Tab Article

ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Genre: Psychology, Psychotherapy, Buddhism, Spirituality

Book Review:
Robert Langan's ''Minding What Matters'' is a rare and beautiful book that defies easy categorization. It is at once a profound exploration of Buddhist psychology, a sensitive guide to the therapeutic process, and a work of poetic and philosophical reflection. As Jeremy D. Safran, editor of Psychoanalysis and Buddhism, writes, it offers ''a genuinely transformative experience.''

Langan is uniquely qualified for this undertaking. He is the Director of the Center for Applied Psychoanalysis at the prestigious William Alanson White Institute in New York City, yet his spiritual journey began with a fascination for Tibetan culture during his time in the Peace Corps in Nepal. This book is the fruit of a lifetime spent navigating the ''torn between East and West'' path, integrating the deep insights of both traditions.

The book's structure is as innovative as its content. It interweaves beautifully written essays on Buddhist topics—such as mindfulness, impermanence, and the nature of self—with compelling fictional dialogues between a patient and a psychotherapist. These dialogues are not dry case studies; they are vivid, immediate, and filled with a sense of playfulness and discovery. They bring the abstract concepts of both Buddhism and psychoanalysis to life, showing how they can be applied in the crucible of human relationship.

Lin Jensen, author of Bad Dog!, praises Langan's prose as possessing ''unrestrained courage, risking sentences that push language to the limits of expression.'' His writing is indeed vibrant and evocative, with a rhythmic quality that makes the book a pleasure to read slowly and savor. As Adam Philips, author of Kissing, Tickling, and Being Bored, notes, it is ''at once informative and evocative,'' with turns of phrase that are ''always suggestive.''

''Minding What Matters'' is not a self-help book in the conventional sense. It is an invitation to a deeper inquiry into the nature of mind and the possibilities of human transformation. It will resonate deeply with psychotherapists, students of Buddhism, and anyone on a path of personal and spiritual exploration. A fascinating, wise, and truly unique contribution.