3/13/2011 Focusing and Buddhism

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Focusing and Buddhism

Margaret Hannah

The following is an extract from a dissertation which I completed early in 2004 in order to gain an MA in Psychotherapy, and
which is entitled "Focusing: its Use and Context within Core Process Psychotherapy".

For those unfamiliar with Core Process, it is a psychotherapeutic approach which embraces Buddhist teachings. It is taught at the
Karuna Institute, near Widecombe in the Moor, Devon, England -- "Karuna" means compassion in Sanskrit. Core Process also
adopts some modern western psychological theories, mainly of the client-centred type, which in my view sit comfortably within
the Buddhist philosophy.

Focusing is the only "technique" or skill which is taught formally in the Core Process training, and I use it frequently in my work
with clients. I hope this section may be of interest to those wanting to investigate Buddhism and/or meditation.

Margaret Hannah, MA
Core Process Psychotherapist
(Accredited UKCP)
2004

CONNECTION WITH BUDDHISM

Core Process is a psychotherapeutic approach which embraces Buddhist philosophy, and as such accepts the central tenet of the
Buddha's teaching, the Four Noble Truths. As Chogyam Trungpa states, these are "the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of
suffering, the truth of the goal, and the truth of the path". He was acknowledging that the human condition inherently involves
suffering, that it is possible to understand how the suffering has evolved, to carry an intention to end the suffering, and through
contemplative spiritual practice attain the blissful state where suffering no longer exists. Indeed, Core Process is regarded as a
contemplative model of psychotherapy. This is because it can be likened to the spiritual practice of vipassana meditation. In this,
the intention is to be physically still, to slow the mind and place the attention inward, observing what arises within and letting this
pass away. In a therapy session the therapist's role can be seen to replicate the observing part of the meditator, and the material
presented by the client as that which arises in the meditator. The non-judgmental contemplation of the therapist of the material
allows it to transform and thus pass away. In the vipassana method, the relationship with the body is central.

The Contemplation of the Body -- The Satipatthana Sutta

In Buddhism, the term "Dharma" or "Dhamma" is translated as "spiritual path", or more loosely as "spirituality" or "righteousness".
Nyanaponika Thera writes in his "Vision of Dhamma",

"The most concise expression of the Dhamma, its unifying framework, is the teaching of the Four Noble Truths: suffering,
its origin, its cessation and the way leading to its cessation" (29, Intro p. xix).

He goes on to emphasise the importance of the teaching of the Satipatthana Sutta in relation to spiritual practice. He writes:

"The teachings of the Buddha offer a great variety of methods of mental training and subjects of meditation, suited to the
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various individual needs, temperaments and capacities. Yet all these methods ultimately converge in the "Way of
Mindfulness" called by the Master himself "The Only Way" … the systematic cultivation of Right Mindfulness, as taught by
the Buddha in his Discourse on Satipatthana, still provides the simple and direct, the most thorough and effective, method
for training and developing the mind for its daily tasks and problems as well as for its highest aim" (28, p.7).

The Satipatthana Sutta occurs twice in the Buddhist scriptures, once in the Majjhima Nikaya (Middle Collection of Discourses) and
again in an extended version in the Digha Nikaya (Long Collection), where it is referred to as the Maha-Satipatthana Sutta (The
Great Discourse). This teaching was given by the Buddha both at the beginning and the end of his career, latterly when he was ill
and his disciples were anxious that he would soon die, at which time his faithful attendant Ananda asked him for a teaching. He is
said to have replied:

"Be your own island, Ananda, be your own refuge! Do not take any other refuge! Let the Teaching be your island, let the
Teaching be your refuge; do not take any other refuge! And how, Ananda, does a monk take himself as an island, himself as
refuge, is without any other refuge? How is the Teaching his island and refuge, and nothing else? Herein a monk dwells
practising body-contemplation on the body … feeling-contemplation on feelings … mind-contemplation on the mind …
mind-object contemplation on mind-objects, ardent, clearly comprehending and mindful, having overcome covetousness
and grief concerning the world. In that way, Ananda, will a monk be his own island and refuge, without any other, in that
way will he have the Teaching as his island and refuge, and nothing else." (Nyaponika Thera quoting from the Pali Canon,
28, p.140)

The Buddha's teaching emphasises therefore, that for liberation from suffering, all one needs is one's own body and experience.
He is, in my view, implying in the final sentence of the above quotation that in his physical being he embodies the teaching; all he
needs is within himself, "nothing else" is required from outside of himself. This message is wonderful news for the monks; what
more empowering a concept than to know that the key to your liberation from suffering lies within what you already have. Self-
enquiry, including enquiry into the body can provide all; and a parallel with focusing is evident.

