SUMMARY:

The Center of Mind podcast features Bruce Tift, a therapist combining Western and Buddhist approaches, discussing his book “Already Free” and the concept of psychotherapy on the path of liberation.

IDEAS:

• Bruce Tift combines Western psychology with Buddhist practices in therapy.
• ”Already Free” explores integrating Western and Eastern philosophies for personal growth.
• Tift’s approach challenges the notion of resolving contradictory experiences.
• Developmental view in therapy resonates with childhood experiences influencing adulthood.
• Fruitional approach in Buddhism emphasizes the non-existence of a solid self.
• Western therapy often aims to improve the self, while Buddhism seeks freedom from self.
• Tift suggests holding contradictory views without seeking resolution.
• Intimacy in relationships can provoke unresolved issues, requiring personal responsibility.
• Anxiety is seen as a natural human experience, not necessarily a problem to solve.
• Tift advocates for frequent, short practices of presence and embodiment.
• Relationships are seen as opportunities for growth and reflection of disowned parts of self.
• Tift’s work emphasizes personal responsibility over control in life experiences.
• The concept of “self-absorption” is explored as an avoidance of vulnerability.
• Tift’s therapeutic style is fresh and adaptive, not formulaic or repetitive.
• He views problems as retreats into self-absorption rather than inherent issues.
• Tift supports the Psychedelic Renaissance for its potential in psychological healing.
• He differentiates between biological and psychological causes of depression.
• Tift encourages unconditional kindness towards oneself and one’s experiences.

INSIGHTS:

• Integrating contradictory experiences without resolution reflects life’s complexity.
• Childhood adaptations can become outdated survival strategies in adulthood.
• Open awareness in Buddhism challenges the illusion of a permanent self.
• Anxiety can be reframed as an invitation to explore underlying vulnerabilities.
• Intimate relationships serve as mirrors for personal growth and self-awareness.

QUOTES:

• “I think increasingly it has made sense to me to hold contradictory or opposing or different thoughts feelings experiences emotions with no fantasy or resolution ever."
• "Western therapy could be understood as our efforts to bring ourselves into conscious participation with our current adult capacities and our current adult realities."
• "A more Buddhist view I think is to consider the potential for a conscious experience and unconditional Freedom as the intention rather than improving the quality of oneself."
• "I prefer to understand and work with what we call Neurosis basically as out of date efforts to take the best care of ourselves possible rather than as a problem that’s supposed to be healed or cured."
• "I think it’s very helpful to tease apart the process of reification from specific relative experiencing like calling somebody evil or what they do evil."
• "I think it’s very important to train ourselves to have a relationship with anxiety period with no explanation."
• "I think it’s very helpful when somebody has that sort of goal of transcendence to invite them to come back to the messy embodied immediate experience."
• "I think it’s very easy for anybody on a spiritual path or in a different way for people in therapy to project what is what they found helpful as if other people should too."
• "I think it’s very important not to mistake momentary experiences of openness as some achievement; it has to be integrated."
• "I would just say that I think it’s very helpful to consider that most of what we claim to be a problem could be understood as a retreat into self-absorption.”

HABITS:

• Tift practices integrating Western psychology with Buddhist teachings in therapy sessions.
• He reads extensively, combining insights from various wisdom traditions.
• Tift maintains a fresh perspective by treating each therapeutic session as unique.
• He frequently practices presence and embodiment throughout his day.
• Tift approaches life experiences with curiosity rather than judgment or control.
• He advocates for short, incremental practices rather than long, intense meditations.
• Tift encourages clients to explore their vulnerabilities and underlying anxieties.
• He promotes personal responsibility in relationships rather than blaming partners.
• Tift supports experimenting with different therapeutic approaches to find what works.
• He emphasizes the importance of integrating profound experiences into daily life.

FACTS:

• Bruce Tift holds a master’s degree in Psychology and is a licensed marriage and family therapist.
• He taught at Naropa University for 25 years, integrating Western and Buddhist approaches.
• Tift authored the book “Already Free,” exploring psychotherapy on the path of liberation.
• The book received high praise for its practical wisdom and potential life-changing impact.
• Tift believes that no single view, including Buddhism, captures life’s complexity fully.
• He sees Western therapy as focused on improving the self, while Buddhism seeks freedom from it.
• Tift suggests that anxiety is hardwired into our evolutionary biology for survival purposes.
• He views intimate relationships as opportunities to confront disowned parts of oneself.
• Tift does not work as a licensed therapist anymore but offers consultations on a limited basis.
• He supports the Psychedelic Renaissance for its potential benefits in psychological healing.

REFERENCES:

• Already Free: Buddhism Meets Psychotherapy on the Path of Liberation
• Bruce Tift
• Naropa University
• Developmental view in therapy
• Fruitional approach in Buddhism
• Psychedelic Renaissance
• Integral approaches

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Read “Already Free” for insights on integrating Western and Eastern philosophies.
• Practice presence and embodiment frequently throughout the day for personal growth.
• Explore vulnerabilities instead of avoiding them through self-absorption or distraction.
• Use intimate relationships as mirrors for personal growth and self-awareness reflection.
• Approach life experiences with curiosity rather than judgment or control for better outcomes.
• Consider short, incremental practices over long meditations for sustainable progress.
• Integrate profound experiences into daily life rather than viewing them as achievements.
• Experiment with different therapeutic approaches to find what works best individually.
• Embrace personal responsibility in relationships to foster healthy intimacy and growth.
• Support the Psychedelic Renaissance cautiously for its potential psychological benefits.