A Buddhist contribution to the psychoanalytic psychology of self.
The International journal of psycho-analysis December 1, 2003 Fredrik Falkenström
A theoretical paper integrates psychoanalytic concepts of self with Buddhist meditative psychology. The author divides psychoanalytic notions of self into three levels: experiential (moment-to-moment consciousness), representational (unconscious organizing structures), and systemic (higher-order organization of representations). He argues these levels should be distinguished for clarity. Buddhist psychology is described as enriching psychoanalytic understanding of the experiential self and narcissism, the latter framed as clinging to mental images of self. A model of therapeutic development is outlined, showing psychoanalytic psychotherapy and Buddhist insight meditation as complementary methods emphasizing different levels of self.