Western psychology
Spiritual traditions / Western psychology 
29 excerpts, 1:51:16 total duration




Thanksgiving Retreat 2010, Session 4 – Nov. 23, 2010

Download audio (6:22)
10. “Can you speak a little more about the essential differences between working with vedanā, the hindrances, and mind states and the differences and similarities between ‘spiritual’ use of this and more psychological/personal growth oriented [approaches]? Is there a difference?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of feeling] [Hindrances] [Mindfulness of dhammas] [Western psychology] // [Impermanence] [Suffering] [Not-self] [Self-identity view] [Happiness] [Generosity] [Virtue]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2011, Session 8 – Nov. 26, 2011

Download audio (0:41)
2. “It seems that having some Western psychological understanding or undergoing therapy can be helpful to a Buddhist practitioner. What are the dangers, drawbacks associated with integrating these different ways of working with the mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Western psychology] [Benefit/gratification] [Drawbacks] // [Cause of Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering]


The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, Session 35 – Feb. 27, 2013

Download audio (9:17)
4. Discussion of how saṅkhāra relates to the other khandhas. [Volitional formations] [Aggregates] // [Consciousness] [Volition] [Emotion] [Feeling] [Conditionality]

Story: A psychology experiment demonstrating the physical effects of cultural responses to anger. [Western psychology] [Cultural context] [Aversion]


Download audio (7:54)
5. “Do even involuntary volitional formations below the level of direct awareness produce kamma?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Volitional formations] [Kamma] [Volition] // [Aversion]

Story: The Dalai Lama suggests that psychologists study virtuous people. [Dalai Lama] [Western psychology] [Virtue]

Sutta: AN 3.68: Comparison of greed, hatred, and delusion. [Unwholesome Roots]


Our Roots in the Thai Forest Tradition, Session 35 – Feb. 21, 2014

Download audio (3:15)
3. “How do the kilesas relate to the concept of the shadow?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Western psychology] [Unwholesome Roots] // [Characteristics of existence] [Self-identity view] [Mae Chee Kaew]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 7 – Nov. 28, 2014

Download audio (3:53)
15. “Is the ego the same as self? If different, in what ways?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view] [Western psychology] // [Conceit] [Volitional formations] [Conditionality] [Ignorance] [Cause of Suffering]


Western Disciples of the Thai Forest Tradition, Session 35 – Feb. 25, 2016

Download audio (2:21)
5. “Do people confuse the definitions of ego and self?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Western psychology ] [Self-identity view] // [Four Noble Truths]

Story: An applicant to Wat Pah Nanachat writes a letter avoiding all personal pronouns.


Download audio (4:14)
6. Discussion about psychotherapy models, attachment, and self. Led by Ajahn Pasanno. [Western psychology] [Self-identity view] [Clinging] // [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] [Four Noble Truths]

Story: Meditation helps a psychiatrist treat other psychiatrists. [Western psychology] [Meditation] [Language]


Western Disciples of the Thai Forest Tradition, Session 37 – Feb. 28, 2016

Download audio (3:15)
2. “What is the balance between sorting out feelings internally and expressing feelings externally, not repressing them?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Emotion ] [Western psychology] [Community] // [Goodwill] [Compassion] [Discernment] [Learning]


Download audio (1:04)
3. Comment: Avoidance strategies can be both external and internal. [Pain] [Western psychology] [Meditation]

Responses by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Jotipālo. [Spiritual bypass] [Hindrances]


Abhayagiri’s 20th Anniversary, Session 11 – Jun. 4, 2016

Download audio (0:57)
2. Reflections by Peter Mayland on Buddhism and psychotherapy. [Western psychology] [Cessation of Suffering]


The Teaching and the Training, Session 8 – Mar. 26, 2018

Download audio (2:13)
12. “Have you found it necessary to recommend psychotherapy or medication for monks who have deep-seated ruts of suffering?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Western psychology ] [Suffering] [Long-term practice] [Monastic life] [Saṅgha] // [Ajahn Pasanno]


Download audio (3:19)
13. “Is the Dhamma sufficient for ordinary neurosis or do I need a psychotherapist?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Western psychology] [Dhamma]


Download audio (4:00)
14. “A senior lay teacher I respect has started seeing a psychotherapist. Any reflections?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Western psychology] [Dhamma] [Lay teachers]


The Path of Practice, Session 2 – Jun. 16, 2019

Download audio (1:35)
10. “I find a lot of meditation time is taken up with psychoanalyzing and thinking, ‘Oh, this is a discovery!’ What is the line between realizing that you’re caught again?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Western psychology] [Directed thought and evaluation] // [Mindfulness of feeling] [Proliferation] [Clear comprehension]


28th Anniversary Practice and Study Day, Session 6 – Jun. 1, 2024

Download audio (1:23)
4. Description of Erik Erikson’s eighth stage of psychological development: Integrity versus Despair by Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Western psychology] [Recollection] // [Ajahn Karuṇadhammo] [Ageing]


Readings from The Island, Session 1 – Jan. 5, 2025

Download audio (7:34)
5. “I work as a psychotherapist and it seems to be useful to have a more or less stable self, a more or less stable ego, to be able to transcend the ego.” Answered by Ajahn Amaro. [Western psychology ] [Self-identity view] [Liberation] // [Mark Epstein] [Virtue] [Happiness] [Conditionality] [Language] [Ajahn Chah] [Conventions]

Reference: “The Wisdom of the Ego” in Head and Heart Together by Ajahn Ṭhānissaro.

Sutta: SN 1.25: “Skillful, knowing the world’s parlance, he uses such terms as mere expressions.”


Amaravati Lay Buddhist Association Day Retreat – Jul. 13, 2025

Download audio (4:36)
6. “There are suttas where people talk about honoring their parents. Are there examples of people who had very unskillful parents or childhood PTSD and brought these questions to the Buddha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Western psychology] [Sutta] [Parents] [Abuse/violence] // [Culture/India] [Saṅgha] [Virtue]

Sutta: Ud 5.3: Suppabuddha the Leper. [Gradual Teaching] [Stream entry]


Trying to Be Pure Consciousness Is Tiring – Aug. 31, 2026

Download audio (1:32)
6. Comment: I find that there’s a lot of overlap between cognitive behavioral skills and meditation and Buddhism. [Western psychology] [Meditation]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [History/Western Buddhism] [Western psychology]