Going to pieces without falling apart

Dr Epstein, a New York psychiatrist, has previously written on the relationship between psychoanalysis and Buddhism. In this book, he addresses the issues of emptiness in both these disciplines. As he points out, the 'emptiness' of psychoanalysis is different from the 'emptiness' of Buddhism. In psychoanalysis, emptiness means a feeling of insufficiency, that things just aren't quite right -- which corresponds more to the Buddhist notion of dukkha (a term notoriously difficult to translate, variously rendered as suffering, unhappiness or stress).

Epstein divides his discussion according to a structure that he derives from Tibetan Buddhism, into looking (starting where you are), smiling (finding a practice), embracing (releasing your heart) and orgasm (bringing it all back home). He explains that, in psychoanalysis, the alternatives are integration of the self and disintegration (which is seen negatively). He recommends, however, letting go.

He also provides some relatively conventional Buddhist material such as a short guide to meditation and mindfulness.

He argues that psychoanalysts should not attempt to directly incorporate Buddhist practices into their therapy (he advises, for instance, against getting patients to meditate) but he has found some Buddhist insights useful in guiding his therapeutic practice.

Epstein, Mark, M.D.. Going to pieces without falling apart: a Buddhist perspective on wholeness. 1998, Broadway, place of publication. {paper|hard}back. number of pages pages.