Charles Styron – The Boundless Universe of Presence

Charles Styron – The Boundless Universe of PresenceDescriptionFrom the point of view of Tibetan Buddhist psychology, presence can be seen as a gateway into the virtual entirety of the dharma teachings. Understanding and cultivating mindfulness practice within this understanding is a pathway to deepened therapeutic presence and clinical impact with clients. As with similar constructs, it is useful to think of presence in stages. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end–a ground, a path, and a fruition. The ground is comprised principally of four groups of qualities:Kindness, gentleness, and straightforwardnessDiscipline and joyFreedom from hope and fearUnpredictability or inscrutabilityThe ground alone, while vast, is not enough. In psychotherapy, it exists as a vehicle for very personal communication. This is where the path comes in. The path becomes operative through the content of what is being communicated or taught-in this case, some aspect of the psychotherapeutic process. Finally, with the passage of time, one often forgets a great deal of what one has heard. What one remembers instead is how one felt at the time of the communication and how the other person seemed to be–the element of connection. This is the fruitional element of presence, which is a kind of transmission, and it goes far beyond the written or the spoken word.ObjectivesDetermine how presence represents a gateway into the discipline of mindfulness meditation altogether.OutlineFrom Tibetan Point of View, Presence provides a holographic view of the Dharma.There is a Ground, a Path, and a Fruition.Ground:kindness, gentleness, straightforwardnessdiscipline and joyfreedom from hope and fearunpredictability or inscrutabilityPath: What is being communicated or taughtFruition: Transmission, which goes beyond the written or the spoken word.ADA NeedsWe would be happy to accommodate your ADA needs; please call our Customer Service Department for more information at 1-800-844-8260.Satisfaction GuaranteeYour satisfaction is our goal and our guarantee. Concerns should be addressed to: PO Box 1000, Eau Claire, WI 54702-1000 or call 1-800-844-8260.FacultyCharles Styron, Psy.D.Charles W. Styron, Psy. D., is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Watertown, Massachusetts, as well as a consulting psychologist for Caritas Norwood Hospital in Norwood, Massachusetts. He is also the treasurer for The Institute of Meditation and Psychotherapy, a former architect, and a family man with 21-year-old daughter. Additionally, Dr. Styron has been a practitioner and teacher in the Shambhala and Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist traditions for 38 years. He is a contributing author to Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, Second Edition.