I enjoy finding writers and thinkers that know Western psychology and/or psychiatry and also know Buddhism and Eastern thought, too. The first one I found was Harvey Aronson, a Texas psychotherapist. His book is "Buddhist Practice on Western Ground". I got a great deal from Jack Kornfield, especially his book The Wise Heart. He has a PhD. Lately, I have been reading Christopher Germer, MD, in his book "The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion". I have had a copy of one of several books by psychiatrist Mark Epstein, MD, on my shelf for quite a while. It's "Going to Pieces without Falling Apart". That has not been an especially attractive title for me so it has taken a while to get around to finding out what he has to say. The book is actually more about what we call "letting go", not demanding of ourselves or others that we act in certain ways, the ways we deem are the right or best ways.
In this book, one of Epstein's earliest, he discussed his inner longing durng his college years for some unnamed something that was more than what he was experiencing. His Buddhist practice began with the learning that he could just observe that longing, experience it, sit with it, acknowledge it without actually needing to become president of the world.
Having been president of the world, I have to admit the position is not all it is cracked up to be. In fact, it seems, more and more, that there is no permanent, lovely, flawless paradise anywhere. Stuff riseth and stuff falleth, good and bad. It comes at us in a mixture. Besides, it is tricky. What seems to be a clearly unadulterated good isn't so hot after all and is later found to have unwanted side effects or grows boring. Something what is clearly negative turns out to have its up side, sometimes enough of one that I don't want that "negative" to end.
Buddhism takes as fundamental its idea of there being no self. It points out that there is no part of the body or mind that is the self. The West, and America especially, emphasize self-reliance and self confidence. Both Westerners and Easterners have ideas in this area of value to the other side. It is an area where either side can grow impatient with the other.
