Amino, Hiroshi (2023) The developmental importance of forgiveness in psychoanalysis and Buddhism. In: Psychoanalytic Approaches to Forgiveness and Mental Health. Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 9781003364313

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Abstract

The author discusses the importance of the state of forgiveness for the development of human minds that is essential to reach reparation proper. He brings in his own clinical experience in order to describe what hampers the development towards forgiveness in terms of both the unbearable sense of guilt caused by the damage to the objects and the early trauma. Referring to the Buddhist tale of Ajātashatru, he moves on to look at how the objects of compassion and forgiveness can facilitate the subject’s forgiveness. Finally, he discusses how compassion can alleviate pain, distress and agony, and help hate, hostility, destructiveness and murderousness become less violent and guilt less persecutory. Forgiveness can facilitate guilt. Yet for those who cannot bear guilt, forgiveness can only exacerbate the omnipotent demand for reparation and entitlement. It is therefore crucial for the analyst to sustain a firm and robust attitude in describing the dynamics to the patient while keeping compassion in mind. The discussion of compassion and forgiveness is really important to understand the facilitating factors for the development of human minds.

Item Type:	Book Section
Subjects:	Cognitive Processes, Theory of Mind > Cognitive Processes Psychological Therapies, Psychiatry, Counselling > Psychoanalysis
Department/People:	Adult and Forensic Services
URI:	https://repository.tavistockandportman.ac.uk/id/eprint/2921

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