[Buddha-l] Personality disorders and anatta

[Dante Rosati]

generating compassion is simply a choice, and the best medicine.

On Nov 25, 2010, at 3:52 PM, Stefan Detrez <stefan.detrez at gmail.com> wrote:

> I think Franz is saying that particularly severe personality disorders
> cannot be cured with anatta based therapies. He also points to the question
> I have to what extent realizing selflessness can be achieved by people who
> have no clearly defined self image. Ironically, people with low esteem
> should be nearer to enlightenment than others, since they have less to work
> on. Nowhere is it clear that he states that generating compassion is a bad
> idea. I suppose generating selfless compassion presupposes a sense of self,
> however paradoxical that sounds. Can you comment on that?
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving, Franz!
> 
> 2010/11/25 Dante Rosati <danterosati at gmail.com>
> 
>> wow, someone who thinks generating compassion is a bad idea! thats
>> impressive!
>> 
>> On Nov 25, 2010, at 3:35 PM, Franz Metcalf <franz at mind2mind.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hello all,
>>> 
>>> On Nov 25, 2010, at 10:42 AM, Dante Rosati wrote:
>>> 
>>>> low self esteem, like most forms of mental inbalance, is caused by
>>>> self-obsession. mental illness = narrowing horizon. generating
>>>> bodhicitta is probably the most immediately effective treatment,
>>>> although anatta meditations proabably wouldn't hurt either.
>>> 
>>> I would counsel against the use of anatta meditations for people with
>>> low self-esteem. As Jack Engler has famously said, you need a self
>>> before you can lose it. This is why meditation centers have learned to
>>> routinely advise borderline personality types to receive psychological
>>> counseling/therapy before they begin serious meditation.
>>> 
>>> Indeed, I lack the time to fully explain, but I find myself doubtful
>>> of everything Dante wrote in the above quote except that mental
>>> illness can be seen as a narrowing of horizons. Sorry to be so blunt
>>> and to now withdraw, but it is Thanksgiving Day here in America and I
>>> have other obligations.
>>> 
>>> With thanks for the existence of buddha-l,
>>> 
>>> Franz Metcalf
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>> 
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 'In some awful, strange, paradoxical way, atheists tend to take religion
> more seriously than the practioners' - Sir Jonathan Miller.
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