The Satipatthana Sutta describes in detail the various elements of human experience which the monk should contemplate. These
include bodily functions such as breathing, postures, physical movement, bodily feelings such as pain, pleasure or neutrality, sense
perceptions like sound, sight, smell, touch, taste, "mental objects" such as emotions like anger, desire, sloth, agitation, doubt, and
factors of enlightenment such as mindfulness, energy, joy, tranquillity, and equanimity. Consciousness is also listed as an element
to contemplate. Included in the list is the contemplation of the body as the four elements of earth, fire, water and air; as well as all
unseen elements of the body, some of which may provoke revulsion such as bile and faeces. In addition, and surprising to the
modern mind, are the "nine cemetery contemplations" -- which the monk is encouraged to undertake at charnel grounds in order
to realise the impermanence of the body.

Each element described in the list falls within one of four categories: body, feeling, mental object or consciousness. And at the
end of each section describing the object or objects of contemplation, there is a reiterated passage, as follows:

"Thus he lives contemplating the body (or other category) in the body internally, or he lives contemplating the body in the
body, internally and externally. He lives contemplating origination-factors in the body, or he lives contemplating
origination-and-dissolution factors in the body. Or his mindfulness is established with the thought: "The body exists," to the
extent necessary just for knowledge and mindfulness, and he lives detached, and clings to naught in the world. Thus also,
monks, a monk lives contemplating the body in the body." (15, p.113)

This teaching comes from around two and a half thousand years ago (the Buddha's exact dates are unknown), from a distant
culture, and has been translated. It is therefore always open to interpretation. However, what may be revealed by self-enquiry of
ourselves as humans, it seems to me, is not dependent upon time and culture, but will contain basically similar elements.
Nyanaponika Thera writes "True wisdom is always young" (28, p.21). The contemplation of "the body in the body" in my view
means that it is necessary in this practice to delve into the bodily-held experience to taste and appreciate its qualities. Thich Nat
Hanh writes: "To comprehend something means to pick it up and be one with it. There is no other way to understand something"
(14, p.11). This is echoed by Tarab Tulku:

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"It is important to note that in accordance with Tibetan psychology, the conceptualisation of emotionality represses it. This
psychological view suggests that instead of letting the conceptualising mind dominate and repress the emotions, we should
stay with and live through the emotional experience" (27, p.33).

Chogyam Trungpa, in answer to the question "How do you transmute emotions?", replied

"Instead of experiencing emotions as being separate from you, your rather unruly employees so to speak, you must actually
feel the texture and real living quality of the emotions … We have to be brave enough to actually encounter our emotions"
(30, p.235).

There is no intellectualisation of the experience, no dwelling on the relationship with the experience which is created by the ego;
it is "going into" in order more fully to understand it. This is directly comparable with what happens in focusing. Campbell and
McMahon write:

"Most of us only feel our uncomfortableness with a problem or our need to control it. Rarely, however, do we experience
what it is like deliberately and consciously to be in the body's sense of negative issue. … This openness to bodily knowing
within the Focusing process sets the stage for real and sometimes dramatic change as hurting places are allowed to unfold."
(2, p.17)

There is also possibly a connection between the focusing process and the concept of "origination" and "dissolution" factors in the
body. When a felt sense rises into consciousness, or when one realises more about that felt sense, could this not be an
origination factor? And when a felt shift occurs, this is surely energy transforming, or in other words, dissolving. It may be that this
instruction in the Sutta is describing factors of personality arising from the ground of emergence, the not-self, and dissolving back
into it, and so presumes a state of relative enlightenment which is not the case with focusing instruction. Certainly for the
contemplation of consciousness, considerable enlightenment would seem to be necessary; although the other three categories of
contemplation, i.e. body, feeling and mental objects do arguably encompass the material which is worked with in the focusing
process.

