Sense and non-sense: Phenomenology, Buddhist and psychoanalytic

The author uses and extends Wilfred Bion's concepts of "invariance" and "tr ansformation" to discuss the integration of Buddhism and psychoanalysis. Ob servable descriptive similarities between Buddhism and psychoanalysis, acco rding to the author, function as artifacts that can overlay and obscure the primary subjective and experiential nature that the two disciplines have i n common. The author discusses the nonpathological nature of unitive experi ences and argues that over-emphasis on technical similarities can function as a resistance to deepening unitive experiences with patients. The terms " sense," "non-sense," and "no-sense" function as neutral words with which to discuss basic ineffable and unknowable experiences that both systems can a ccess. The author comments on the concepts of faith and spirit in relation to both disciplines. The integration of Buddhism and psychoanalysis, for in dividuals who practice both disciplines, according to the author, is primar ily an internal process. An unrelenting search for lived truths forms the b asis of this process.