A certain kind of mindful man

ABSTRACT

The character and work of Carl Rogers is examined in the light of both the contemporary “utilitarian” mindfulness and the original Buddhist sense of the term mindfulness. A parallel is drawn between the way in which utilitarian mindfulness has been abstracted from traditional mindfulness and the way in which Rogers’ own principle of empathy has been received in the psychotherapy world. In both cases the merits and drawbacks of ethical neutrality are considered. The issues of purposefulness and of ethics in relation to both types of mindfulness are highlighted. Rogers is presented as an exemplar of mindfulness whose work helps us to reflect upon its true meaning.

Eine bestimmte Art von achtsamem Menschen: Carl Rogers als ein Beispiel für Achtsamkeit

Obwohl das Wort Achtsamkeit in den Werken von Carl Rogers nicht vorkommt und trotz der Tatsache, dass er kein großes Wissen über buddhistische Schriften hatte, hatte ihn das östliche Denken auf besondere Weise berührt und eine dramatische Änderung seiner beruflichen Laufbahn von Theologie zu Psychologie in die Wege geleitet, nachdem er als junger Student auf Chinareise gewesen war. Dieser Artikel feiert Carl Rogers' kohärente Vision und seinen unerschütterlichen Glauben an den Humanismus. Diese Einheit von Glauben und Vision ist viel näher bei der ursprünglichen Bedeutung von Achtsamkeit, wie sie in buddhistischen Texten vorgestellt wird, als die gegenwärtige, utilitaristischere Version von Achtsamkeit.

Un cierto tipo de hombre consciente: Carl Rogers como ejemplo de mindfulness

Aunque la palabra mindfulness no esta presente en los escritos de Carl Rogers, y a pesar del hecho de que el no tenia gran conocimiento de las escrituras Budistas, el había sido tocado en una forma significativa por el pensamiento oriental, haciendo un giro dramático de carrera, de la teología a la psicología, después de su viaje de graduado a China. Este escrito celebra la visión coherente de Carl Rogers y la permanente fe en el humanismo. Esta unidad de fe y visión esta mucho mas cerca de Mindfulness presente en los textos budistas que en los contemporáneos, la versión mas utilitaria de Mindfulness.

Un certain genre d’homme en Pleine conscience : Carl Rogers comme exemple de Plein conscience

Bien que le terme de Pleine conscience n’apparaisse pas dans les écrits de Carl Rogers et malgré le fait qu’il n’ait pas eu une grande connaissance des écrits bouddhiste, il a été touché de manière significative par la pensée orientale, qui a causé un changement d’orientation radical après son voyage d’études en Chine au cours de sa formation universitaire. Cet article honore la vision cohérente et la foi durable de Carl Rogers en l’humanisme. Cette unité entre foi et vision est bien plus proche de la notion originelle de Pleine conscience présente dans les textes bouddhistes que la version contemporaine, plus utilitariste, de la Pleine Conscience.

Um certo tipo de homem mindful: Carl Rogers enquanto exemplo de mindfulness recebido

Apesar de a palavra mindfulness não aparecer nos escritos de Carl Rogers e apesar do facto de ele não ter grandes conhecimentos das escrituras budistas, Rogers foi tocado de forma significativa pelo pensamento asiático, tendo feito uma mudança dramática de carreira, da teologia para a psicologia, depois da sua visita à China quando frequentava a faculdade. Este artigo celebra a visão coerente de Carl Rogers e a sua fé duradoura. Esta unidade de fé e esta visão está muito mais próxima do significado original de mindulness, apresentado nos textos budistas, do que a versão moderna, mais utilitarista, do mindfulness.

KEYWORDS:

• Carl Rogers
• mindfulness
• person centered
• utilitarian mindfulness
• Buddhist mindfulness
• ethics

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. MN refers to Majjhima Nikaya, the middle length discourses of the Buddha.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David Brazier

David Brazier is an English Buddhist priest, holds a doctorate in Buddhist psychology, and is the author of ten books on psychology, Buddhism, and culture, including Beyond Carl Rogers: Towards a psychotherapy for the 21st century and Love & Its Disappointment. He was a co-founder of the first person-centered counselor training program in Britain and was a member of the International Enabling Committee for the Person-Centered Approach when Carl Rogers was still alive. He is now president of the International Zen Therapy Association and head of a Pureland Buddhist sangha. He lectures in Europe, North and South America and East Asia. He lives in France and can be contacted via eleusis.ning.com.