Contemplating the body "externally" would not seem to find a direct parallel with the focusing process. As explained in
Nyanaponika Thera's "Heart of Buddhist Meditation":

"And how does a monk dwell practising body-contemplation on the body externally? Herein a monk reflects upon a body
external to himself." (28, p.155)

However, certain of the instructions concerned with contemplation on the body which are explained by Thera in the same work
can be seen as having some parallels with focusing. In answer to the question "How does one dwell practising body-
contemplation on the body?" The Buddha's answer is seven-fold:

"Contemplating it as impermanent, he abandons the notion of permanency, contemplating it as painful, he abandons the
notion of pleasure, contemplating it as not-self, he abandons the notion of a self; by turning away he abandons delight; by
being dispassionate he abandons greed; by causing cessation he abandons origination; by relinquishing he abandons
grasping" (28, p.156).

Certainly focusing can be linked to the first element of the above teaching in that it embraces the notion of impermanency -- an
acceptance that change is not only possible but natural and healthy; and to the second element in that, in focusing there has to be
a willingness to be with painful aspects of the self, temporarily abandoning defences against pain. In addition, the sixth and seventh
elements "by causing cessation he abandons origination" and "by relinquishing he abandons grasping" can be related to the process
of bringing unconscious aspects into consciousness -- the realisations and felt shifts which are indications of real psychological
change.

The fifth, fourth and third elements, which are about abandoning greed, physical pleasure and the notion of self are more difficult
to relate to focusing, as these teachings assumes the highest spiritual aim of enlightenment, which in Buddhism carries an intention

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to realise the "not-self", that which is not conditioned, being beyond individual personality in order to "overcome grief and
covetousness concerning the world" (28, p.154). In focusing, the self and its development is emphasised -- the aim is to become
happier with ourselves, more fulfilled as individuals within the world.

The development of mindfulness can be seen as involving two different types of practice, one formal and time limited, the other
an application of awareness within everyday living. Chogyam Trungpa writes:

"In addition to the sitting form of meditation there is the meditation practice in everyday life of panoramic awareness. This
particular kind of practice is connected with identifying with the activities one is involved in. The awareness practice could
apply to artwork or any other activity" (31, p.80).

He also writes "Sitting meditation needs to be combined with an awareness practice in everyday life" (32, p.47). Nyanaponika
Thera similarly states:

"to trap the actual and potential power of mindfulness it is necessary to understand and deliberately cultivate it in its basic,
unalloyed form, which we shall call bare attention. … Bare attention is developed in two ways: (1) as a methodical
meditative practice with selected objects; (2) as applied, as far as practicable, to the normal events of the day, together with
a general attitude of mindfulness and clear comprehension." (29, p.50-51)

There is certainly a parallel here to the use of focusing in Core Process Psychotherapy. The devotion of a part of a therapy session
to a time-limited section, proceeding formally through focusing steps, can be likened to the first "sitting form of meditation",
whereas the practice of inviting the client momentarily to become aware of their felt sense, bringing their awareness to the inside
of their bodies, is like the second. Neil Friedman described these two types of focusing in his psychotherapy practice, calling them
"focusing rounds" and "mini-focusings" (7, p.129). The more practice undertaken in focusing, the easier this "touching momentarily
into the felt sense" becomes. Moreover, I have found that my own practice of focusing has increased my ability to find a state of
"panoramic awareness" in everyday living. Paradoxically, to become more aware of oneself at an inner level, is actually to become
more aware of everything around one as well. Campbell and McMahon write in "Bio-Spirituality": "We also find that Focusing can
support spiritual growth by inviting a person to step beyond the mind's perennial quest for control" (2, p.52), and McMahon in
"Beyond the Myth of Dominance" urges:

"Look not with your mind, but with your body. If you can find a way to live in your body and not reject any of it, then you
will be guided into discovering the wisdom you sense in nature all around you. Your own body is the key that will tune you
into this vast and awesome Presence, the source of all wisdom" (24, p.199).

Are there then similarities between developing the skill of focusing and developing the "bare attention"; that is the key to the
"potential power of mindfulness"? There are in my view significant parallels.

