The Yoga of Ordinary Living: Anuttara Yoga Tantra, Embodied Transformational Therapy, and Depth Psychotherapy

Abstract

Buddhism is one of the most robust, nuanced, and sophisticated lineages of healing and thriving in the world. Anuttara yoga tantra (AYT) represents one of the most profoundly transformative approaches within Buddhism. To date, there has been little dialogue between AYT and psychology in general, and even less with depth psychotherapy, specifically. I set out to explore the research question: How can the dialogue between AYT and depth psychotherapy lead to a more integral approach to healing suffering as well as developing a warm heart of compassion, a clear and concentrated mind of wisdom, a creative, playful, unique character with integrity, and a blissful experience of ordinary magic? Using a hermeneutic approach, I found that AYT and embodied transformational therapy can bring innovative uses of relationship, imagination, mind/body practice, mentorship, community, education, personal practice, and more to depth psychotherapy.