even consider dedicating myself to this basic but very challenging concept. I would say, in response to the previous post, that anyone who is serious about this is probably already in fairly good mental health. Although I'm not a therapist, I'd suggest that it's beyond the reach of those who do not have a well-developed sense of self.

If Maslow's hierarchy still has any credibility, it might help to consider that the practice of non-self requires a very solid sense of inner safety and belonging, and on a very large (i.e., cosmic) scale. Non-self is, after all, the path to enlightenment, which is certainly the ultimate in self-actualization. Meditators will note the irony in this last statement. :-)

May all beings be safe and empty.

Dave

Replies:

Re: No-thing-ness in psychotherapy, by Meditator, 03/10/02 Re: No-thing-ness in psychotherapy, by Dave Birren, 03/15/02 Re: No-thing-ness in psychotherapy, by Meditator, 03/17/02 Re: No-thing-ness in psychotherapy, by Dave Birren, 03/18/02

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