In developing bare attention, and in developing Focusing, there is a common objective: that of examining the self in order to
transform the self. Similar advice is given about physical posture to be adopted. For sitting meditation and for Focusing, a relaxed
posture with a straight spine is usually recommended. As well as a similar physical attitude, there is the adoption of similar mind-
sets in approaching meditation or focusing. These mind-sets are typified by qualities which are positive and expansive, involving
trust and open-mindedness. In Buddhist meditation, confidence and curiosity are emphasised. Chogyam Trungpa writes: "This
awareness practice … requires confidence. Any kind of activity that requires discipline requires confidence"(31, p.80), and in
"Cutting through Spiritual Materialism" he states

"in order to be a completely inspired person like Gautama Buddha, you have to be very open-minded and intelligent, an
inquisitive person. You have to want to explore everything" (30, p.162).

even though what is found may seem ugly, painful or repulsive. Nyanaponika Thera also writes: "The aim of the meditative
practice to be described here, is the highest which the teaching of the Buddha offers. Therefore the practice should be taken up in
a mental attitude befitting such a high purpose". He goes on to suggest that the meditator recite the Threefold Refuge because
"this will instil confidence in him, which is so important for meditative progress." (28, p. 91)

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Focusing writers Amodeo and Wentworth emphasise faith (confidence actually means "with faith") and courage: "Allowing
ourselves to vulnerably open to a full range of felt experience requires the courage to take intelligent risks." And "Facing
unknown outcomes requires living with a realistic degree of faith" (1, pp 83-84). Other writers describe the cultivation of a
respectful attitude and friendliness to the self, as well as curiosity: "The point of creating a caring-feeling-presence is ... to create
an open enough body climate within which negative feelings can be owned" (24, p.118). "A Focusing attitude is a respect for a
reverence towards concrete bodily felt experiencing" (7, p.130). "Focusing is like being a friend to your own inner experience.
The qualities of true friendship include acknowledging, allowing patience, curiosity, respect, warmth, welcome, empathy,
compassion, and love." (34, p.18).

This encouragement by writers on focusing to be warm and friendly towards oneself may be in light of the prevalence of low self-
esteem in our culture today; it may be that greater natural self esteem was a given for the Buddha. When I consider my own
experience when approaching a Focusing session or a meditation session, I note that in both cases I enter a mind-state of slowing
or dropping thought processes, where my attention is inwards rather than outwards; and there is an aspect of giving time to
myself, of self-nourishment, and inner expansion. For both activities, I drop as much as possible my tendency to self-judgment, and
carry an intention to notice this at a subtle level when it arises; this is different from my everyday consciousness mode. There is
also common to both a sense of a balancing act going on; not getting drawn into self-criticism, not getting drawn into thoughts, a
sort of "hovering at the edge". Ajahn Chah writes, when giving advice about meditation technique "To practise in a way that's
peaceful means to place mind neither too high or too low, but at the point of balance" (3, p.47). Chogyam Trungpa echoes this,
when relating a story about a sitar player who asked the Buddha how to meditate: "The musician asked, "Should I control my mind
or should I completely let go?" The Buddha answered, "Since you are great musician, tell me how you would tune the strings of
your instrument." The musician said, "I would make them not too tight and not too loose." "Likewise", said the Buddha, "in your
meditation practice you should not impose anything too forceful on your mind, nor should you let it wander." That is the teaching
of letting the mind be in a very open way, of feeling the flow of energy without trying to subdue it and without letting it get out of
control." (30, p.10)

There can definitely be shifts in my experience of time in practising focusing and in meditation. In both, I am less aware of time as
a linear process. I have focused for forty-five minute periods when I seem to have visited many deep places in myself and been
aware of significant shifts, and yet have been astonished when given the "five minutes to go" signal from my listener -- much more
time has elapsed than I would have guessed. This can also happen in those meditation sessions when I experience less busy-ness
of mind, a deeper relaxation. In both meditation and focusing also, thoughts can arise, acting as distractions from the intended
process. When this happens in a focusing session with a client, I encourage them to return their attention to the body. When
engaged in focusing myself, I bring my attention back to my felt sense after realising my mind has wandered. However in
meditation something subtler, less action-oriented is encouraged:

"In true meditation there is no ambition to stir up thoughts, nor is there an ambition to suppress them. They are just
allowed to occur spontaneously and become an expression of basic sanity. They become the expression of the precision
and the clarity of the awakened state of mind." (Chogyam Trungpa, 30, p.10)

The Skandhas Trungpa also writes about thoughts in relation to meditation:

"One comes to an understanding and transcendence of ego by using meditation to work backwards through the Five
Skandhas. And the last development of the Fifth Skandha is the neurotic and irregular thought patterns which constantly flit
across the mind" (31, p.151).

