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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Devotion To Tibetan Lamas, Self Psychology, And Healing In The United States, Daniel S. Capper
Devotion To Tibetan Lamas, Self Psychology, And Healing In The United States, Daniel S. Capper
Faculty Publications
This essay offers an alternative, self psychological model for understanding the possible healing dynamics of the guru-disciple relationship. Previous psychological studies often have interpreted the devotion of Americans to Eastern gurus as inherently enriching pathology for the disciple, yet this understanding does not helpfully explicate much data derived from more than two years of ethnographic fieldwork at a Tibetan Buddhist center in the United States. Instead, re-exploration of the dynamics of the transference and the vicissitudes of Buddhist practice for disciples reveals positive healing processes for some disciples as a result of guru devotion practice.
Enchantment With Tibetan Lamas In The United States, Daniel S. Capper
Enchantment With Tibetan Lamas In The United States, Daniel S. Capper
Faculty Publications
This article explores the relationships of non-Tibetan American disciples with Tibetan spiritual teachers (lamas) in terms of theory, practice, and experiential meaning. Contrary to some previous studies, data for this article indicate that submission to the lama is not an end in itself, but rather ideally provides an opportunity for disciples to become lamas themselves. Many disciples may find personal empowerment, oriented around the theme of compassionate social action. Understanding that surrender to the spiritual teacher is only a means to a personally empowering goal clarifies our understanding of many Asian religious practices in the West.