Buddhist philosophy and the treatment of narcissism through meditation

Epstein Book Summary

I interpreted this reading as Buddhist philosophy as being a novel way to address the difficult condition of narcissism that seems to be misunderstood by more conventional and modern methods. For me, Buddhist thought is about putting the ego into its proper perspective and this chapter introduced the author's ideas on how the ego and its different aspects influence metaphysics and how the deconstruction efforts targeted towards the ego within the Buddhist approach is aligned as an acceptable way to solve the problems of the modern mind in a self-realized manner that does not require medicine only mediation.

I have learned from this chapter that the components of the mind can be dissected and manipulated to put the individual at the forefront of creation. The Buddhist approach is one that requires looking at yourself in a new way without becoming too involved or narcissistic.

Chapter 2

I learned from this chapter that many of the concepts in modern western psychology are based upon the ideas that were developed in the Aryan traditions. Buddhism allows a person to feel comfortable with pain and suffering, however in this approach this pain is used in a positive manner rather than just trying to be avoided. The ego is an important part of the metaphysical makeup of our existence, and realizing this very important aspect is what this chapter revealed to me in the most significant way. This chapter revealed to me that finding one's ego is about finding the nothingness in one's self. By meditation and various yoga practices this enlightenment can be attained, but only in the subjective form.

Chapter 4

This writing suggested to me that the right way of meditating requires using a middle path or middle way of traversing through the often complex pathways of the mind. This middle way is recommended throughout this writing as a means to adopt both the miraculous and mundane.

I learned from this chapter that the middle way is an appropriate way to achieve balance within the mind. This Buddhist concept embraces the negative or darker aspects of our personality and fuses it with our more positive aspects. The ideas of positive and negative are relative and subjective, but I feel that is what the Buddhist philosophy is intended to do; resolve the inner conflicts that oppose each other. I also agree with the author that meditation is needed to reach this state of contemplation and this skill needs to be practiced.

Chapter 5

I learned from this chapter that the purposes behind meditation as they are compared to the Freudian approach revealed that there is a definite necessity for rebranding some of these terms to help better understand the current state of mind and fusing these discipline approaches together to form a new model to navigate the complex reaches of the human psyche. I gathered from this chapter that the mind can be utilized in many ways, but that it requires some kind of maintenance in the form of prayer or mediation to clean out all the negative aspects that need release. Buddhist philosophy is about letting go and finding new ways to navigate the world without grief and suffering. By accepting our fate as sufferers, the Buddhist mind can be more readily accepting to the wonders of life.

Chapter 6

This chapter revealed something important about how I view the synthesis of Buddhist practices and psychological treatments. For me, this chapter was all about finding the right balance and rhythm to one's own mind. Psychodynamics is another way of expressing the flexibility of one's mind. I learned that in order to best approach the mental problems that are resisting our will, is that a combination of both western and eastern meditation skills may be beneficial to the release of negative energy.

Chapter 7

This section of the reading suggested to me the dangers of the pitfalls of language and how the ideas of words may disrupt the ability for one to find their correct usage of self-help mediation, whether it be done in the Buddhist traditions or not. I learned from this chapter, that the internal dialogue that we hold with ourselves plays a large role in the way we may navigate our lives. Buddhist philosophy suggests that internal conversation is the essence of our divinity and that it is important to treat ourselves with respect and good will.

Chapter 8

This chapter helped clear up for me some of the more impactful ideas between Freudian psychotherapy and Buddhist style meditation. I was able to explore the ideas of emotions, and how these powerful energy sources truly dictate the efficacy of either treatment or the combination of both. I learned from this chapter that Freudian and Buddhist philosophy are somewhat compatible in their application toward mental hygiene. Although the ideas are based on different premises and language, both avenues of approach treat the invisible components of our psyche with respect and reverence. For me, it is important to remember that when mixing eastern and western psychological ideas, it may be necessary to combine or omit certain ideas to have them make more sense in today's modern world.