"Skandha" is the term use in Buddhism for elements of the ego as it develops, the creation of ourselves as individuals. The word is
translated as "heaps" or "aggregates", as it carries the quality of "growing collections". There are five of these. The first involves
the development of "form", which arises from a fear of space. The space is the universal energy, which holds all form in potential.
Trungpa writes:

"the fear of the absence of self, of the egoless state, is a constant threat to us … We want to maintain some solidity … so
we try to solidify or freeze that experience of space" (32, p.21).

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The second skandha involves feeling, a seeking to feel in order to confirm that we are distinct and separate from that which is
outside ourselves. The third skandha involves impulses which are guided by perceptions. According to Trungpa this encompasses

"indifference, passion and aggression. … Perception, in this case, is the self-conscious feeling that you must officially report
back to central headquarters what is happening in any given moment. Then you can manipulate each situation by organizing
another strategy" (32, p.21).

This is linked to the impulse to control our experience. The fourth skandha involves the development of intellect and concepts.
Trungpa again:

"We cannot establish ego properly without intellect, with the ability to conceptualize and name. By now we have an
enormously rich collection of things going on inside us. Since we have so many things happening, we begin to categorize
them putting them into certain pigeon-holes, naming them" (32, p.22).

The last skandha is the development of consciousness. Thich Nat Hanh states: "The fifth category, consciousness, however
contains all the other categories and is the basis of their existence" (15, p.46). Although these are described in order, they arise
together and continuously, and are involved in the creation of karma. Trungpa states that all five have one purpose:

"The whole development of the five skandhas -- ignorance/form, feeling, impulse/perception, concept and consciousness --
is an attempt on our part to shield ourselves from the truth of our insubstantiality. The practice of meditation is to see the
transparency of this shield. … If we want to take this wall down, we must take it down brick by brick; … So the practice of
meditation starts with the emotions and thought, particularly with the thought process" (32, p.23).

Meditation can be seen as an "unpacking" of the skandhas, so as to become eventually free of karma, the cycle of birth and death.

In focusing there is an intention to move away from the emotions to find the more subtle felt sense.

"A felt sense is the broader, at first unclear, unrecognizable discomfort, … to let it form, you have to stand back a little from
the familiar emotion. The felt sense is wider, less intense, easier to have, and much more broadly inclusive" (Gendlin, 9,
p.69).

So, any issue which may exist around the relationship with our arising emotions is not entered into immediately in the focusing
process. However, during focusing, a question about the emotional tone of a felt sense or image can usefully be asked, and
acknowledging such a tone can bring a process step to reveal the nature of an underlying fear or belief. For instance, in a recent
focusing session I saw an image of a garage door open inside my heart area. My listener asked if there was an emotional tone, and
I realised that there was anger involved with the image. Underneath the anger was a fear of being energetically "too open" and
that to receive was also to be invaded. What was happening here was, I would argue, an engagement with the anger and fear
unearthed in this process. It was necessary fully to taste the nature of that particular anger and fear in order to move my process
on. And in order fully to taste them, it was also necessary to apply something other than the "dualistic thought process" referred
to by Trungpa. The dualistic thought process involves judging whilst perceiving: whatever is perceived is judged as right or wrong,
good or bad; the mind takes a fixed stance as to the desirability or repulsiveness of that which is perceived. (Often the terms
"clinging" and "aversion" have been used to describe this in a Buddhist context). Focusing, as described above, involves non-
judgmental acceptance of that which arises in the inner space. This seems to me to be closely related to the space being described
by Trungpa in "The Myth of Freedom", when he states that the Buddha's teaching "was inspired by his discovery that there is a
tremendous space in which the universality of inspiration is happening. There is pain, but there is also the environment around the
origin of pain. The whole thing becomes more expansive, more open." He goes on "the vipashyana practice that we are
attempting ... is realizing that space contains matter, that matter makes no demands on space and that space makes no demands on
matter. It is a reciprocal and open situation" (32, pp 58-59). In focusing, it is tremendously helpful to be able to be with and to
explore the felt sense from such an open, spacious and non-judgmental place, which allows for fluidity and change.

