“PSYCHOANALYSIS AND BUDDHISM: THE TRUE NATURE OF THE MIND“

 

by Dr. Ana Gaspar & Prof. Dr. Clara Pracana,
Portuguese Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy,
Lisbon, Portugal

 

The PowerPoint presentation is available here.

 

ABSTRACT

This Special Talk analizes the nature of the mind and the relationship between Psycho-analysis and Buddhism. On the side of Psycho-analysis, we will consider the three theories of W. R. Bion: The theory of thinking, the theory of knowledge, and the theory of transformations. On the side of Buddhism: The Buda’s four noble truths.
We hope to convey how the intercrossing of these two models of understanding the world and the mind can be fruitful and enlightening. We will see how Bion’s concept of “O” is quite similar to what Buddhists refer to when they speak of the “true nature of the mind”. We’ll also see the psychological benefits of meditation and its impact on the brain, analyzed by neuroscientists.

Keywords: Freud, Bion, Dalai Lama, meditation, Buddhism, Psycho-analysis, truth, true nature of the mind, awaking, self-knowledge.

 

BIOGRAPHIES

Ana Gaspar studied Psychomotricity, Clinical Psychology, and Philosophy of Science. She is a Psychoanalyst, with also training in Psychodrama, Family Therapy, EMDR Therapy, and Clinical Hypnosis. She has been interested in the relationship between Psychoanalysis and Poetic Imagination, which led her to publish a book about this topic and Gaston Bachelard Philosophy. Recently, she started focusing her research on the relationship between Psychoanalysis and Buddhism. At the moment she works as a Clinical Psychologist at Nova University of Lisbon.

Clara Pracana is a psychoanalyst, psychotherapist, coach, and lecturer. She was born in the Azores, Portugal. She has a Ph.D. in Applied Psychology (UNL, 2008), a Master in Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology (ISPA, 2000), an MBA (UNL/Wharton School, 1982), and honors in Economics (ISEG, 1976). She teaches organizational behavior as an Invited Professor at ISMAT, Portugal, and is part of its scientific committee. She is a regular lecturer on psychoanalytical topics at APPPP, Portugal. She is also a tutor with the LisbonMBA (UNL/UCL) and ISEG. She is a founding and training member of the Portuguese Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy as well as a member of the Portuguese Psychoanalytical Society, the International Coaching Community (ICC), and the American Psychological Association (APA). As a psychoanalyst, counselor, and international certified coach, she has a private practice in Lisbon. Her research addresses guilt and shame, depression, emotional intelligence, leadership, change, motivation, and group dynamics. She has published several papers and four books, mainly on psycho-analysis.