From the Introduction: The Eastern traditions and disciplines steadily taking root in our culture during the past few decades have finally begun to influence the practice of psychotherapy. This has happened as more and more health professionals are practicing meditation and applying their experience with it to their work with others.

The growing attraction of the Eastern teachings grows out of a widespread perception that Western psychology and medicine are incomplete both in their understanding of human nature and in their ability to promote health and well-being. What Western psychology has done well is to describe and analyze neurotic behavior-- primarily in terms of childhood conditioning and family dynamics-- and to develop therapeutic methods to help free people from bondage to their past. What Western therapists know much less about, however, is how the mind actually works, and how people can either perpetuate or heal their neuroses from within. Our general ignorance about the source of health inside us has contributed to the crisis of modern health care (so that hospitals are usually too sterile to provide a truly healing environment, the major form of therpy for psychiatric patients is drug maintenance, many health providers suffer from burnout, and the suicide rate among psychiatrists is notoriously one of the highest of all professions).

This book presents new perspectives on health nd the healing relationship growing out of the cross-fertilization between Eastern meditative disciplines and Western psychological practice. The chapters are primarily practical and personal, rather than theoretical or technical. And this is as it should be. For the major orientation of the book is to explore the healing relationship as an intimate encounter that can awaken the heart-- of both therapist and client.