Focusing engages us in the more subtle felt sense which can be related to the second skandha of feeling. In choosing to be with
the bodily felt sense we are helping to disengage from thought processes (peeling away the fifth skandha), and similarly in realising

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emotional tones held in the felt sense we are strengthening a non-attachment to emotions associated with the fourth skandha. It is
more difficult directly to correlate the first skandha regarding form to the process of focusing, and to the third one regarding
perception/impulse. In the Buddhist context, "impulse" is a phenomenon much more subtle that a "wanting to", which can be
categorised as an emotion. I believe I recently touched the edge of an impulse whilst focusing, when I noticed quality of energy to
the left of my heart which constantly pulled away from settling into the moment, being fully present. It was so subtle as to be
difficult to describe in words, and my sense is that it will take time and persistence to transform.

Of course, it would not be helpful to analyse in terms of skandhas or another model the sensations which are noticed whilst in a
focusing session, as this would put one back into thought processes rather than being with the felt sense. Finding a handle is about
individual experience, not about fitting an analytic construct. Nyanaponika Thera describes something very similar when
discussing meditation technique:

"It is a fundamental principle of the Satipatthana method that the disciple should take his very first steps on the firm ground
of his own experience. He should learn to see things as they are, and he should see them for himself. He should not be
influenced by others" (28, p.87-88).

In Focusing, the listener is not intending to influence or control the focuser, and most focusers find the practice much enhanced by
the presence of a listener (I would suggest because of feeling reassured by being accompanied, and because the spirit of non-
judgment is reinforced by the listener's quality of presence and skilful reflection). The listener can be likened to a "spiritual
friend". Trungpa describes this concept in relation to unpeeling the layers of the ego:

"We must be willing to communicate in a completely open and direct way with our spiritual friend and with our life,
without any hidden corners. …

Q: Must we have a spiritual friend before we can expose ourselves, or can we just open ourselves to the situations of life?
A: I think you need someone to watch you do it, because then it will seem more real to you" (30, p.82-83).

The implication here is that the "spiritual friend" is a guru, perhaps. However, as the role of the guru is to enable one to see
oneself more clearly, so the listener in focusing also fills this role, albeit for a very limited time period. It is the finding of the
handle and expressing this to a listener which is perhaps the most obvious difference between focusing and any form of
meditation, the latter being a practice where transmutation is usually an inner process only.

CONCLUSION

The Buddha's teaching on meditation practice was addressed to monks, who were committed to a way of life which embraced
non-harm to self or others, the adoption of precepts such as poverty and chastity, in fact surrendering all aspects of living to the
goal of spiritual enlightenment. At the present time those who embrace Buddhist beliefs or practices are, of course, not
necessarily monks. Still, vipassana meditation is undertaken by the Buddhist practitioner with the intention of becoming conscious
that one's basic true nature is unalloyed joy and ecstasy; "as the Master says so emphatically in the Discourse, the attainment of
final deliverance from suffering (Nibbana) is the ultimate aim and inherent power of Satipatthana" (Nyanaponika Thera, 28, p.13).
The practice is part of a spiritual tradition which accepts the concepts of reincarnation, karmic effects, and the paradoxical idea
that liberation of an individual from suffering is possible by releasing the concept of the self. Focusing does not claim such
connections of course, and is simply a skill useful in the pursuit of self knowledge in the twentieth century western cultural
context of self-development. Gendlin writes "It is a way of enhancing self-knowledge, rather than a complete philosophy" and
"focusing … should be combined with anything else that can develop us as persons." (9, p ix)

The foregoing has compared Focusing with Core Process Psychotherapy and aspects of Buddhist philosophy and meditation
practice. All these teachings and practices are involved with the exploration and strengthening of self-knowledge and the inner
life, and as such, all are methods of spiritual development, and can inform each other. The key to success in all is the purity of
intention of the practitioner. As Ajahn Sucitto writes "We are our intention, that's what forms us" (26, p.109). Intention to change
oneself involves courage, honesty, commitment, perseverance and sensitivity. And all these practices: Core Process
Psychotherapy, Focusing, and Buddhist meditation, combined with pure intention, are important, perhaps vital, to the evolution of
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consciousness.

