Japanese Zen Buddhist Psychotherapist’s Purpose-Centered Psychotherapy: Morita Therapy
The way of Arugamama(acceptance of life as it is)
In 1919, Japanese psychotherapists and Zen Buddhist Shaoma Morita developed his purpose-centered psychotherapy in Japan, and it is influenced by Zen Buddhism.
Morita Therapy is the treatment of common mental health problems such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychoneurosis, and post-traumatic stress and is delivered by accredited psychological therapists.
Morita Therapy becomes distinct Western therapies since they try to control and modify the patient’s feelings; however, it focuses on accepting the emotions without shaping them. The principle is taking and releasing our feelings like fears, anxieties, worries, and desires.
“Live your daily life in a way that you never lose yourself. When you are carried away with your worries, fears, cravings, anger, and desire, you run away from yourself and you lose yourself. The practice is always to go back to oneself.” by Vietnamese Monk Thich Nhat Hanh
Morita aims to reach “Arugamama”(acceptance of life as it is) that is defined as the best way to reveal to the patient’s own psychological and emotional flow of thoughts and feelings.
“Regarding human emotions, the Zen master would say ‘If we try to get rid of one wave with another, we end up with an infinite sea.’ We don’t create our feelings; they simply come to us, and we have to accept them. The trick is welcoming them” *
In Zen Buddhism, the action is more important than the emotions, so Morita therapy does not focus on eliminating the symptoms. The therapists do not provide explanations to patients, and they support learning from their activities so patients will discover from their experiences.
The final point is to figure out our life’s purpose. Morita mantra arises two essential questions;
“What do we need to be doing right now?”
“What action should we be taking?”
How is Morita therapy treatment?
In the US, Morita therapy is implemented by face to face patient and therapist meetings regularly. On the other hand, classic and original treatment is inpatient treatment, which lasts up to three weeks. The inpatient period consists of three stages, and each takes from five to seven days.
1st stage:
The patient stays in a room isolated bed rest, and they lie prone for most of the day. There is no interaction with the outside world. The therapist starts the therapy and rarely visits the patient. They meditate regularly.
“In the residential setting, transparent windows and doors are gateways to clients’ desire (life force) to be engaging in the world. With reduced stimuli inside the room, clients notice how their symptoms and preoccupation with past history diminish. Gradually, the mind stops dwelling on its own content as the desire to engage outside the room increases. Metaphorically, the self casts off self to swim in the sea. It cannot be overstated that rest, silence and seclusion propel clients into sensefulness (distinct from mindfulness) — and towards their creative potential and environmental engagement.” **
2nd stage:
Meditative breath exercises and short walkings begin in the patient’s daily activities. They start outdoor activities with gardening, like flower arranging and indoor activities like drawing and painting. Patients can only talk with their therapists.
“his paradoxical method of therapy brings clients’ bodies into the life-enhancing force of Nature. Because the manifestation of consciousness sits outside the human brain, visceral and sensory engagement in Nature is the neurological change agent — regardless of one’s awareness. In Morita therapy, we do not use the mind to open the mind — rather we close the mind so that the body is primed for infusion of consciousness that runs through Nature, metaphysically.” — by Peg LeVine, Clinical Psychologist **
3rd stage:
Actions based on physical strength increase at this stage; for instance, the patient chops woods in the mountains. They can make ceramics as an indoor activity, and they can talk about the tasks that they have.
End of the inpatient process, the patient returns to the real world, but meditation practices and the meetings with the therapist are keeping.
“The idea is to reenter society as a new person, with the sense of purpose, and without being controlled by social or emotional pressures.”**
Through Morita therapy, the patient learns to accept every moment fluctuations of feelings and thoughts without resistance and the naturalness of ourselves so they can perform the necessary constructive action in their daily lives.
Sources:
Morita Therapy and the True Nature of Anxiety-Based Disorders by Shoma Morita
* Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia Puigcerver , Francesc Miralles
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