Lior Schonfeld. Clinical psychologist.

Therapy, Buddhist philosophy and meditation

Both therapy and meditation practice allow us to be and know ourselves truly - about our different parts. Sensing, feeling, thinking, breathing - each of them separately and all together. Different from the practice of meditation, which is essentially personal, treatment is done in two, which brings with it different qualities.

The Buddha, one of the first researchers of the soul, spoke about how discomfort is caused to us by a lack of understanding that we are in discomfort, by craving and clinging to pleasant experiences and by aversion and rejection of unpleasant experiences. Contrary to popular belief, there is no passivity or distant observation of reality in the position presented by the Buddha. There is great importance in taking responsibility for the discomfort we create for ourselves and trying to change it as much as we can.
As in the therapeutic process, also in meditation - a deep familiarity with our experience on its various levels, presence in the here and now, a direct and honest look at reality and a real choice in our way of action - allow us to be more liberated and free.

In these two processes, we become more aware of our inner world, its 'beautiful' and 'less beautiful' parts. This recognition develops in us different qualities towards ourselves and towards the world - acceptance, compassion, presence. These qualities develop through experience and not through intellectual understanding, which makes them powerful and meaningful.