REFERENCES

Amodeo, J and Wentworth, K: "Being Intimate" Arkana 1986 ISBN: 014.01.9007.4

Campbell, P A and McMahon, E M: "Bio-Spirituality" Loyola University Press 1985 ISBN: 0-8294-0478-3
Chah, Venerable Ajahn: "Living Dhamma" The Sangha, Bung Wai Forest Monastery 1992
Chah, Venerable Ajahn: "Food for the Heart" The Sangha, Wat Pah Nanachat 1992 ISBN: 1 870205 12 X
Das, Lama Surya: "Awakening the Buddha Within" Bantam Books 1997 ISBN: 0553 505378
Flanagan, Kevin: "Everyday Genius" Marino Books 1998
Friedman, N: "Focusing: Selected Essays 1974-1999" Neil Friedman 2000 ISBN: 0-7388-1233-1
Gendlin, E T: "Focusing" Bantam Books 1981 ISBN: 0-553-27833-9
Gendlin, E T: "Focusing" Rider, 2003 ISBN: 184413220X
Gendlin E T: "Focusing" (Article in "Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice" 1969 Vol. 6, No.1, pp 4-14)
Gendlin, E T: "Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy" The Guildford Press 1996 ISBN: 1-57230-376-X
Gendlin, E T: "Let your Body Interpret Your Dreams" Chiron Publications 1986 ISBN: 0-933029-01-2
Hanh, T N: "Being Peace" Parallax Press 1987 ISBN: 0938077-00-7
Hanh, T N: "The Heart of Understanding" Parallax Press 1988 ISBN: 0-938077-11-2
Hanh, T N: "The Miracle of Mindfulness" Beacon Press 1987 ISBN: 0-8070-1239-4
Herman, J L: "Trauma and Recovery" Pandora 1992 ISBN: 0 86358 430 6
Karuna Institute: Buddhist Texts used for Core Process Psychotherapy Training
Karuna Institute: "Professional Training in Core Process Psychotherapy" Pamphlet
Karuna Institute: "Programme Handbook 2002-2003: MA in Core Process Psychotherapy"
Karuna Institute: "Programme of Courses and Professional Trainings 2003-2004"
Klein, J: "The Interactive Method -- the path of healing through empathy and compassion" published by Janet Klein
1998
Kurtz, R: "Body-Centred Psychotherapy" LifeRhythm 1990 ISBN: 0-940795-03-5
Levine, P A with Frederick, A:"Waking the Tiger" North Atlantic Books 1997 ISBN: 1-55643-233-X
McMahon, E M: "Beyond the Myth of Dominance" Sheed and Ward 1993 ISBN: 1-55612-563-1
Sills, Franklyn: "The Core Process Trauma Booklet" Karuna Institute 2003
Sucitto, Ajahn: "Kalyana" Amaravati Publication ISBN: 1 870205 14 6
Tarab Tulku XI: "Tibetan Psychology and Psychotherapy - Unity in Duality - An Introduction" Tarab Ladrang
Secretariat
Thera, N: "The Heart of Buddhist Meditation" Samuel Weiser Inc 1991 ISBN: 0-87728-073-8
Thera, N: "The Vision of Dhamma" Samuel Weiser, Inc 1986 ISBN: 0-87728-669-8
Trungpa, C: "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism" Shambala 1987 ISBN: 0-87773-050-4
Trungpa, C: "Glimpses of Abidharma" Shambala 1987 ISBN: 0-87773-282-5
Trungpa, C: "The Myth of Freedom" Shambala Publications Inc 1976 ISBN: 0-87773-084-9
Weiser Cornell, A: "Disidentification and the Inner Relationship" -- a presentation at the 1994 Focusing International
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Weiser Cornell, A: "The Power of Focusing" New Harbinger Publications 1996 ISBN: 1-57224-044-X

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