Zen and Therapy: Standing Without Leaving
Zen and Therapy: On Support, Depth, and Inner Alignment
As a therapist and as a researcher, I often find myself reflecting on one central question:
How can we truly support our clients?:
At times, I feel the limitations of existing models and techniques.
This is despite having grown up in Japan, read extensively, trained rigorously, continued academic research, and engaged daily in clinical practice.
I believe that the presence of a therapist can, at times, become deeper than that of a partner, a child, a close friend, or even family.
Because therapists are entrusted with what cannot be told to anyone else — or what cannot be understood by anyone else.
Since the 1990s, I have held onto a Japanese therapeutic stance I call “Kyōku” (共痛) — literally, shared pain.
Kyōku is not empathy.
It is deeper than empathy, and in some ways deeper than the congruence described in Person-Centered Therapy.
Kyōku means experiencing the client’s emotions, thoughts, and circumstances without inserting one’s own ego or personal narrative.
It is feeling professionally, with the self-concept removed.
It is a deep therapeutic bond grounded in presence.
I do not run away.
I am not shocked.
I do not judge you.
And yet —
I stand with you.
This is a calm, strong, and flexible stance of the heart.
Zen and Therapy:
About ten years ago, while developing Zen Art Therapy during my graduate studies at the University of Auckland, I began researching Japanese Zen, Buddhism, and philosophical traditions more deeply.
Today, I would like to introduce several Zen concepts that profoundly inform my clinical work.
Taigu (退歩) — Stepping Back
In Zen, there is a term called Taigu (退歩).
Literally, it means “to step back.”
But it does not mean defeat.
Taigu means stepping back from the self that is about to react.
It means observing oneself before being swept away by emotion.
From a neuroscientific perspective, this is the movement from amygdala dominance back to prefrontal regulation.
Taigu is the act of reclaiming choice instead of reacting.
Choice is powerful.
When we are caught in victimhood, perpetrator mentality, or rescuer ego, we do not choose —
we attempt to control situations or cling to expectations, and when they are unmet, we fall into disappointment.
Even when we cannot change circumstances,
we retain the freedom to:
Observe them
Refuse to be controlled by them
Choose our thoughts and emotional responses
From that position, transformative action becomes possible.
Hōge (放下) — Letting Go
Another Zen word is Hōge (放下).
It means “to lay down” or “to release.”
To gently open the hand that is gripping:
Anger
Attachment to being right
Anxiety about evaluation
The desire to control
Zen teaches:
Hōge-jaku (放下著) — Just let go.
This is not resignation.
It is not abandoning the situation.
It is releasing attachment.
Anger and fixation burn the body from within.
Anger becomes action fueled by attachment,
like magma from a volcano slowly destroying one’s own life.
Letting go is not weakness.
It is protection of the self.
Taigu (大愚) and Mushin — The Great Fool
Zen also speaks of Taigu (大愚) — “The Great Fool.”
This does not mean ignorance.
It means:
Not over-calculating
Not clinging to winning or losing
Not being ruled by evaluation
It resembles the strength of mushin (無心) — no-mind, non-attachment.
From the outside, such a person appears relaxed.
But internally, they are unshakable.
This is strength born not from aggression,
but from transparency.
In a symbolic sense, it resembles The Fool card in the Tarot —
the one who steps forward freely because they understand the deeper principles of life.
The strongest “fool” is one who sees clearly.
Alignment — The Integration of Life:
When these Zen principles are practiced, a psychological shift occurs.
In psychology, we sometimes describe this state as Alignment.
Alignment is when:
One’s values
One’s actions
One’s roles
One’s inner stillness
begin to move in harmony.
Even if external circumstances are imperfect,
a person enters deep stability when these dimensions align.
Progress happens without force.
Doors open without battle.
This is not coincidence.
It is the outward reflection of inner alignment.
In Zen terms:
When one practices Taigu,
releases through Hōge,
and approaches the state of Taigu (Great Fool),
one moves closer to Mushin.
And from there, natural strength emerges.
What Is True Invincibility?:
True invincibility is not defeating others.
It is having an aligned center.
It is the ability to:
Step back
Let go
Remain the Great Fool
Live in alignment
When the center is quiet,
even the fiercest storm cannot collapse a person.
Zen and neuroscience use different languages,
yet they point to the same place:
No-mind.
Non-attachment.
Alignment.
There lies true strength.
The world is constantly shifting.
Especially in the post-COVID era, not every day appears positive.
And yet, I believe that if we cultivate wisdom and inner strength,
we can live with peace, authenticity, and quiet happiness.
May this reflection offer healing to your heart.
With sincerity and with shared breath🌿
